How Proton e.MAS broke the internet with a throwback Malay meme

Proton e.MAS has shown how a simple, well‑timed meme can punch far above its weight.

Last week, the brand dropped an Instagram post riffing on the once‑ubiquitous Gen Y phrase “Mak kau hijau” ('your mother is green')– flipping it into “e.MAS kau hijau” ('your e.MAS car is green') to spotlight the new Emerald Green colourway of the e.MAS PHEV 7.

At the time of writing, the post has pulled in around 20,000 likes and 435 comments on Instagram, the highest engagement on any Proton e.MAS post so far, without any paid media behind it.

The idea was born during an internal brainstorm at Havas Malaysia, Proton e.MAS’ appointed creative agency. “During an internal brainstorm, and even after the Raya festivities had passed, the phrase was still very much present in our minds," said Cheng Ie‑Tsen, business director at Havas Malaysia.

"With the opportunity of the new green SKU and an April Fool’s window coming up, we felt it was a good moment to push this content,” he told A+M.

The team’s main objective was straightforward: to highlight the new emerald green finish, and test something a little braver for the brand.

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“The intention was to propose something lighthearted and a little daring for the brand, given that it was during the April Fool’s period. We’re also always on the lookout for opportunities to lead the social conversation then just follow the trends,” Cheng said, adding that there was “no expectation it would blow up online”.

The April Fool’s timing also gave Proton e.MAS and Havas license to lean into a phrase that many Malaysians would recognise as playful, but borderline rude.

“‘Mak kau hijau,’ though lighthearted and humorous, borders on being an insult,” Cheng acknowledged. “Our intention was to dilute the ‘insult’ angle and make it witty, while also reflecting the Malaysian‑ness of the brand. We wanted it to come across as something positive rather than negative, tying it directly to the launch of a new colour.”

“It was a risk we were willing to take with the opportune timing of April Fool’s allowing us to be a little more cheeky than usual. Hence this, together with the support of our brave Pro‑Net clients, it paid off!” he added.

Crucially, the “e.MAS kau hijau” post was purely organic, without any media spend. The buzz was amplified when other brands jumped in with their own takes, including FamilyMart Malaysia —which is currently teasing a new green sofuto ice cream flavour— and Kenny Rogers Roasters Malaysia, which has a green 'Velvet katira' drink on its menu.

That second wave of brand‑on‑brand riffing helped cement the meme as a mini cultural moment, rather than a one‑off joke from Proton e.MAS alone.

Cheng said the response also validated a more "down to earth", localised presence for Proton e.MAS on social.

“At the heart of our social media strategy is a belief that has always guided the brand: Proton e.MAS exists to serve the rakyat. That is a position only we can truly own in a category dominated by foreign brands, and it shapes how we show up in culture,” he said.

“So, when we see a genuine opportunity to tap into something local; whether that is a phrase, a moment, or a shared feeling—we will take it.”

While there are no immediate plans to spin “e.MAS kau hijau” into a larger campaign, Cheng said the performance of the post is already influencing future thinking.

“We haven’t yet springboarded from this idea, but we are drawing many learnings from the engagement and success of this post, and those will inform where we go next,” he said.

This goes to show that right nostalgic meme, grounded in product and culture, can still “break the internet”, without a big production budget or media spend.

On the other hand, other brands in Malaysia have taken April Fools' Day a bit more literally, with their playful “launches” ranging from miniature versions of products and unexpected flavour mashups to bizarre scent experiments and entirely fictional collaborations.

As an apt follow-up to its "Dyson Airbrow" release last year, Dyson Beauty took grooming to the next level with a spoof “Dyson Beauty pet range”, extending its high-performance hair tech to cats, dogs and even horses.

Meanwhile, IKEA Malaysia’s MEÄTBÖMB bath bomb, had netizens in Malaysia buzzing, with some even dubbing it “sup bola” (meatball soup).

MiX Store Malaysia also took April Fools’ Day very seriously, “launching” an entire MiX Shopping Mall on 31 March. The convenience store chain, known for its imported trendy snacks from Japan, Korea, Thailand, China and Taiwan across more than 100 outlets, announced what appears to be a full-scale mall concept under its own brand.

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.

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