Bata gets moment in spotlight thanks to PM Mahathir Mohamad

Footwear brand Bata recently got its moment in the spotlight after Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (pictured) was seen sporting a pair of slippers from the brand.A picture of the PM wearing the pair of classic Bata slippers began circulating online last week, with a user stating that he was a humble man who did not need any Gucci or Hermes. Instead, a pair of Bata slippers was good enough for him.In a Facebook post that garnered over 10k reactions, 6,305 shares and 1.6k comments at the time of writing, Bata described the pair of slippers as "Ramadan 2018 hottest selling accessory". A few netizens commented that Bata now stands for "Buy and Tun Approved", while others commented that the slippers have sold out. Some also said that they have been wearing Bata products since young. Another brand that also recently received attention thanks to PM Mahathir Mohamad is Berocca, a brand of effervescent drink and vitamin tablets. A picture circulating on social media showed the PM posing during dinner with a tube of Berocca beside his plate of rice. In reaction to the picture, Watsons Malaysia Facebook which also sells the brand, posted on Facebook that "Whether you are the wisest man in Malaysia at 92 or a fresh university graduate at your early 20’s, age is nothing but a number".The post, which had 490 reactions, 158 shares and 46 comments at the time of writing, added "But you know what matters – Energy to do whatever, whenever, to stay focused and to #GetActive!" Watsons also seized the opportunity to promote existing deals for a few other health supplements, such as Centrum and Surbex.In a statement to A+M, Watsons' spokesperson said its main aim was to bank on the hype surrounding the photo of PM Mahathir Mohamad to raise awareness about some of its promotions. A+M has reached out to Bata and Berocca for comments.(Photo courtesy: PM Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's Facebook)