Darlie paints the town with murals celebrating East Malaysian artistry

Darlie Malaysia has unveiled the film titled "The Art of Semangat", the second instalment of its four-part year-long campaign #SemangatTogether. The film showcases the creation of two mural pieces that encapsulate the spirit of East Malaysians, with one situated in Kuching and the other in Kota Kinabalu. 

Done in collaboration with FCB SHOUT and filmed over the span of two weeks in East Malaysia, "The Art of Semangat" follows two artists from East Malaysia, Artsy Daphy and Lukis Tulis, on their journey of uniting the people of Sarawak and Sabah respectively through the power of art. Launched on Darlie Malaysia's YouTube and Facebook channels, the film has garnered over 500,000 views to date. 

According to the brand, Daphy's mural depicts the people of Sarawak being on the same boat and riding the waves together through thick and thin, symbolising the spirit of unity and togetherness that is shared between Sarawakians.

On the other hand, Tulis’ interpretation of #SemangatTogether paints a colourful picture of Sabahans moving forward hand in hand towards a shared vision of peace, camaraderie and hope.

Daphy's mural is situated at Bishopgate Rd, Kuching, while Tulis' piece is located at ITCC, Penampang. During the course of "The Art Of Semangat" campaign, specially designed plates featuring visual elements from the murals will be given to purchasers of the Darlie Double Action Twin Pack, allowing Malaysians to take home a piece of the murals. As such, #SemangatTogether also enables Darlie Malaysia's customers to be part of the campaign through bespoke premiums

"As an oral care brand, it’s not often that we get to collaborate with artistic talents, what more for a good cause, that’s why this piece of content excited us a lot. It has been a tremendous pleasure working with Daphy and Tulis to bring 'The Art of Semangat' to life, and on this journey together with them we saw just how united Malaysians actually are and how much beauty we can bring into this world simply by coming together and working towards a common goal," Ian Chew, general manager of Darlie Malaysia, said. He added that this collaboration is a manifestation of what the Darlie brand stands for - connections. 

As for FCB SHOUT, the creative agency in partnership with Darlie Malaysia since 2019, it said that "The Art of Semangat" has proven that what Malaysians have is the will to overcome their collective challenges together, and the generosity to share their efforts, even if it is just a "tiny stroke of the brush".

Ong Shi Ping, co-owner and chief creative officer of FCB Shout, explained: "If we can continue doing this for one another, I'm certain our future will be as beautiful and bright as the murals in the video". The third and fourth parts of the #SemangatTogether campaign are slated to be released in July and November respectively.

The launch of "The Art of Semangat" follows "Semangat Hari Raya", a musically driven piece that seeks to display the spirit of Malaysians in conjunction with the Hari Raya celebrations, that was launched in April this year as part of Darlie Malaysia's first instalment of its year-long campaign. In line with the campaign ethos, the film aims to reconnect the Malaysian community during this year’s Raya season, conveying the message that everyone can persevere together and enjoy a brighter future, even in the most challenging of times. This follows Malaysia having its first in-person holiday celebrations after two years. 

While the initial plan for the brand was to have a one-off initiative, Darlie Malaysia's collaboration with FCB SHOUT allowed Darlie to create a single year-long brand platform under an overarching theme, with the ability to adopt different narratives and brand activities. “As we say in marketing, the idea ‘has legs, which is key for us in reaching out and inspiring a wider group of audience,” Chew told A+M previously.

Related articles: 
'Initially a one-off initiative,' says Darlie MY's GM about latest year-long campaign
Darlie features childhood story of MIRROR's Keung To in citywide campaign
Darlie updates Chinese name and logo while retaining English brand
Darlie MY spotlights expectations placed on mums in heartwarming Mother's Day film