Perspectives

Crazy about the Yellow Man October 5, 2010

Posted by moonstarlady in Ad Review, Advertising, Lifestyle observations, Social Media.
Tags: digi, malaysian day, sambal belacan, the yellow man
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I have been meaning to post this for like forever, but work and other priorities keep getting in the way.

Thought I would share my thoughts on the recent craze on Digi’s “Sambal Belacan” ad:

It’s actually my all-time favourite atm, it never fails to crack me up, especially on days when I am absolutely stressed. The actor is brilliant in his original potrayals of Malaysians – incredibly creative too.

This ad was created in-conjunction with Malaysia Day – the very first of its kind that was implemented this year in the country. Meant to be a day to commemorate all Malaysians and dispel differences, it was welcomed with quite a bit of fanfare (at least in my opinion).

Since its release, it has enjoyed a great viral effect and was shared widely across different social media channels and platforms. Today’s Marketing post wrapped it up very nicely.

For the benefit of my readers (who may not know), here are some translations:

Sambal Belacan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambal

Pedas: spicy/hot

Ya Allah: OMG

Mak cik: Aunty/Aunt/a term of endearment or respect to refer to an older woman in the community

Nasi Lemak: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasi_lemak

Celaka: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=celaka

Syok: A Malaysian slang, to express pleasure in something

Lo Poh: Wife

Lor: A Malaysian slang, see here for more descriptions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manglish

Chee Cheong Fun: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_noodle_roll

Tempoyak: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tempoyak.jpg (Tempoyak refers to fermented durian, usually made from lower quality durian that is unsuitable for direct consumption. Tempoyak can be eaten either cooked or uncooked, is normally eaten with rice, and can also be used for making curry. – Wiki entry)

Petai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkia_speciosa

Dhal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal

Chapati: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapati

Ikan Kembung: http://www.deliciousasianfood.com/2007/08/10/asam-ikan-kembung/

Sambal Petai Udang: http://eats.emedia.com.my/recipe.php?id=41

Enjoy!