Courts Malaysia using humour to unite Malaysians

Concocting a brand personality that cuts across multicultural and multi-strata Malaysia is tough. But electronics and furniture retailer Courts Malaysia is finding success with a $6 million refresh that includes advertising, store redesigns, a new ecommerce platform and, for the first time in 20 years, a brand ambassador.

Malaysia's multicultural population helps to explain why it has taken Courts Malaysia 20 years to select an official brand ambassador since the end of its relationship with its last one, popular local chanteuse Fauziah Latiff.

In comedian Harith Iskandar however, the electronics and furniture retailer has found someone unique. Unlike many Malaysian celebrities, Harith is popular with both the urban and rural populations as well as among all three of the nation’s three main ethnic groups.

“He not only has the charm and popularity of a celebrity but he brings a certain aspirational value to the brand,” commented Low Bee Yin, marketing director at Courts Malaysia. “His personality reaches out to customers who have grown up with our brand and know us but never really took the trouble to drop by.”

Read the full article in Campaign Asia-Pacific's regular market coverage