Taco Bell Malaysia taps agency for creative and media remit

Taco Bell Malaysia has appointed the ballsy group as its lead creative and media agency for the entire calendar year of 2026, following half a year of project-based collaborations between the two parties.

Belinda Ho, marketing lead at Taco Bell Malaysia told A+M: "After engaging in discussions with several agencies, ballsy stood out as the perfect match for our needs. Our key requirement was to find an agency that truly understood Malaysian consumers and was in tune with the latest cultural trends."

Sharing on what set ballsy apart, Ho explained that it was their incredible creativity and deep understanding of cultural dynamics. "Taco Bell is a brand that thrives on being at the forefront of culture, with our primary focus on Gen Z. This generation is significantly shaping culture, driving trends, and influencing consumer preferences. Partnering with agencies such as ballsy is crucial to meet these expectations while staying true to our brand and culture."

The agency’s first campaign under the remit this year, is a digital content collaboration with content creator Luqman Podolski, created to launch Taco Bell’s new 'Ghost pepper burrito' nationwide. The work signals a shift towards more culturally grounded, personality-led content that prioritises entertainment and social relevance.

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Speaking to A+M, VJ Anand, chief creative and co-founder of ballsy, said the consultancy does not believe in the traditional pitch model, describing it as disconnected from real business challenges. Instead, ballsy focuses on solving real briefs and demonstrating impact through execution. "The brand and marketing team from both Taco Bell's local and regional side were amazing to work with, so we said yes. Sounds like a marriage to me," he said.

Creatively, ballsy plans to take an entertainment-first approach to Taco Bell Malaysia’s communications, drawing on music, pop culture and creator collaborations to bring the brand closer to consumers. A major focus in 2026 will be developing content that resonates more strongly with the Malay market, moving away from work that feels overly urban-centric.

The collaboration with Luqman Podolski reflects this direction, with the agency intentionally partnering with creators who command genuine attention among Malay audiences. "One of the things we did when we took over the account was to make the work more Malay, and less urban centric. We wanted to hit the malay market in Malaysia. In that same vein, we'd like to partner with influencers who can speak to that audience," added Anand.

Meanwhile, Taco Bell Malaysia has clear priorities for the year ahead. The brand plans to roll out bold and exciting food and promotional programmes, continue evolving its digital strategy, and further educate consumers on Mexican flavours. "At a broader level, our main objectives in engaging ballsy for our creative campaigns include building the brand overnight and overtime, as well as growing the business," Ho said. 

Looking ahead, ballsy's Anand said consumers can expect more Malay-centric, entertainment-driven social campaigns throughout the year. These efforts will be supported by ballsy’s newly launched creative content studio, Kaki Sosial, which enables faster and more agile social-first production.

Back in September, Taco Bell Malaysia turned up the volume with a bold, Gen Z-focused campaign featuring a catchy new jingle, “Belum try, belum tau” ("Never try, never know"), composed by Roshan Jamrock of local hip hop group K-town Clan. The track, already buzzing online, reflects the brand’s latest push to blend cultural relevance with digital-first creativity. The jingle tied into Taco Bell’s Merdeka and Malaysia Day promotion, which ran from September 1 to 16, offering most of its à la carte menu at just RM7.95 to encourage Malaysians to explore its full range of flavours. 

The music video, directed by local photographer Vinoth Raj Pillai, pairs energetic dance moves with the song’s core message, that Malaysians often stick to their usual fast-food favourites like burgers and fried chicken, but a taste of Taco Bell might just change their minds. The jingle featured across videos, in-store assets, and social content.

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