Malaysia Airlines launches creative, social and media pitch

Malaysia Airlines (MAB) is launching a creative, social and media pitch. A+M understands the appointment will be for a period of two years, with the option to extend for another, and the briefing will take place next Monday, 3 September 2018.

MAB confirmed the move to A+M, adding the airline will make the necessary announcement once a decision has been made. M&C Saatchi, m/SIX and Society, which has been rolled under Reprise, are the incumbents for the respective accounts.

Last month, MAB named its chief commercial officer Arved von zur Muehlen to the role of group CMO. In his previous role, he was tasked with developing a comprehensive and sustainable plan to improve the airline’s marketing, sales, products and customer service.

In a bid to reinstate and demonstrate that MAB is the national icon and represents Malaysian hospitality on behalf of the nation to all its guests and customers, the airline launched a new brand campaign in March this year titled “Malaysian Hospitality Begins With Us”. The new campaign is executed across TV, print, outdoor and social media platforms, and will also be expanded beyond Malaysia. As part of the campaign launch, MAB will also introduce an improved website and mobile application.

MAB also aims to enhance its passenger travel experience through MHguardian, MHfeedback and a Facebook messenger bot called MHchat, which allows users to book flights and process payments through Facebook Messenger.

The airline showed slow and steady progress in the first quarter of 2018, with customer satisfaction index up 4% quarter-on-quarter. It also saw a year-on-year (yoy) yield improvement of 6.6% in the first quarter ended 31 March 2018 despite the significant competition in both international and domestic sectors. MAB said it will restructure to strengthen operations as part of its five-year Malaysia Airlines Recovery Plan . According to CEO Izham Ismail, the restructure is being reviewed due to the range of issues that are required to be addressed before it is implemented.

In addition to reorganising its corporate structure, he said that the airline would also rebrand itself by having a “distinctive” product and service delivery, while retaining existing brands and logos. He added that MAB must have knowledge of how to price its products and strengthen its brand marketing to match its premium status, if it wishes to remain relevant in the industry.

Meanwhile across the border, Singapore Airlines has also called for a global integrated agency pitch for integrated strategy, brand and creative, media, content, website/app and production. The appointed agency or agencies will primarily support the SIA head office based in Singapore. R3 is said to be handling the pitch.