Pantene has launched an ad in Malaysia that spins off the term ‘WanitaBesi – a Bahasa Malaysia term meaning ‘Iron Lady’ that is traditionally used as an insult to ‘unfeminine’ women.
The ad is the latest in the hair care brand’s ‘Strong is Beautiful’ platform, this time enlisting its first hijab-wearing celebrity, Malaysian singer and songwriter Yuna. She stars in the main creative of the campaign, a film that debuted in cinemas, alongside health and fitness star Linora Low and former Malaysian national diver Adeline Chin.
May Teoh, general manager Procter & Gamble Malaysia, said: “Pantene has always championed the inner strength of women across the world and I am proud to unveil #Wanitabesi a uniquely Malaysian expression of our belief of “Strong Is Beautiful” that every woman has the strength inside to be the very best that they can be.”
The idea behind the film is to show that the phrase has a new meaning and that strength can be found in triumphing over adversity, the main adversity often simply being a woman. The song in the background of the film is a nursery rhyme called ‘Bangun Pagi’. It is given a spin too, being sung by an all-girl choir. The last part of the lyrics have been changed to be about inner strength.
Yuna said of the campaign: “It is a fact that every year thousands of girls cast aside their passions under the weight of peer pressure. Phrases such as ‘Wanita Besi’ are used negatively in the schools, sports fields and across social media, forcing us to doubt ourselves and give up on our dreams.
"It’s time to flip the script. I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of strong women in my life, or as I now call them ‘WanitaBesi’, together we can all inspire each other to chase after our dreams.”
The campaign was created by Grey Group in Malasyia, with the film being shot by Think Tank.
Earlier this year, Pantene enlisted the help of actress Priyanka Chopra to spread the message of #GoGentle.
Grey Group Malaysia: Pantene '#WanitaBesi'
This week sees the launch of '#WanitaBesi', a new campaign by Grey Malaysia for P&G haircare brand Pantene. Starring the award winning Malaysian singer and songwriter Yuna, the campaign is a landmark for the world-leading haircare brand, marking the first time that Pantene Malayisa has used a celebrity ambassador who wears a hijab.
Marking the latest chapter in their long-running ‘Strong is Beautiful’ platform, the campaign launched this weekend with a premiere in cinemas across Malaysia of '#WanitaBesi', a new short film starring, Yuna alongside two high profile Malaysian women; health and fitness star Linora Low and former Malaysian national diver Adeline Chin.
Shot by Think Tank, the title of the film, ‘WanitaBesi’ is a Bahasa Malaysia phrase that translates as ‘Iron Lady’ – a term that is traditionally used as an insult aimed women perceived to be lacking in feminity. Pantene's campaign aims to add new meaning to the phrase, drawing inspiration from the cast's real-life stories, showing how they each triumphed over adversity.
Grey Team
Graham Drew, Executive Creative Director
Andrew Fong, Creative Group Head
Jo Yau, General Manager
Brendon Low, Copywriter
Sandy Ng, Art Director
Suzy Chiang, Producer
Sharon Rodrigues, Group Brand Director
Audrey Chua, Account Executive
Huma Qureshi, Regional Director, PR & Corp Comms AMEA
Production Team
Think Tank Directors Sdn Bhd
Post Production
VHQ Post (KL)
Sound Production
Fuse Asia Sdn Bhd
