All The Right Ingredients in Place

Ogilvy Malaysia is the fastest growing and largest communications group in the country with income in excess of USD14 million. It is highly regarded for its strategic and creative capabilities which have helped to land the country’s largest and most prestigious advertisers, among them Malaysia Airlines, Maxis, CIMB and Guinness Anchor Berhad. As head of the 280-people strong Ogilvy Group in Malaysia, Zayn Khan, as the Group Managing Director, oversees all operating units- Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, OgilvyOne, Ogilvy Public Relations, OgilvyAction and Redworks. Prior to his current role, Zayn ran the advertising business and the strategic planning practice of Ogilvy Malaysia. He has been in the Kuala Lumpur office for a total of 6 years.


How was 2008 for Ogilvy? What are your predictions for 2009 for the agency in light of the financial meltdown?
2008 was a good year for Ogilvy, although we noticed that there were fewer big pitches (i.e. new revenue opportunities) in 2008, and most of our clients kept their spending and activity levels close to 2007 levels. We are anticipating that the 2009 business environment will be challenging for most industries in Malaysia as the ripples of the global slowdown work their way through the system. Continuing to spend is a sure way to emerge a winner in the longer term.

Can you tell us where you are at now in realisation of your long term goals for the agency? Can you elaborate on some of your major ‘wins’ this year?
A couple of years ago we established “Great Work That Works” as a working mantra. Business effectiveness became a key focus for us, underpinned by great people, great ideas and superior service delivery. We have been recognised recently as the most awarded agency at the 2008 Malaysia Effie Awards where we won 5 medals, including a Gold for Nestlé and a Silver for Maxis. We also scored a Gold for DHL at the global Echo awards held last month in Las Vegas, the only agency in Asia Pacific to do so.

Could you compare the climate for creative thinking in the early 1990s with today? What do you reckon to be the most significant challenge faced by those in the industry in balancing their creative work with other parts of their life? How are these people working to overcome this challenge?
The demands on all of our professionals from client service to consulting to creative have increased exponentially, and the available time has decreased similarly. Clients are holding us more accountable; the Web has shrunk both time and space; 360° is now a hygiene factor. Of course, there are still rewards for doing well in the communications industry, but managing work-life balance has become more important than ever.

Give us an insight into your work? Which ads were the most challenging ones and why? Furthermore, do you think that campaigns today have a shorter lifespan? If yes, why?
The challenge of the day, it seems, is how to sell hard and build brand at the same time. Very few clients (and agencies) are able to get this right. There is a common misconception that in order for a campaign to be effective in terms of sales, it has to look like a sales campaign. Somehow many marketing people have got the idea in their head that brand-building is a lofty luxury and is mutually exclusive from sales activities. Some organisations even park the two activities in different departments that have very little to do with one another. The truth is that sales activities – be they tactical press advertising, on-line demand generation, or promotional events – are the most important brand-building activities that an advertiser can engage in. They are all contact points with the brand, and they are crucial moments of truth where the brand’s true self (for better or for worse) is revealed. Brands like The Economist, Ikea, Apple, BMW, Dove and Maxis get it.

Tell me about the Ogilvy’s processes that set you apart from the rest of the industry.
I think what differs somewhat from agency to agency is the underlying philosophy. I believe that Ogilvy – more than most – puts long-term brand-building at the core of what we do for our clients. Brands also need a guiding belief – what we call the Big Ideal – in order to act as magnets for great employees and desirable customers.
Which campaign would you term as your favourite and why? Tell us about some of the major campaigns your agency has been involved in and what was achieved.
One of my favourite campaigns from our 2008 body of work is the Maxis Value Plans campaign which is still in the market. The idea was simple: we all have our own preferences and needs (be they in neck ties, coffee, doughnuts or chocolates). Maxis recognises this and offers rate plans to suit everyone. When tasked by MAS to bring their customer value proposition to life, Ogilvy came up with the brand idea MH = Malaysian Hospitality. Our campaign brought the values of MH (natural, respectful, willing) to life internally and externally. Because the idea is rooted in both the culture of MAS and its own airline code, it is highly ownable and very difficult to replicate.


Do budgets support excellence in creativity?
Creativity has nothing to do with money. One of the most creative pieces I saw this year was BBDO’s anti-drinking and driving installation at HELP University College. They took a car which had been destroyed in an alcohol-related accident and sculpted it into a wheelchair and placed it at the entrance to HELP. It had a profound effect on thousands of students and may have even prevented the unthinkable. It cost very little to create.

How important are awards?
I think it’s about recognition. We have many different types of people working in our organisation and they all value different types of recognition. Some want a pat on the back, some want a public acknowledgement, some want an Effie, some want a Kancil, some want to win a pitch. When it comes to clients, they are interested in the awards we win and it makes them feel proud to be associated with a successful agency.


In your opinion, what has been the landmarks in Malaysian advertising this year?
Milestones include the introduction of Malaysia’s Most Valuable Brands in 2007, the inaugural Malaysia Effie Awards in 2008 and the 30th anniversary of the Kancil Awards this year.