“Endless Possibilities” campaign launch postponed, indefinitely
Putrajaya's new "Endless Possibilities" campaign launch in the country has been postponed from the September 17 date, possibly indefinitely after it was found that Mongolia had used the same tag line some 19 months before Malaysia.
The Malaysian Insider understands the campaign officials were red-faced due to the link to Mongolia, a sensitive subject as two Malaysian police commandos were charged and later acquitted for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
"The Malaysian launch is off. There is no new date," a source told The Malaysian Insider.
The campaign tag line was officially used for the first time in Davos during last January's World Economic Forum (WEF) although the Tourism Ministry had promoted it in Dubai in October 2012.
Pro-government bloggers had criticised the campaign, saying it copied a similar Israeli campaign which began last April. But they later found out that Mongolia had produced a video on global news broadcaster CNN using the same tag line.
But a spokesman for the campaign said it would be launched. There was no definite date.
"The initiative will be launched. 17th was one of the dates considered," said the spokesman who declined, to be named.
September 17 was chosen as it is a day after Malaysia celebrates 50 years of its founding when Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak formed the nation in 1963. Singapore left in August 1965.
The Malaysian Insider learnt the campaign and tag line was refined by two foreign consultancies and a market research firm after discussions with the Prime Minister's Department.
"The consultants refined it from the phrase 'Endless Opportunities' which was used in a speech to 'Endless Possibilities'," he said, adding they were unsure whether the consultants had checked if other countries used the tagline.
An advertising agency was then called in to create the logo, which the Tourism Ministry used together with the tag line last year before it was officially launched in Davos.
The Malaysian Insider first broke news of the campaign launch on August 21 and it was confirmed the same day by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who said it would complement and not replace the 1Malaysia slogan introduced in 2009.
Calling it the new "complementary campaign", Najib said the latest campaign was part of a national branding plan.
"This is going to be promoted by Malaysia," said Najib, who was seen donning a new badge of the new campaign in addition to one with the 1Malaysia logo.
Sources told The Malaysian Insider that the "Endless Possibilities" slogan was to be launched before the polls but the government postponed it to prevent possible confusion.
Pos Malaysia had even planned to launch a new stamp titled "Malaysia: Endless Possibilities" on May 30, 2013 but there has been no sign of the stamp set.
A source said the new campaign actually began earlier this year at the prestigious World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, and in several Tourism Malaysia drives.
A 60-second video clip featuring Najib was also launched and aired by global news broadcaster CNN.
There have been several print advertisements with the new slogan in international magazines for both business and tourism purposes in the past eight months. But sources said the main push would be after the September 17 launch.
The Malaysian Insider understands the campaign officials were red-faced due to the link to Mongolia, a sensitive subject as two Malaysian police commandos were charged and later acquitted for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
"The Malaysian launch is off. There is no new date," a source told The Malaysian Insider.
The campaign tag line was officially used for the first time in Davos during last January's World Economic Forum (WEF) although the Tourism Ministry had promoted it in Dubai in October 2012.
Pro-government bloggers had criticised the campaign, saying it copied a similar Israeli campaign which began last April. But they later found out that Mongolia had produced a video on global news broadcaster CNN using the same tag line.
But a spokesman for the campaign said it would be launched. There was no definite date.
"The initiative will be launched. 17th was one of the dates considered," said the spokesman who declined, to be named.
September 17 was chosen as it is a day after Malaysia celebrates 50 years of its founding when Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak formed the nation in 1963. Singapore left in August 1965.
The Malaysian Insider learnt the campaign and tag line was refined by two foreign consultancies and a market research firm after discussions with the Prime Minister's Department.
"The consultants refined it from the phrase 'Endless Opportunities' which was used in a speech to 'Endless Possibilities'," he said, adding they were unsure whether the consultants had checked if other countries used the tagline.
An advertising agency was then called in to create the logo, which the Tourism Ministry used together with the tag line last year before it was officially launched in Davos.
The Malaysian Insider first broke news of the campaign launch on August 21 and it was confirmed the same day by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who said it would complement and not replace the 1Malaysia slogan introduced in 2009.
Calling it the new "complementary campaign", Najib said the latest campaign was part of a national branding plan.
"This is going to be promoted by Malaysia," said Najib, who was seen donning a new badge of the new campaign in addition to one with the 1Malaysia logo.
Sources told The Malaysian Insider that the "Endless Possibilities" slogan was to be launched before the polls but the government postponed it to prevent possible confusion.
Pos Malaysia had even planned to launch a new stamp titled "Malaysia: Endless Possibilities" on May 30, 2013 but there has been no sign of the stamp set.
A source said the new campaign actually began earlier this year at the prestigious World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, and in several Tourism Malaysia drives.
A 60-second video clip featuring Najib was also launched and aired by global news broadcaster CNN.
There have been several print advertisements with the new slogan in international magazines for both business and tourism purposes in the past eight months. But sources said the main push would be after the September 17 launch.
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