CIMB finds a new meaning for its signature red

CIMB is turning one of the world’s most familiar signals of caution into a symbol of progress, with its latest regional brand film introducing its new “Moving you forward” brand promise.

Created in partnership with Chariot Agency and directed by Jawagar Samidurai of Graph Studios, the film is built around a simple question: What if red means go?

It opens with a series of everyday moments where red traditionally signals a warning or a reason to stop. A woman rushes to work and falls when the red man flashes, while a fresh produce shipping worker sees an order get cancelled. A university student heads to his delivery rider shift after class, only for his motorbike to break down, while a food vendor is faced with an eviction notice.

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The film then flips the familiar meaning of red. People dressed in red appear around the characters, helping them back up and encouraging them to keep moving. The soundtrack shifts into an upbeat pop-techno rhythm as the scenes move from moments of uncertainty to a collective celebration of forward motion.

The film closes with CIMB’s new brand promise, “Moving you forward”.

The film will roll out across Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines, with the campaign also extending into physical spaces in Malaysia through bus wraps, outdoor advertising and a takeover of KL Sentral.

The campaign positions courage and progress as the choice to keep going when obstacles appear. For CIMB, the new promise moves beyond financial products to associate the bank with the momentum, ambition and determination that keep people moving forward.

“'Moving you forward' reflects CIMB’s continued commitment and passion for helping our customers realise their aspirations,” said Toni Darusman, group chief brand and marketing officer at CIMB. “We want to champion the people who see possibilities where others might see a reason to stop. The film’s concept captures that optimism and determination.”

Jarrod Reginald, executive creative director at Chariot, said the film’s “red means go” concept was intended as a defiance of the norms and beliefs that can limit how far people believe they can go. 

The campaign puts CIMB’s signature red front and centre, weaving the colour through the film as the characters move from moments of uncertainty towards progress.

The use of a recognisable brand element also comes through in Maybank’s 2026 Hari Raya film, released in March. The film, titled 'Berkat Mak' ('A mother's blessing') follows a mother as she sends her children off at different stages of their lives, with a yellow tupperware filled with home-cooked food in hand. The container returns throughout the film, becoming part of the story as her children leave home, start families and pursue opportunities overseas.

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