Orchan Consulting | Asia Sdn Bhd

Honest truth? Most  brands are drowning themselves in their own press releases. The logic seems harmless -- “the more updates we push out, the more visibility we’ll get.” But here’s the reality: every fluffy, low-value release chips away at credibility, irritates journalists, and tells your audience you’ve run out of real things to say. Journalists notice. Google notices. And trust me, your market notices too. 68% of APAC journalists automatically delete releases that don’t pass the “so what?” test ( Meltwater, 2025 ). Google’s 2025 algorithm penalises “ thin content ,” including fluffy press releases; dragging down SEO. A Malaysian tech brand saw engagement drop 40% after flooding inboxes with weekly “updates” no one cared about. (PS: We rectified this when we came on-board!) The fix isn’t “more.” It’s smarter . Why Brands Flood the Market With Releases (and Why It Backfires) The optics trap: Teams equate volume with success. Ten releases look busier than th...

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...

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...

At Orchan Consulting Asia, we’ve never believed in being “sector bound.” Whether it’s consumer brands, tech, F&B, or, in this case, sustainable mobility, we roll up our sleeves and get in the trenches to make sure our clients are seen, heard, and remembered. Recently, we had the opportunity to work with QC Fleet Management Sdn Bhd and DFSK for the launch of the DFSK EC35 all-electric van at the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii), Cyberjaya. Beyond being another launch event, it was a milestone moment: an EV designed for last-mile delivery, SMEs, and businesses looking for sustainable fleet solutions . Why the DFSK EC35 Matters “Going green doesn’t have to be expensive.”  - Lim Khoon Yee, Managing Director of QC Fleet Management Sdn Bhd The EC35 proves that sustainability and practicality can co-exist. With zero carbon emissions, lower running costs, and practical design features , it’s positioned as a true workhorse for Malaysian businesses navigati...

Startups don’t have the luxury of time, and they sure don’t have the luxury of big budgets. You’re running lean, fighting for market share, and probably pitching to investors in the same week you’re onboarding your first customers. So why bother with PR - or even consider a PR agency for startups in Malaysia  - when every ringgit counts? Because in Malaysia’s crowded startup ecosystem, credibility isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s survival. Why PR Beats Ads (Especially for Startups) Let’s be blunt: you can buy ads. Anyone can. But attention isn’t the same as trust. A Google ad might get someone to click. A social campaign might rack up likes. But the right kind of PR gets you something money can’t buy: belief . People believe what third parties (media, thought leaders, even communities) say about you far more than what you say about yourself. And when you’re a startup - unknown, untested, and maybe a little misunderstood - credibility is the currency that opens doors. Investors, custom...

When you search “best PR agency in Malaysia ,” you’ll find endless lists, awards, and glossy websites. Every agency claims to be the most creative, the most connected, or the most “integrated.” But the truth is: the best PR agency for your brand depends on more than hype or a clever tagline. At its core, public relations is about trust, reputation, and relationships. Choosing the right partner can make the difference between a campaign that fades after a press release, and one that builds lasting credibility. So, how do you separate the buzz from the substance? 1. Look Beyond the Hype A slick website or big client logos don’t tell the full story. Ask: What measurable impact did the agency deliver for those clients? Are there long-term relationships, or just one-off projects? Do they have sector-specific experience (e.g., fintech , lifestyle, NGOs) that matches your needs? The best PR partners don’t just chase headlines. They help you build brand equity over time. 2. Test Their Crisis...

  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....

Hey there … yes, you! Glad you stumbled in. This is Orchan’s corner of the internet - part soapbox, part diary, part sounding board. Here you’ll find our thoughts on the industry, lessons we’ve learned the hard way, a few rants (constructive ones, of course), and maybe even the odd video when we’re feeling fancy. So, who are we? Orchan’s a comms agency born and bred in Kuala Lumpur, with arms stretching into Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and wherever else clients drag us. We’ve been called many things -  strategic, fast, occasionally loud - but what we're not is cookie-cutter. If you’re after a “copy-paste” campaign, you’ve probably knocked on the wrong door. We believe PR is for everyone. Big multinationals? We’ve worked with PUMA, Dyson, Pernod Ricard, Garmin, and the like. Scrappy start-ups and even hawker stalls? Been there, done that, and loved it just as much. For us, the job is always the same: find your story, polish it up, and get people talking. We also train. Crisi...

Let’s be honest: in Malaysia, HIV / AIDS still sits in the shadows of public conversation. Too many dismiss it as “not my problem” or box it off as something that only affects marginalised communities. Wrong. HIV doesn’t discriminate - and the silence around it only fuels stigma and misinformation. At Orchan, we’ve always believed communication can (and should) drive change. Every year, our Directors pick a cause close to the heart to champion pro-bono. Back in 2010, that cause was AIDS Aware . Partnering with three organisations in support of PT Foundation, we set out to spark honest conversation, fight stigma, and educate people on how to protect themselves. What began as a simple fundraising calendar with a handful of local celebrities turned into a movement. Be The Message snowballed into 42 well-known personalities lending their voices through images, videos, interviews, and education opportunities - amplified further by a full-scale media and advertising campaign. The best ...

Say you’re in PR. You’ll get nods. Say you run food reviews for F&B clients? Suddenly, you’re everyone’s new best friend. The questions always come hot and fast: “So… do you eat everything?” “Champagne on tap, right?” “Do you write the review yourself?” Spoiler: it’s not one giant buffet on our client’s tab. More Than Just a Free Meal Food reviews are about storytelling. Helping our clients stand out in a sea of cafés, bars, and bistros. We curate the menu, frame the experience, and serve up a narrative that makes diners hungry before they even book a table. The Not-So-Secret Sauce Challenges? Always. Colleagues, clients, critics - sometimes even all three at once. But here’s the deal: we plate it up, smile, and handle the mess. (Want the unfiltered stories? Coffee or wine; your pick. We’ll spill.) Why Pictures Matter Words can make you hungry. But photos? They seal the deal. Think steak hissing on the grill. Chicken skin crisping golden. Chocolate cake me...