McDonald's Malaysia tugs hearts with Chinese New Year film on sibling bonds

McDonald’s Malaysia has unveiled its Chinese New Year brand film, "The Blessing", continuing its long-running 'Prosperity' campaign by shifting the focus away from material success and towards the relationships that define it.

Serving as an indirect sequel to last year’s "The Wish", the 2026 film brings back the same characters and cast, but explores a different, deeply familiar family tension, the dynamics between siblings and the shared responsibility of caring for an ageing parent. At its core, "The Blessing" reflects McDonald’s ongoing effort to reframe what prosperity means during a season often associated with wealth and abundance. The film positions gratitude for family, presence and shared responsibility as the truest forms of prosperity.

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The film starts off with a scene of a middle-aged woman returning home to visit her mother, who lives alone away from the city. To her dismay, she finds newspaper drop-offs piled up, charred tarts, and burnt pots. During a Chinese New Year gathering at the matriarch’s home, the woman and her brother end up in a quarrel over who should take care of their mother as her condition worsens.

Just as things are getting heated, the mother passes some old toys, filled with memories, to both of her children. She had wanted to show the toys to them while she can still remember, before she loses her memory with age. Both children reconcile as they look back on the memories they shared as siblings and as children. The woman listens to an old cassette her brother had put together for her when she was going through heartbreak, while the man holds tight to a toy lion his sister had bought to complete his collection. The pair make up and decide to take care of their mother together as a family.

Notably, McDonald’s takes a deliberate step back in the film, appearing only subtly through a meal or two rather than driving the narrative. This was an intentional creative choice, allowing the story to lead while positioning the brand as a natural, familiar presence within family gatherings. By avoiding overt branding, the film maintains authenticity and keeps the emotional focus firmly on the characters and their relationships.

The campaign film was created by in collaboration with Leo Malaysia. Director Dick Chua of D Moving Pictures also returns following last year’s "The Wish", alongside audio house The Rec Room, to preserve emotional continuity across both films and carry the same storytelling soul into the new chapter.

Set against a high-traffic festive period that coincides with both Chinese New Year and Hari Raya, the campaign leans into simplicity rather than spectacle. According to Barry Victor, senior client and creative partner for McDonald's at Leo Malaysia, "When festive messages are everywhere, the ones that really stick are the ones closest to home. Simple, honest moments hit harder than any big spectacle because people connect most with stories that mirror their lives."

The Blessing anchors McDonald’s Malaysia’s broader Prosperity Burger Chinese New Year campaign, bringing the brand’s "Qi Qi Bao Fu" theme, loosely translated as “HUATever it is we prosper”, to life. 

Chin Mei Lee, chief marketing officer of McDonald's Malaysia told A+M, "It celebrates prosperity as something meant to be shared, across families, friends and communities. That spirit runs through the entire campaign, from the launch of the 'Fish prosperity burger' to 'Fu-pow' activations that reward different forms of blessings." This includes food, 'Fu-charms', RM888 cash vouchers and the exclusive 999.9 10g 'Gold prosperity' piece.

"Even our open house activations are rooted in the neighborhood spirit, where local KOLs come together to perform and celebrate nationwide across 13 states. Every touchpoint reinforces the same message, that prosperity is better when it’s shared together," she added. 

This season, several brands have been rewriting what wealth and prosperity mean, during a festive holiday that traditionally centres on ushering in prosperity and wealth in a monetary sense. 

Prudential Assurance Malaysia's film "心结 The Promise", leans into stillness, symbolism and emotional reflection to explore a more enduring idea of wealth. Rather than answering with riches, the film turns to symbolism. Amidst a young man's deep conversation with Fatt Choy Yeh, the god of prosperity introduces the ruyi knot (an auspicious Chinese knot) as a metaphor for commitment, care and the idea of journeying through life together. The message appears to be that true wealth lies not in accumulation, but in shared purpose and enduring bonds.

Meanwhile, 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. Each year, festive greetings tend to equate progress with visible gains and abundance. However, Maybank 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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Prudential reframes wealth in reflective CNY film 'The promise'