How Maxis is turning its brand promise into real-world connections

Maxis is extending its “Tomorrow begins today” brand promise beyond screens and into the real world with a series of community-led campaigns that blend lifestyle, technology and on-ground experiences.

Speaking to A+M, Yeoh Sun Loo, head of marketing and growth at Maxis, said the telco is intent on “showing up for our community in ways they might not expect from a telco” as Malaysians increasingly seek meaningful offline connections.

For one of its recent campaigns “Move with Maxis”, the brand leaned into its positioning of helping Malaysians take their first step towards a better future. In this case, through fitness.

“We all know that starting a fitness journey is not easy; people always say they'll start ‘one day’,” said Yeoh. “Through this event, we gave them that little nudge to make it ‘day one’.”

Don't miss: Strava taps Malay to run deeper into local fitness communities 

Between 6 September and 14 December 2025, Maxis hosted 21 free running sessions at KLCC Park, collaborating with seven local run clubs. The initiative was open to both Maxis and non‑Maxis customers and attracted more than 4,000 runners on the ground. The brand also partnered with The Rakyat Post as media partner; and highlighted the Google Pixel watches and earbuds within its postpaid packages on social media, positioning them as part of a runner’s essential gear.

“For us, the main goal was really about community building and brand engagement,” she said. “We wanted to plant the seed that Maxis is here to support their lifestyle and aspirations. It’s about showing up for our community in ways they might not expect from a telco.”

Yeoh added that the impact went “far beyond just standard brand engagement”.

“While it certainly deepened our connection with the community and improved brand affinity, the real win was seeing people start a new, healthy habit. We've seen so many participants who came for just one session and have continued running ever since. It perfectly embodies what we mean when we say we want to empower Malaysians to build a better tomorrow," she explained.

Turning the app into a tour guide

During the year‑end period in 2025, Maxis then shifted from parks to city streets with “Explore with Maxis”, an urban exploration bus tour developed in partnership with ThinkCity.

“When the year slows down, families finally have time to truly connect. For today's busy family, planning a big holiday can sometimes feel like more work than a break. We thought, why not take the hassle out of it?” said Yeoh.

“We wanted to transform the usual year-end holiday into an exploratory journey right in our own backyard. A bus tour was the perfect way to blend culture, heritage, and our technology, allowing families to just sit back, discover hidden gems together, and really bond over the experience," she shared.

The experience was offered exclusively to Maxis customers, who were invited via eDM and the Maxis app and registered their interest through the website. A key element was the integration of Maxis’ conversational AI assistant "MIYA" within the app, designed to act as more than a standard customer service bot.

“What makes this really special is how it ties into our digital ecosystem. When we introduced the conversational AI assistant in the Maxis app, we wanted it to be so much more than just a standard customer support tool,” Yeoh explained.

“With ‘Explore with Maxis’, we were able to use the AI assistant to seamlessly complement the physical experience—acting as an interactive, real-time digital tour guide for our passengers," she added.

As part of the campaign, Maxis app users could explore KL attractions such as the Royal Selangor Club, Dataran Merdeka, the River of Life, Merdeka 118 and more, with additional history and fun facts available via the digital guide.

The result, Yeoh said, is that “the Maxis app has become a versatile tool to elevate customer engagement, be it through physical on-ground events, festive campaigns or everyday lifestyle experiences”.

Maxis’ collaboration with ThinkCity on the bus tours also reflected a shared interest in making urban spaces more liveable and engaging.

“At Maxis, we constantly ask ourselves how we can use connectivity to make everyday experiences better. Meanwhile, ThinkCity has deep knowledge of Kuala Lumpur’s heritage and urban spaces,” said Yeoh.

“By teaming up, we were able to take their physical spaces and layer on our digital capabilities, like the audio-immersive storytelling and AI guidance through the Maxis app. Together, we gave people a completely fresh, modern way to rediscover the city they walk through every day.”

From connectivity to connections

Across both initiatives, Yeoh said Maxis is responding to a clear shift in what Malaysians want from brands.

“We’ve definitely noticed that Malaysians are craving shared, in-person experiences more than ever right now. If people are looking for meaningful ways to connect in real life, we want to be the ones helping to make that happen,” she said.

She added that the brand's purpose extends beyond providing connectivity. "It's about enabling meaningful connections and experiences. To do that, we have to be on the ground, feeling the pulse of the community. It’s about taking our core purpose of ‘connecting people’ out of the digital world and bringing it into the physical one.”

In July 2025, Maxis unveiled its refreshed brand promise, “Tomorrow begins today”. Marking a renewed commitment to empower Malaysians to take charge of the present and shape their own futures.

The telecommunications company said at the time that the brand promise reflects Maxis’ ambition to go beyond just providing connectivity, positioning itself as an enabler of everyday moments that matter, whether it’s launching a business, nurturing a passion project, or staying connected to loved ones.

Be part of #Content360 Malaysia, 13 May 2026, where creativity and community collide. Explore how AI-powered imagination, culturally resonant storytelling, and platform-savvy strategies are shaping the future of content. Gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the region’s top creators and brands are crafting campaigns that truly resonate.

Related articles: 
Maxis names new head of brand and marketing 
Maxis appoints media agency, retains creative 
Maxis hits refresh with new brand promise: “Tomorrow begins today”