YouTube arrives in Malaysia

YOUTUBE   SAJITH SIVANANDAN   GOOGLE MALAYSIA

Malaysia - YouTube Malaysia was officially launched last night, following its foray into the Philippines and Singapore markets last year. 

"The launch of YouTube Malaysia is yet another milestone for YouTube. Following the Malaysia launch, we will be launching YouTube in two other markets in the region," Adam Smith (pictured left), director of product management, head of Asia Pacific, told A+M.

Present at the launch, held in Central Kuala Lumpur, were YouTube's first advertising partners, which include Maxis, Dutch Lady, Standard Chartered Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines (MAS).  

Speaking to A+M, Al-Ishsal bin Ishak, senior vice president, marketing and promotions at MAS,  said the airline's more aggressive push of the brand, particularly on the new A380 fleet, online and in social media has shown positive results. "Based on our research, 85% of the response to our A380 social media efforts has been positive," he says.

However, he admits social media is still in its infancy stage in Malaysia and that he's keeping a close watch on their online efforts. In addition to a banner ad on YouTube, MAS has also launched a contest to encourage the public to submit quirky video clips to win tickets on the inaugural A380 flight to London middle of this year. 

Timothy Johnson, head of marketing at Standard Chartered Malaysia, said YouTube's presence in Malaysia means it is able to provide its customers with more relevant, Malaysia-centric news and information. "StanChart is using YouTube to attract new customers as well as engage with current customers," Johnson told A+M, adding that its first project on YouTube will be launched over the next three months. 

When A+M asked the brands whether they had any concerns of having their content posted next to objectionable material online, Sajith Sivanandan (pictured right), country manager of Google Malaysia, assured that YouTube provides a brand-safe environment. Rahul Colaco, managing director of Dutch Lady, the first FMCG brand to collaborate with YouTube, said he's not worried as its content is mostly targeted at mothers and adults. 

YouTube also announced its licensing agreement with the Music Authors' Copyright Protection (MACP) that will allow music creators to earn revenue on YouTube, marking YouTube's first collection society deal in the country. Under this agreement, Malaysian authors will receive payments from their association when right holders distribute their content on YouTube. 

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