Maybank’s CNY film shifts the meaning of prosperity beyond wealth

Maybank has unveiled its Chinese New Year film, "Blessings all around", a human-led festive narrative that challenges conventional ideas of prosperity by placing relationships, traditions and shared moments at the centre of its storytelling.

Created in collaboration with creative agency Alchemy79 under Invictus Blue Group, and Directors Think Tank, the film moves away from the familiar tropes of wealth and abundance that often dominate Chinese New Year messaging. Instead, it reframes prosperity through everyday human connections, unfolding around a family lou sang (prosperity toss) gathering and interwoven vignettes that span different stages of life.

Each year, festive greetings tend to equate progress with visible gains and abundance. However, the agency's creative team saw an opportunity to reimagine prosperity as something more enduring. The narrative leans into the idea that true blessings are found in traditions upheld, values shared, and the people who return to the table year after year.

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That perspective closely mirrors Maybank’s long-standing brand purpose of humanising financial services. According to the bank, the film serves as a reminder that progress is not solely measured by financial outcomes, but by the positive impact created in people’s lives and relationships.

“Our Chinese New Year webfilm reflects our purpose of 'Humanising financial services' by placing people, relationships and shared moments at the centre of the story,” said Shazlina Suffian, EVP and head of group brand and marketing at Maybank. “It underscores our belief that true prosperity goes beyond financial success, and is measured by the positive impact we create in the lives of our customers and communities.”

She added that the film was designed to convey that meaningful progress begins with empathy, understanding and connection, values the brand continues to champion across generations.

Drawing from the symbolism of traditional Chinese four-character wishes, the film reframes phrases commonly associated with material success through quieter, more intimate moments of fulfilment. In doing so, it encourages audiences to reflect on what they already have, rather than what they are striving to accumulate.

When the family matriarch utters 金玉满堂 (gold and jade fill the hall), the blessing is reinterpreted not as material abundance, but as a home filled with the laughter of her children and grandchildren. Elsewhere, a young woman wishing for 生意兴隆 (bountiful business) is revealed to be hoping for a successful charity fundraiser for a children’s home. A young couple’s cheerful cry of 招财进宝 (ushering in wealth and treasures) finds its true meaning in the baby they hold in their arms. Meanwhile, a middle-aged couple running a small business invokes 财源广进 (wealth flowing in), only to show that what sustains them is not money, but companionship built over time.

From a creative standpoint, Alchemy79 sought to create a piece that resonates beyond the festive period and across cultures. Grounded in Chinese New Year traditions, the film leans on universal human moments to extend its relevance beyond the Chinese community. “Grounded in Chinese New Year traditions, the film is built around universal human moments, enabling the story to resonate beyond the Chinese community,” said Heng Thang Wei, executive creative director of Alchemy79. “It’s our hope that this message connects with audiences across cultures and travels beyond borders.”

The visual execution further reinforces the film’s reflective tone. Director Sling Ng of Directors Think Tank explained that the team intentionally slowed key moments to allow viewers to pause and observe the emotions unfolding on screen. “The film centres on recognising the blessings already around us, and the idea that wealth can exist beyond material fortune,” Ng said. “Visually, we expressed this by literally slowing the moment.”

The high-energy lou sang sequence was captured in ultra slow motion using a Phantom camera, contrasting the usual festive chaos with a sense of stillness and reflection. Each scene was also designed with distinct colour groupings to support the emotional flow without distracting from the core message.

Beyond the film, Maybank’s Chinese New Year efforts extend across a series of festive initiatives rolled out throughout the season, offering multiple touchpoints for engagement. The campaign film itself is being amplified across digital and social platforms, including Xiaohongshu, to drive reach and conversation.

This festive period, FairPrice Group Singapore has turned its attention to the small, familiar moments that make Chinese New Year meaningful in its 2026 festive campaign. Titled “Every celebration made a little better”, the campaign builds on the retailer’s brand platform, “Every day, made a little better”, and draws on the Mandarin phrase “小心意大欢喜” (a little kindness brings great delight) which reflects how small acts can lead to great joy.

The Mandarin-first campaign features three 30-second films directed by Tariq Mansor and produced by Cutscene. Each film portrays everyday moments rather than grand gestures. In “The Battle”, a mother and son turn their living room into a playful battlefield, enabled by having their Chinese New Year shopping delivered ahead of time.

Meanwhile, Prudential Assurance Malaysia has taken a quieter, more introspective route with its latest festive film, "心结 The Promise". Departing from the familiar exuberance and spectacle that often define seasonal advertising, the campaign instead leans into stillness, symbolism and emotional reflection to explore a more enduring idea of wealth.

The film opens on an unassuming moment. A young man shooting hoops at a basketball court pauses when he notices an elderly man, dressed in traditional Chinese attire, sitting alone on a park bench. Sensing something amiss, he approaches the stranger, who reveals himself to be Fatt Choy Yeh, the god of prosperity. What unfolds is not a tale of abundance, but a conversation about absence.

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