Malaysia Airlines is serious about the need to position the airline to become the preferred brand of choice both locally and internationally.
After two rounds of selection, a total of two Corporate Identity Agencies, namely Draft FCB (in partnership with FutureBrand) and Johan Design Associates as well as three Master Creative Agencies Draft FCB, M&C Saatchi and Ogilvy & Mather were shortlisted.

The airlines pitch process started with invitations issued to 16 Visual Identity and Advertising Creative agencies on 23 May 2011.

The successful Visual Identity Agency would be tasked to revitalise the Malaysia Airline brand, which includes the development of comprehensive brand usage guidelines and more importantly support the airline’s Branded Customer Experience Programme (BCEP) launched this year.

The response to the pitch was encouraging, with a total of 13 Visual Identity and 11 Master Creative Agency proposals being submitted on 1 July 2011. All the agencies were evaluated and scores were given, based on the requirement of the RFP, by the relevant communications team members. From the scores obtained, four Visual Identity and five Master Creative Agency proposals were shortlisted. The companies shortlisted then had an opportunity to present and showcase their work to the MAS Management Panel on 21 July for the Corporate Identity Agencies and 22 July 2011 for the Master Creative Agencies.

From the results of the presentations to Malaysia Airlines Management Panel, a total of two Corporate Identity Agencies, namely Draft FCB (in partnership with FutureBrand) and Johan Design Associates and three Master Creative Agencies Draft FCB, M&C Saatchi and Ogilvy & Mather were further shortlisted  for the next round.

The panel’s evaluation on the selection for Corporate Identity was made based the agency’s comprehension of brief, their creative competency, brand architecture competency, strategic execution and consistency of their idea with the airlines objectives.

Along similar lines, the Master Creative agency selection criteria was based on a similar rating with the addition of the strategic strength of their ideas and their media competency, with a skew towards the new and social media.

The final shortlisted agencies will be invited to present to the Malaysia Airlines Board of Directors later this year.