Malaysia Airlines - #LundangToNewcastle

Malaysia Airlines - #LundangToNewcastle

After tragic events and financial hardship, Malaysia Airlines has refocused the dialogue around its brand by sharing the touching story of two young Malaysians, separated by great distances and united in love.

Through an 8-minute ‘documercial’ YouTube video , which has enjoyed over 1.5 million views so far, Malaysia Airlines tells the story of the young couple—a UK-born Malaysian man who lives in London and a woman from Kota Bharu, Kelantan—as they carry on a longdistance love affair, until they decide where they should call home once they marry.

To make the love story more tantalising, the film ends with the open question of just how the two will resolve their separation and he suggestion that home is not a place on the map, but one in the heart.

The airline uses the hashtag #lundangtonewcastle on social media to frame the story, as a play on language which fittingly blends English with Malay. London is jokingly referred to as Lundang in Kelantanese, and Kota Bharu is the Malay translation of ‘Newcastle’.

We had the concept of ‘You’re Home Even When You’re Away’ and sent out a brief to a few production houses. We selected LOKALAB when they presented us with the storyline focused on this couple, who they happen to know through mutual friends,

Mohd Hisham Saleh, Head of Social Media & Innovations at Malaysia Airlines explains.

The love story has been picked up by the international press , and the #lundangtonewcastle campaign was also picked up by the Malaysian Women’s Weekly, which has set up a contest on Instagram and Facebook for return tickets to London, on Malaysia Airlines, for a lucky winner and companion.