The One Show
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Category
Billboards & Transit / Series
Annual ID
OS25_OH033B
Background
Malaysia is an advertising dark market for alcohol, with strict bans on mainstream media, including the country’s massive US$335M/year out-of-home sector. Even branding delivery trucks with a full logo could lead to fines or jail time. This posed a major challenge for Heineken, a premium-priced foreign beer, during Chinese New Year – the biggest beer sales season – when locally beloved brands like Tiger Beer dominate.
With a budget under US$15,000, we could have adapted global assets into social posts like we’ve done in the past, and advertised online under strict conditions like our competitors. But outspent by bigger players, we needed a bolder approach to break through the clutter, drive brand visibility, and reinforce our relevance during the festivities.
So, we set our sights on the great outdoors. We found our opportunity in a key Chinese New Year tradition: the exchange of auspicious greetings.
With a budget under US$15,000, we could have adapted global assets into social posts like we’ve done in the past, and advertised online under strict conditions like our competitors. But outspent by bigger players, we needed a bolder approach to break through the clutter, drive brand visibility, and reinforce our relevance during the festivities.
So, we set our sights on the great outdoors. We found our opportunity in a key Chinese New Year tradition: the exchange of auspicious greetings.
Creative Idea
Auspicious greetings are central to Chinese New Year, with many featuring the word “Hei,” meaning happiness in Cantonese, like “Gong Hei Fatt Choi” (wishing you happiness and prosperity). Coincidentally, “Hei” is also the first three letters of Heineken.
We turned this linguistic and cultural connection into a breakthrough idea: strategically cropping the first three letters of our iconic logo to complete well-known Chinese New Year greetings on our delivery trucks. Normally, these trucks couldn’t display our full logo, but by removing over 50% of it, we created a technically unbranded execution that still remained instantly recognisable as Heineken.
As these mobile billboards-in-disguise travelled 36,465 kilometres across the country making routine deliveries, they became the only beer brand legally visible outdoors during the peak festive season. The campaign extended beyond the streets, sparking social buzz and media coverage, with influencers and everyday Malaysians using the “Hei” on cans of Heineken to complete festive greetings. Ultimately proving that creativity can turn restrictions into opportunity.
We turned this linguistic and cultural connection into a breakthrough idea: strategically cropping the first three letters of our iconic logo to complete well-known Chinese New Year greetings on our delivery trucks. Normally, these trucks couldn’t display our full logo, but by removing over 50% of it, we created a technically unbranded execution that still remained instantly recognisable as Heineken.
As these mobile billboards-in-disguise travelled 36,465 kilometres across the country making routine deliveries, they became the only beer brand legally visible outdoors during the peak festive season. The campaign extended beyond the streets, sparking social buzz and media coverage, with influencers and everyday Malaysians using the “Hei” on cans of Heineken to complete festive greetings. Ultimately proving that creativity can turn restrictions into opportunity.
Insights & Strategy
Chinese New Year is a time of reunions, new beginnings, and well-wishing among family, friends, and colleagues, with the exchange of auspicious greetings being a central custom. Given the festival’s significance in multi-ethnic Malaysia, even non-Chinese speakers are familiar with these greetings and take part in the custom.
Through our deep dive into these traditions, we found that many popular greetings include the word “Hei” (happiness in Cantonese). Conveniently, “Hei” is also the first three letters of Heineken. This cultural and linguistic overlap gave us a unique opportunity to seamlessly embed Heineken into the celebrations in a way no other beer brand could.
With strict outdoor advertising bans in place, we needed a way to make Heineken unmissable while staying within legal limits. In a close collaboration between creative, media and legal, we strategically cropped our logo to complete auspicious greetings, transforming everyday logistics into a high-impact communication channel: one that was culturally relevant and legally sound.
Through our deep dive into these traditions, we found that many popular greetings include the word “Hei” (happiness in Cantonese). Conveniently, “Hei” is also the first three letters of Heineken. This cultural and linguistic overlap gave us a unique opportunity to seamlessly embed Heineken into the celebrations in a way no other beer brand could.
With strict outdoor advertising bans in place, we needed a way to make Heineken unmissable while staying within legal limits. In a close collaboration between creative, media and legal, we strategically cropped our logo to complete auspicious greetings, transforming everyday logistics into a high-impact communication channel: one that was culturally relevant and legally sound.
Execution
We cropped Heineken’s iconic logo, using its first three letters to complete festive greetings on 11 of our existing delivery trucks. While still instantly recognisable, the trucks remained legally unbranded under Malaysia’s strict advertising laws. For 49 days, these mobile billboards-in-disguise covered 36,465 kilometres on existing delivery routes to bars and supermarkets across Malaysia, ensuring mass exposure without any additional logistics costs.
The design incorporated romanised Chinese greetings to ensure broad appeal, resonating with both the Malaysian Chinese – many of whom speak Cantonese but don’t read Chinese – as well as non-Cantonese speakers familiar with these popular wishes. To engage those who can read both Latin and Chinese scripts, the design also blended Chinese characters with Heineken’s cropped logo.
What started as an outdoor activation quickly spread online and in the news, with Malaysians sharing their “Heidden in Plain Sight” discoveries. Influencers and everyday consumers even created their own greetings using the “Hei” on Heineken cans, amplifying the campaign far beyond its physical presence.
By turning legal constraints into creative advantage, Heineken not only gained visibility outdoors but also sparked conversations nationwide, proving that the best outdoor campaigns extend beyond the streets.
The design incorporated romanised Chinese greetings to ensure broad appeal, resonating with both the Malaysian Chinese – many of whom speak Cantonese but don’t read Chinese – as well as non-Cantonese speakers familiar with these popular wishes. To engage those who can read both Latin and Chinese scripts, the design also blended Chinese characters with Heineken’s cropped logo.
What started as an outdoor activation quickly spread online and in the news, with Malaysians sharing their “Heidden in Plain Sight” discoveries. Influencers and everyday consumers even created their own greetings using the “Hei” on Heineken cans, amplifying the campaign far beyond its physical presence.
By turning legal constraints into creative advantage, Heineken not only gained visibility outdoors but also sparked conversations nationwide, proving that the best outdoor campaigns extend beyond the streets.
Results
Our legally unbranded execution made Heineken the most talked-about outdoor presence of the season, without a single paid outdoor media placement. People actively sought out the trucks, shared their discoveries, and engaged with the campaign online as they used the “Hei” on Heineken cans to form their own greetings. Media outlets picked up on the clever execution, extending reach further.
The campaign was 163% more effective than a typical paid outdoor buy, generating US$6.8M in earned media and a reach of 33.9M people (in a country of 34.5M). Most importantly, this visibility translated into a 14% sales volume increase compared to Chinese New Year 2023.
With zero paid outdoor media spend and no changes to logistics, we turned a legal limitation ban into a creative triumph, proving that the best outdoor work doesn’t just occupy space; it sparks conversations.
The campaign was 163% more effective than a typical paid outdoor buy, generating US$6.8M in earned media and a reach of 33.9M people (in a country of 34.5M). Most importantly, this visibility translated into a 14% sales volume increase compared to Chinese New Year 2023.
With zero paid outdoor media spend and no changes to logistics, we turned a legal limitation ban into a creative triumph, proving that the best outdoor work doesn’t just occupy space; it sparks conversations.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 9
Bronze Pencil
Credits
Agency
Leo / Kuala Lumpur
Art Director
David HK Tan
Associate Creative Director
David HK Tan
Chief Creative Officer
Emir Shafri
Chief Strategy Officer
Andrew Michau
Copywriter
Vickknesh Raj
See Hian Poon
Jing jie Chang
Designer
Diyana Yusof
Executive Creative Director
Iska Hashim
Global CEO LePub, CCO Publicis Worldwide
Bruno Bertelli
Account Executive
Cathryn Loh
AV Editor
Sam Chia
Kok Cheng Loh
AV Producer
Adrian Lee
Fairuz Mazlan
Brand Manager
Jen Lyn Sin
Business Director
Irene Kuan
Creative
Ivan Loos
Creative Group Head
Vickknesh Raj
General Manager
Angeline Tan
HEAD OF AV
Nisha Khirudin
Managing Director
Firzan Mulafer
Marketing Director
Willemijn Sneep
Marketing Manager
Joyce Lim
Senior Account Manager
Amanda Lim
Strategic planner
Kaiyisah Suhaimi
Strategic Planning Manager
Benjamin Cheong
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