Garmin gets Malaysians moving the ‘lokal’ way this Merdeka

Garmin Malaysia is putting a local spin on movement this Merdeka and Malaysia Day with “Garmin celebrates lokal”, a campaign bringing together Malaysian art, culture and community-led fitness activities.

The campaign aims to encourage Malaysians to stay active in ways that fit naturally into their everyday lives, from daily routines and outdoor adventures to group workouts, while spotlighting local creativity and experiences.

At the centre of “Garmin celebrates lokal” is a collaboration with Malaysian self-taught artist Izzati Suza, known for her colourful, doodle-inspired illustrations depicting everyday Malaysian life.

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For the campaign, Garmin and Izzati have created a collection of locally inspired merchandise, alongside a limited-edition Garmin watch face featuring elements of Malaysian culture.

The campaign will also move offline through a series of community activities across August and September, spanning fitness, trail running, yoga and city running and walking.

The programme kicks off with a pound fitness session at KL Tower alongside the Pound with Hanis (PWH) community. It will be followed by a guided trail run with Garmin Trail Club at Bukit Dinding on 30 August, where participants will be treated to Malaysian staples such as nasi lemak and teh tarik after the run.

Garmin will continue the series into September with a yoga session led by PWH at Perdana Botanical Garden on 5 September, before rounding it out with “She runs lokal”, a women-focused community run taking place during KL Car Free Day on 13 September.

Through the campaign, Garmin is tapping into the Merdeka and Malaysia Day period not only through Malaysian cultural cues, but by positioning movement and community participation as part of the celebrations.

“Garmin’s goal has always been to encourage people to push past their limits, and we’ve seen how it can happen when Malaysians come together for a meaningful purpose. As we celebrate Merdeka in August and Malaysia Day in September, 'Garmin celebrates lokal' reflects our commitment to building healthier and more connected communities by highlighting the local creativity, culture and experiences that make Malaysia unique," said Sheena Sim, marketing lead of Garmin Malaysia. 

She added, "We wanted to go beyond celebrating fitness by recognising the people, places and passions that inspire Malaysians to stay active. Through our collaboration with Izzati and community partners, we hope to inspire more Malaysians to discover new experiences, connect with others and make active lifestyles part of their everyday lives.”

In tandem, Izzati said, "It is truly an honour to work with Garmin Malaysia on the campaign. It is always meaningful when brands take the time to highlight what makes Malaysia special and support local talents. I hope this collection not only brings smiles and a sense of pride to fellow Malaysians, but also inspires everyone to embrace their own way of moving and appreciate the little moments that make our everyday lives uniquely local." 

The campaign follows Garmin’s earlier efforts this year to broaden the conversation around what movement and endurance can look like in everyday life. Earlier this year, the wearable technology brand launched its “Women of endurance” campaign, shifting the focus away from marathons and elite athletes to the everyday realities of motherhood. The campaign spotlighted the often unseen physical and mental fatigue women experience while balancing caregiving, work and daily responsibilities.

At its heart was the idea of making emotional and unseen labour more visible and relatable, reflecting Garmin’s wider push to position endurance beyond conventional measures of athletic performance.

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