/socialsamosa/media/agency_attachments/PrjL49L3c0mVA7YcMDHB.png)
/socialsamosa/media/media_files/2026/02/17/desktop-leaderboard-1-2026-02-17-13-11-15.jpg)
Follow Us/socialsamosa/media/media_files/2026/02/23/adspot-2026-02-23-19-39-35.jpg)
This week’s global advertising landscape reflects a strong shift towards storytelling rooted in emotion, nostalgia, and cultural relevance. With Lunar New Year campaigns dominating markets across Asia, brands leaned heavily into themes of homecoming, family bonds, and identity, moving beyond festive clichés to explore deeper and often more complex human truths. At the same time, humour and music-driven narratives continued to play a critical role in cutting through clutter, especially in Western markets where legacy brands revisited iconic campaigns to stay culturally relevant.
For instance, Malaysia Airlines delivered a deeply moving narrative that explores the emotional weight of reunions shaped by history and migration, positioning travel as a bridge between memory and belonging. Meanwhile, Old Spice brought back its beloved ‘Mom Song’ format with a modern twist, blending pop culture and humour to capture the awkward yet relatable transition from adolescence to adulthood. Luxury fashion house Dior, on the other hand, took a more artistic route, combining animation, music, and symbolism to celebrate the Year of the Horse, reinforcing its long-standing association with craftsmanship and heritage.
Closer to Southeast Asia, brands such as McDonald's Malaysia and Guardian Malaysia leaned into culturally nuanced storytelling. From sibling dynamics to micro-drama formats on short-form platforms, these campaigns reflect how regional marketers are experimenting with formats and narratives to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented media ecosystem. Together, these campaigns highlight how festive storytelling is evolving, moving from spectacle to sincerity, and from surface-level celebration to emotionally grounded brand-building.
Here’s our pick of standout campaigns this week.