Advertisers of the month in Malaysia: Watsons, Milo, and Nivea

Of all the brands tracked in the market, Watsons has registered the biggest increase in advertising awareness in Malaysia for the month of January. Data from YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks consumer perceptions towards brands on a daily basis worldwide, shows that ad awareness of Watsons saw an uplift of 10% over the four-week period.

 

This surge is likely driven by Watsons’ Chinese New Year campaign, featuring festive promotions, exclusive product discounts, and influencer collaborations. The #HappyBeautifulYear 2025 campaign celebrated Chinese New Year with a vibrant dance video. It featured Watsons ambassador Phei Yong and celebrity friends Jestinna Kuan, Mskuan, Perry Kuan, Amber Chia and Danny Lee. The brand's digital and in-store marketing efforts, including themed giveaways and limited-time offers, also contributed to higher visibility among Malaysian consumers.

 

 

According to BrandIndex, Watsons' ad awareness score in Malaysia increased by 10 points from 40.7% on December 26, 2024 to 50.7% on January 23, 2025. Ad awareness measures the percentage of people who have seen a brand’s ad in the past two weeks.

 

Meanwhile, chocolate malt beverage Milo follows with an increase of 8.9%, rising from 52.2% to 61.1%. The boost in ad awareness is likely linked to the brand’s ongoing school-based nutrition initiatives and seasonal marketing efforts. This included the high-profile Milo Malaysia Breakfast Day 2025 that saw over 23,000 runners and 13,000 friends and families of all ages join the action-packed day, highlighted by the Milo Breakfast Run. Milo’s strong presence in digital and traditional media, combined with sponsorships of youth sporting events, has reinforced its brand recognition and engagement during the back-to-school period.

 

Nivea rounds out the top three with a gain of 8.9%, increasing from 46.6% to 55.5%. The growth in ad awareness can be attributed to Nivea’s 'Buy and Win' Chinese New Year campaign. Consumers who purchased Nivea or Nivea Men products worth RM35 or more in a single receipt could participate for a chance to win cash prizes totalling up to RM138,888.

 

Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. A brand’s Ad Awareness score is based on the question: “Which of the following consumer brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?” (% Yes). Data from surveys of adults aged 18 years and above residing in Malaysia from 26 December 2024 to 23 January 2025. Ad Awareness scores are based on a four-week moving average. The change in scores for each brand is calculated by taking the difference between the highest and lowest scoring days within the period.