Why CelcomDigi is putting people at the heart of its new brand story

Three years after its merger, Malaysian telco CelcomDigi is shifting its brand narrative beyond network performance to focus on the people behind its more than 20 million connections, as it looks to strengthen customer trust through human-centred storytelling.

Its latest brand platform, “Over 20 million lives inspire our network”, builds on its earlier “Creating a world inspired by you” positioning. The shift reflects the company's view that its identity should be shaped not only by the technology it provides, but also by the role it plays in customers' lives.

Speaking to A+M, Chan May Ling, head of brand and marketing services at CelcomDigi, said the company had spent the past three years strengthening its network, customer experiences and product offerings. As the brand evolves beyond the merger, it wants to place greater emphasis on the people who give its services meaning. As Chan puts it:

It is not about changing who we are but expressing our brand through a more human lens.

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CelcomDigi's scale and network footprint remain central to its positioning, but the company sees an opportunity to make those strengths more relatable by showing how connectivity supports different aspects of everyday life.

That thinking has informed a series of four brand films, each highlighting a different part of its offering. Nadi Rangkaian Kami focused on network strength, Saving Johan showcased convergence and entertainment, Seoul O Sabrina featured roaming experiences, while Chaotic Chloe centred on devices and connectivity.

The films generated a combined 43.7 million YouTube views within two months.

According to Chan, the creative approach recognises that CelcomDigi's more than 20 million customers are not a single audience, but people with different backgrounds, lifestyles and needs.

Rather than relying on one overarching story, the platform gives the company room to develop narratives around different communities and experiences while maintaining a consistent brand message.

“What connects them are the moments that matter most in their lives,” Chan said.

Turning brand love into action

The strategy extends beyond storytelling in film. CelcomDigi's "Mega gegar 20 juta" ('Mega rumble 20 million') campaign combined customer appreciation with prizes, offers and opportunities to explore its products and services.

The campaign included "Mega gegar 20 juta live", a 42-hour livestream connecting customers across 20 CelcomDigi stores nationwide. It secured two Guinness World Records titles for the longest promotional advertisement livestream and the most stores participating in a promotional advertisement livestream, according to Chan. CelcomDigi also reported an uplift in customer transactions following the activation.

Chan said the campaign was designed first and foremost to recognise customers who had supported the company throughout its journey, with commercial offers forming part of that broader appreciation effort.

“Beyond the recognition itself, the livestream also drove an uplift in customer transactions, demonstrating that customer appreciation, meaningful engagement and business outcomes can reinforce one another when done well,” she said.

The campaign also brought the company's employees into the narrative. CelcomDigi refers to its more than 3,600 employees across retail, network engineering, customer service and digital platforms as CDzens, positioning them as the people responsible for delivering on its customer promise.

For Chan, the employee experience is closely linked to the customer experience. The brand's promises must be translated into action by the teams supporting customers and maintaining the network, rather than remaining within its marketing campaigns.

Beyond campaign views and transactions, CelcomDigi is tracking whether its brand strategy is strengthening customer trust and relevance.

Following the launch of the new platform, the company reported an 11% increase in its trustworthy brand scores, reaching their highest level in six quarters. Its "Best 5G coverage" scores also improved by 7%.

Chan said these indicators form part of a broader assessment that considers whether customers continue to choose the brand and see it as one that understands their needs. While campaign engagement and commercial performance remain important, she said trust, relevance and emotional connection are also key measures of success.

Ultimately, the challenge for CelcomDigi is to sustain that progress beyond individual campaigns. Three years after bringing the two telcos together, its next brand chapter seeks to make network leadership meaningful through the experiences of the people who use it.

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