Guardian Malaysia reimagines “ONG” with health-focused CNY micro-drama

This Chinese New Year, Guardian Malaysia is redefining what it means to be “ONG” — a word traditionally associated with fortune — with its latest campaign, "Stay ONG in Health and Radiance:. Moving beyond material wealth, the campaign highlights holistic wellbeing, showing that true prosperity lies in caring for one’s health, radiance, and relationships.

Conceptualised by THE SHOUT GROUP (FCB SHOUT), the campaign is presented as a five-episode micro-drama series, a fast-growing content format popular in China. 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.

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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. As their individual pursuits unravel, the family discovers that true fortune is found not in material achievements but in nurturing health, self-care, and one another.

Anna Ng, brand & marketing director of Guardian Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, explained the rationale behind the campaign: “'Stay ONG in Health and Radiance' speaks directly to how today’s audiences consume content. Guardian Malaysia’s role as the Trusted Advisor for Wellness comes through clearly, reminding Malaysians that true wealth goes beyond material success. By highlighting our dermatology, hair care, oral care, skincare, and supplement offerings — along with personalised guidance from our wellness experts — we want to reinforce the importance of holistic wellbeing.”

For THE SHOUT GROUP, the project was a chance to experiment with a storytelling format still new to Malaysia. Executive creative director Wang Ie Tjer said, “The micro-drama structure gave us more room to build tension, humour, and character development across multiple episodes. While the series is lighthearted on the surface, it explores a meaningful tension: different generations often define prosperity differently. This campaign allows Guardian Malaysia to shift the conversation from superficial markers of success to something far more substantial — health and wellbeing.”

The agency also teamed up with production house Restless Productions, post-house Meccanica EFX, and audio house Real Time Studios for the series. 

The campaign launched on 15 January 2026 across all Guardian Malaysia social channels and was complemented by an experiential retail activation, "Unlock Your Ong", running from 15 to 18 January. Partnering with Dove, Skintific, Garnier, and Silkygirl, the activation invited shoppers to explore the three ONGs of radiance, beauty, and health through skincare consultations, makeup tutorials, and personalised wellness advice. The initiative brought the idea of Ong to life, making wellbeing tangible, practical, and personal.

Other Malaysian brands which have veered into the mini-series territory also include Emborg, which leaned into the technology this Chinese New Year with a social-first video series that blends cultural storytelling with tech-enabled creativity. The campaign marks Emborg’s first GenAI-led social content series in Malaysia and Singapore. The festive push reimagines traditional Chinese New Year dishes through both animated and realistic AI visuals, positioning Emborg’s dairy products as playful yet meaningful additions to familiar rituals.

Meanwhile, MAGGI is moving beyond the traditional single hero film to a recipe-forward content series that blends cooking with entertainment. Its series centers on newlyweds stepping into the kitchen for the first time to prepare a reunion dinner for their extended family, reflecting a cultural shift as younger Malaysians increasingly take on hosting responsibilities, while feeling daunted by the expectations of recreating the "right" traditional flavours.

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