RHB creates personalised AI-powered ads for SMEs with Sazzy Falak

RHB Bank and Star Media Group are showcasing its continued support for small and medium-sized enterprises with a second instalment of the #JomSapot BeliLokal initiative (Come Support and Buy Local) that features Malaysian actress, fashion icon, TV host and entrepreneur Sazzy Falak.

Together with RHB’s creative agency, FCB SHOUT, the new campaign utilises Falak’s face and voice to promote the brands or local merchants by creating ads that appear to star the Malaysian entertainer with artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Don't miss: RHB Bank releases inspirational Raya film with FCB SHOUT

“Traditionally, small business owners are too resource-constrained to even think about running big marketing campaigns,” said Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, group chief marketing officer of RHB Group.

“But today, with the #JomSapot BeliLokal campaign, they can have one of Malaysia’s biggest stars promoting their brand in an ad that is bespoke to their business… without even spending a single cent and more than 5 minutes of their time,” he explained.

The video ads will also be geographically contextualised, allowing Sazzy Falak to address viewers based on their location when viewing the ad, according to a statement by the brand.

The RHB #JomSapot BeliLokal campaign spans film, digital, social, print and radio assets with the print ad featuring a hyper-localised video prompt with Falak promoting a business in the vicinity of the audience when the ad is scanned.

In the campaign’s film, Falak says that as an entrepreneur, she is always willing to help other local SMEs and showcases the thousands of businesses on RHB’s #JomSapot BeliLokal website that locals can shop at and earn rewards with when they use a RHB credit card.

Initially launched to help support Malaysian businesses during and after the pandemic the RHB #JomSapot BeliLokal also offers SMEs a platform to crowdsource support from RHB debit and credit cardholders.

“Even though the days of the pandemic are thankfully behind us, we know that many Malaysian businesses, especially the smaller ones, still require support,” said James Voon, associate creative director of FCB SHOUT.

Voon continues that with the current resumption of daily activity and consumers looking for new businesses to patronise, the campaign help bring together AI and the influence of Falak to provide consumers with a guide to businesses around them while supporting SMEs.

The campaign comes in the wake of the Malaysia’s Security Commission (SC) call for more to be done to establish Malaysia as a startup hub, even though the startup industry has seen positive developments in recent times, according to Bernama who was quoting SC’s chairman, Awang Adek Hussin at a Corporate Venture Capital launch event.

Hussin said that with the Malaysia’s investor community’s investment in the start-up ecosystem are two paramount areas that need more focus in order to establish Malaysia as a start-up hub.

Related articles:
Tripadvisor expands suite of travel planning tools with AI-powered travel itinerary generator
Local radio station introduces Malaysia's first AI powered DJ
RHB Bank focuses on second chances with CNY spot