Walch SG lets Malaysians stuck in Singapore know they are not forgotten

Personal care brand Walch Singapore has collaborated with local actress Michelle Chong for its Chinese New Year campaign "Gift Health. Gift Wealth." this year, creating a video targeted at Malaysians in Singapore who are unable to return home for the festive season due to travel restrictions. The video features Chong's iconic characters, Ah Lian and office lady Shirley Goh, who happen to be work colleagues. It sees the two characters discussing the upcoming festivities over a Zoom call, and places a product plug at the end for its speed foaming automatic hand wash where Ah Lian advises Goh to give the Walch speed foaming automatic hand wash in place of the usual oranges and abalone. Through the ad, Walch hopes to raise awareness of the product, as well as encourage hygiene practices during the festivities. 

The video will run from now until the end of Chinese New Year. To further promote it, Walch will be running it as ads on both Facebook and YouTube. In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Alicia Liew, head of SEA, Whealthfields Lohmann Singapore, said the company chose to target Malaysians for this video to let them know that they are not forgotten this festive season. This comes as Walch recognises that it is especially challenging for Malaysians in Singapore to gather with their loved ones to celebrate Chinese New Year this year. "We want to show that we empathise with them and let them know they are not forgotten, bringing our campaign to life," Liew added. She added that the video is produced by Michelle Chong Productions with Michelle’s Malaysian fans in mind. 

The video is part of Walch's bigger campaign "Gift Health. Gift Wealth.", which aims to encourage and empower the community with the reminder that they should not lose sight of what's important: good health. As part of its campaign, Walch also launched a 30-second video re-creating a Zoom call with family, relatives and friends from across the globe as a reflection and reminder that the joy of lunar new year gatherings can be recreated virtually and safely. To promote the campaign, posters of multi-generational Zooms reunions will be on display at bus stops and MRT stations as well as digital advertisements on social media platforms. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=UwcO0dR_T4A

While the video featuring Chong will be used specifically for Walch's Facebook and YouTube channel, the company will also be amplifying the entire campaign with the use of digital and social media, KOLs, and out-of-home advertising with bus shelters and train stations. It will also be collaborating with content creators such as SGAG to further push its campaign. 

Liew said the collaboration with Chong this time builds on previous works where its featured Chong's "Ah Lian" character on its speed foaming ads. "Since Michelle has a Malaysian character,  we thought we could create something synergistic to amplify our message of 'Gift Health. Gift Wealth.'," she said, adding that Walch has enjoyed working with Chong. 

Chong, founder and CEO of Left Profile, said: “It is difficult to be away from friends and loved ones over the festive holidays. I want to tell our Malaysian friends that they are not alone and are always welcomed to celebrate with us here. If you, like office lady Shirley Goh, want to give something special other than the usual oranges and Bak Kwa, give the gift of good health, good wealth.”

Walch is not the only brand to tap into Chong's multiple characters for its campaign. Last year, Prudential roped in another one of Chong's character, fitness character "Venus Seow", to launch its Pulse app during the circuit breaker period. Prudential launched a minute-long virtual ad with Chong, featuring her character Seow who tries to get her neighbours to gather for a meet-up if they are bored at home, and is met with backlash with her neighbours telling her not to be crazy, stay at home, and download the Pulse app to keep her health in check.

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