AIA Malaysia tackles career stagnation with ‘700-Day itch’ film

AIA Malaysia has launched its latest agent recruitment campaign for the AIA Elite Academy. Created in collaboration with Leo Burnett Malaysia and production house Société Film, the campaign taps into the psyche of skilled professionals who may be experiencing stagnation in their current roles, offering them a career in AIA.The campaign kickstarts with a two-minute launch film which is shot in a public service announcement style and starts off like a horror movie. It tells of a new “disease” sweeping across the nation that can turn people into zombies or monsters. This “disease” is called the “700-Day Itch”, and refers to the feeling of restlessness that sets in 700 days after a person has started a job. The film is  It shows how employees are reduced to horror-movie versions of their former selves, on account of feeling unfulfilled, unappreciated, or undervalued in their current jobs. The film ends off by providing the “cure” for the 700-Day Itch, which is to join the AIA Elite Academy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9xBBe7nN8gThe concept of the film was developed after speaking to multiple graduates of the Elite Academy’s pilot programme, as well as AIA agents who moved to AIA from other career paths. Also, the latest agent recruitment campaign is not a general one, but one to attract top-tier talent to AIA Elite Academy, which was newly formed in 2019 after a pilot version of the programme was tested the previous year.Heng Zee Wang, chief marketing officer of AIA Malaysia, said the AIA Elite Academy is an “exclusive on-boarding programme” which equips new AIA agents “with the necessary skills to excel in their profession”. He added that since this programme is the “first of its kind” in the industry, AIA Malaysia wanted “an equally groundbreaking campaign” to publicise it.“[The] team at Société Film have created something truly special with this film. It’s bold and irreverent, yet still embodies the traits of the Elite Academy: purpose, professionalism, and progress,” said Heng.Iska Hashim, executive creative director of Leo Burnett Malaysia, said the team “worked extensively alongside AIA to identify insights” it could use in the campaign. He also said that the dramatised scenarios in the film “stem from very real feelings that qualified people face when they are dissatisfied with their jobs”Copywriter Pia Dhaliwal said the 700-Day Itch was not only created with AIA Elite Academy in mind, but also a broader insight that a lot of people can relate to. Senior art director Lee Shyyi added that AIA took a real risk with this concept, but because it was based on a solid insight, it really encouraged them to go wild with the execution.Campaign redits:AIAChief Marketing Officer: Heng Zee WangAssociate Brand Director: Chan Ming YenBrand Manager: Choy May YeeLeo BurnettExecutive Creative Director: Iska HashimGroup Account Director: Coco CarreonCopywriter: Pia DhaliwalSenior Art Director: Lee ShyyiProject Manager: Zahirah HussinAgency Producer: Jennafinz GoontingProduction House: Societe FilmsDirector: Eric YapExecutive Producer: Joanne SmithProducer: Kwan Shan Shui1st AD: Lester LeeCinematographer: Loh Yik SingPost-Production: Meccanica EfxMusic: Real Time StudiosRead also:AIA Malaysia encourages healthier living with #YourHealthyBuddy rabbitAIA Malaysia picks Invictus Blue for media dutiesAIA jumps on board as new title sponsor for Singapore Premier LeagueTesla and AIA present STEM programme at Carnival