Festive fatigue? Mamee bets on micro-dramas to win Malaysia’s mixed season

When two major celebrations land side by side, most brands choose one lane. Mamee-Double Decker has chosen both.

Partnering with KULT, Astro's culture-first digital marketing venture, the brand has launched "Meeriah 2gether", a 10-episode vertical micro-drama inspired by a uniquely Malaysian cultural moment. In 2026, Chinese New Year on 17 February arrives just as Ramadan begins on 19 February, with Raya following close behind.

Premiering on 20 February, the short form series is designed for scroll culture and built specifically for platforms where audiences consume snackable, episodic content. Rather than creating a conventional festive advertisement, the brand opted for entertainment led storytelling that mirrors how Malaysians actually navigate overlapping traditions.

Produced end to end by KULT for Mamee Noodles, "Meeriah 2gether" captures the humour, heart and everyday realities of balancing celebrations across cultures. The central insight is simple. When festivities overlap, Malaysians do not choose one identity over another. They make space for both. And in those moments, food becomes the constant.

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According to How Yuan Yi, chief marketing officer of Mamee, this year’s rare festive timing is a reminder of what makes Malaysia distinct. Different traditions unfold side by side, but the spirit of togetherness remains the same. “Meeriah 2gether is our way of celebrating that, and reaffirming what Mamee Noodles has always stood for: food that brings people closer, no matter the season, no matter the culture."

From the agency’s perspective, the collaboration was about capturing a cultural truth and giving it a dramatic twist. René E. Menezes, KULT leader, explained that the team wanted to create something that felt lived in and local, rather than a surface level festive execution. “The best work comes from partners who trust each other, which Mamee gave us the room to create with heart, and we delivered a series designed to connect through the festive period and travel naturally across short-form culture," he added.

The title itself reflects the idea of mixed cultures shaping Malaysia’s identity. Through relatable family dynamics, unavoidable festive drama and small everyday gestures, the micro-drama was crafted to spark reactions, comments and shares, turning festive storytelling into an ongoing series audiences can follow rather than a one-off campaign drop.

The series follows Amir, the privileged son of Angkasa Holdings’ owner, whose life is turned upside down after he is kicked out of his home. Forced to trade luxury for a humble kampung (village) existence, Amir must learn to fend for himself and discover what independence truly means in Kampung Mee Rasa.

Along the way, he crosses paths with Mei Ling, who agrees to help him navigate his new reality. The two begin to bond, often over her favourite Mamee Kari flavour. But just as their connection deepens, tensions rise when Mei Ling uncovers Amir’s true identity, setting the stage for drama that threatens to unravel everything.

As brands look beyond traditional festive films, "Meeriah 2gether" signals a shift towards entertainment formats that prioritise narrative first, with the brand woven organically into moments that feel real. In a season where CNY, Ramadan and Raya unfold almost simultaneously, Mamee is betting that culture led storytelling, served in episodic bites, will cut through the noise.

Fragrance player Scentify is also betting big on Xiaohongshu. The brand has partnered with Ogilvy Malaysia to launch an episodic social drama on Xiaohongshu, positioning its new Golden Breeze variant as the “lucky scent of the year”.

Titled "Fabric Scented, Fortune Granted", the campaign was designed specifically for Xiaohongshu, tapping into the platform’s growing appetite for serialised short-form drama content among Chinese-speaking audiences in Malaysia. Episodes were later extended to Instagram to reach Scentify’s broader community, but the storytelling was conceived as a Xiaohongshu-first play.

Similarly, Guardian Malaysia's "Stay ONG in Health and Radiance" micro-drama campaign moves beyond material wealth, highlighting holistic wellbeing, showing that true prosperity lies in caring for one’s health, radiance, and relationships.

Designed for vertical, mobile-first viewing, each one-to-three-minute episode delivers high-energy storytelling with addictive cliffhangers, making it ideal for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and Xiaohongshu. The series follows the Ong family, each member chasing their own version of “ONG,” from superficial displays of success to exaggerated ideas of luck and prosperity. 

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Story first, sales second: Indonesia and Malaysia redefine authentic Ramadan advertising 
What’s shaping consumer demand this Ramadan? 
Guardian Malaysia reimagines “ONG” with health-focused CNY micro-drama