Posts

Showing posts with the label Branding

Why Brands Keep Looking Back to Move Forward: The Power of Nostalgia Marketing

Image
McDonald’s Malaysia just gave us all a throwback with its #YangKlasik campaign. VHS static , that grainy colour grading, and a Titiwangsa skatepark that looked like every after-school hangout spot in the 90s. For a second, you could almost hear your mum shouting, “Come home NOW!” while you were still nursing a 30 sen Paddle Pop ice-cream . It hit because it wasn’t just an ad. It was our ad - tied to memories only Malaysians would get. And it’s a perfect case study of throwback marketing in Malaysia , proving that sometimes, burgers aren’t what you’re selling... it’s belonging . Nostalgia Travels Well, But Speaks Different Languages Here’s the thing: nostalgia isn’t just a KL or Malaysia thing. It’s a worldwide play. But the way it lands? That depends entirely on culture . Around the world, brands are turning to nostalgic advertising campaigns to connect with customers: In the UK , brands go straight for personal nostalgia e.g., Saturday morning cartoons, 90s crisps, old j...

5 Myths That Keep Brands Stuck

Image
PR and communications get more bad takes than pineapple on pizza. People love to boil it down to lazy clichés, quick fixes, or dusty old rules; then they act shocked when their campaigns flop, their reputation tanks, or their competitors run circles around them. Time to kill the nonsense. Here are five of the worst myths that keep brands stuck on repeat - and why they need to be buried, fast. Myth 1: PR is just “getting media coverage.” Cute. But that’s like saying a Swiss Army knife is just a toothpick. The truth: Reputation beats reach - trust can’t be bought. Real PR is strategy, not just spin. Media is only one channel; the playground is much bigger. Results are measurable, if you know how to look. Sometimes silence is the sharpest move of all. If you still think PR is just clippings, congratulations - you’re running a 2025 business with a 1995 playbook. “PR isn’t just coverage — it’s chess, not checkers.” Myth 2: “Any publicity is good publicity.” Please. That g...

Orchestrating Change: Stories from the Field

Image
How Orchan Consulting Asia helps brands navigate change - from Peugeot’s reputation rebuild, to DFSK’s first electric van, to Kao’s trust-building with parents. Change isn’t a slogan – it’s messy, unpredictable, and often uncomfortable. But it’s also where growth lives. At Orchan, we’ve spent years helping brands navigate that tricky space between “what was” and “what’s next.” This series, Orchestrating Change: Stories from the Field , takes you behind the curtain. Real brands, real problems, and the strategies that turned the tide: from rebuilding Peugeot’s reputation before a major launch, to helping DFSK break ground with Malaysia’s first electric van, to showing Kao Malaysia how to win not just market share, but parent hearts. Each story shows one thing: change doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you orchestrate it with purpose. When Reputation Hit the Brakes - Peugeot Malaysia and the 308 How Orchan Consulting Asia helped Peugeot Malaysia rebuild trust in the 308 throu...

Why “Content Is King” Falls Flat in Southeast Asia’s PR Game

Image
Let’s be blunt:  “content is king” is a lazy mantra. It gets tossed around so often in Malaysia’s PR and marketing circles it’s basically wallpaper. Sure, content matters - but if all you’re measuring is likes and views, you’re not strategising, you’re scorekeeping. Jim Macnamara nailed this in his piece for the Institute for PR. He argues content isn’t the crown jewel; outcomes are. And people? They’re not “audiences” sitting quietly in the cheap seats. They’re stakeholders; with opinions, with demands, and with the power to make or break your brand. We agree with him. But let’s add a twist. In Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, the stakes are higher. We’re mobile-first, multicultural, and ridiculously fast-moving. A clever TikTok might blow up today and vanish tomorrow. If you’re chasing virality without strategy, you’re just adding to the noise. The real game is turning content into outcomes that actually move the needle. Content Isn’t King - Outcomes Are Every festive season...

Stop Trying to Be Everyone’s Favourite: Why Bold Branding in Southeast Asia Wins by Standing Apart

Image
We recently came across a sharp piece from ET BrandEquity titled “Stop Trying to Be Liked: Why Great Brand Strategy Repels More Than It Attracts.” It struck a chord with us at Orchan, because we’ve seen the same truth play out across Southeast Asia: the strongest brands don’t aim to please everyone. They stand for something, and by doing so, they inevitably turn some people away. But here’s the catch; in our region’s complex cultural mix, bold branding can be both a strength and a risk. Done well, it creates loyalty and cultural relevance. Done poorly, it sparks backlash or fades into noise. (Libresse V-Kebaya Campaign) Malaysian Brands That Took a Stand Libresse’s V-Kebaya campaign (2021) used vulva-inspired kebaya designs to challenge taboos around women’s bodies. For some, it was empowering; for others, offensive. The backlash eventually saw it pulled, but it trended for weeks, boosted sales, and even won awards. It showed how boldness, rooted in local culture, can make a brand impo...

N-E-X-T: Where Strategy Meets Storytelling

Image
  We've been a little quiet, but there's been good reason for that – we've been busy evolving. Oh, and we launched The Third Degree somewhere in there too. (Sleep is overrated, right) The communications world has shifted dramatically, and frankly, so have we. What started as traditional PR work has grown into something much more strategic. We're calling it N-E-X-T because this feels like a genuine upgrade in how we approach client partnerships. What's Different Now Honestly? We've become more selective about the work we take on, and more focused on the work that actually moves the needle. These days, we're spending more time in boardrooms than press rooms – helping brands think through their long-term positioning, not just their next social media post, op-ed or press release. That behind-the-scenes strategy work we mentioned? It's become our sweet spot. We're the team you call when you need to figure out your story before you tell it to the world....

Blast from the Past: Omorose at the Golden Globes

Image
Every so often, a brand story comes along that captures not just attention, but imagination. For us at Orchan, one such story was that of Omorose Cosmetics . Founded in 2014 by Terry Liau , Omorose was born out of a deeply personal experience. The brand’s name - from the ancient Egyptian word for beautiful -  embodies its mission to create cruelty-free, naturally preserved cosmetics that celebrate beauty in its truest sense. But more than that, Omorose was built on inclusivity: from employing persons with disabilities, to designing make-up counters, shelves, and displays accessible to wheelchair users. Beauty, after all, should be something everyone can take part in. Omorose Hypnotic Eyes Not long after its launch, Omorose took an extraordinary leap. In 2015 and again in 2016, it became the only Malaysian brand selected to be part of the official gifting suite at the Golden Globe Awards in Hollywood. To be included alongside globally acclaimed names was no small feat, and it...