2018 was a particularly proud year for Malaysians, where the country’s ethnically diverse population united to accomplish a bloodless change in government. Malaysia Day, celebrated on September 16th, is the perfect occasion to honour this solidarity. As a bank with a long history of promoting workforce diversity, CIMB wished to use the occasion to connect its vision of social harmony with the public’s current sentiment for unity.

Instead of the usual one-way communication often seen on Malaysia Day, CIMB’s message was made by the people for the people – in the form of a symphony made with the help of every day Malaysians. Capitalizing on the people’s nationalistic pride post-election, ‘Sound of a Nation’ had a simple message: beautiful things happen when we come together.

In most countries, National Day is an occasion in which brands roll out a singular message that relates to every member of the population. This is not the case in Malaysia, which has a multi-ethnic heritage comprising Malay, Chinese and Indian communities, with their respective languages, cultures and faiths. So how can a bank – already in a low-engagement industry – connect with the hearts of Malaysians in spite of the barriers? By using a medium that transcends them: music. And instead of a one way communication, we let people be part of the message. By making them the melodies that form the national symphony. A tribute not just to the nation, but to the diverse population that call it home.

The campaign began with a microsite, launched 3 weeks before Malaysia Day. In it, a participant can take a picture of his or her face. Facial recognition identified the person’s most prominent features. These points were laid into a musical tablature, creating the individual’s unique melodic signature. Height map determined how loud or soft the notes are played. Different parts of the country were represented by different instruments.

All the collected melodies were then placed in the hands of leading Malaysian composers, who weaved them into an original composition. On September 16, Malaysia Day, the music was unveiled online.

5 million views for three online films

159,692 visits to the microsite

147, 136,799 impressions on facebook and youtube