How Malaysia's commute became prime real estate for bold campaigns

When commuters stepped into Softlan’s LRT carriage in April this year, they weren’t just greeted by branded visuals, they were surrounded by the scent of fresh laundry. The train, wrapped inside and out with Softlan branding and enhanced with scent diffusers, was part of a campaign that turned an everyday commute into a sensory experience.

This is not the first time a Malaysian brand has taken this route. From Wonda Coffee’s train that smelled like a fresh brew, to Rexona-themed rides complete with aroma diffusers, or Netflix's Squid Game MRT takeover, advertisers are increasingly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in transit advertising. The result? A growing wave of immersive campaigns which have the ability to transform public transport into a platform for storytelling.

While train wraps have been a staple in out-of-home advertising for years, the recent shift into immersive, multi-sensory formats signals a deeper change, both in consumer expectations and brand ambition. According to industry players in conversation with A+M, transit advertising has shifted from being largely static and purely visual over the years, to becoming increasingly immersive and experiential. 

Don't miss: Softlan the latest to jump on the LRT scent train

Cutting through the noise

Big Tree Outdoor's (BTO) general manager, marketing and creative services, Nita Zulkifli said with the shift, the LRT has become more than just a moving billboard, and is now a storytelling vehicle where brands can offer a brief but memorable escape during daily commutes.

"Today, we’re standing at a point where these spaces are no longer just 'media slots', but creative canvases that brands are leveraging to connect more meaningfully with audiences," she added.

While immersive train campaigns are nothing new and have been around since the emergence of ambient media in the early 2000's, many brands are innovating and taking things a step further. For instance, tapping into the sense of smell within the cabins, and carrying out a live talkshow broadcast from a moving train. 

Brands are always looking for ways to cut through the noise, and immersive transit campaigns do just that.

"Especially in an age where attention spans are short and content is consumed rapidly," added Nita. These campaigns offer more than just visibility, combining immersive experiences with interactive elements like social media, influencers, and QR codes. This layered approach allows for both engagement and potential conversion, making them a growing choice among advertisers.

Spearheading this is Prasarana Integrated Development (PRIDE), the commercial and advertising arm of public transport operator, Prasarana Malaysia, as well as Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp).

PRIDE directly manages non-concession assets such as bus advertising, internal assets for the Ampang line, KL Sentral linkway, and station naming rights. Meanwhile, MRT Corp handles the commercial side of its own assets. 

According to PRIDE's executive vice president Ashok Panchalingam, out-of-home (OOH) transit advertising media has recorded an 11% year-on-year increase in revenue, driven by a strategic approach centered on delivering comprehensive advertising solutions on all media formats. "We have observed a significant uptick in demand for immersive and experiential advertising campaigns in recent years," he said. 

Brands are increasingly seeking high-engagement formats that go beyond traditional billboards, opting instead for multi-sensory and interactive executions. This includes train wraps and station naming rights. "Some OOH campaigns even integrate on-ground activations and events, amplified across social media platforms, generating significant traction and brand exposure," added Ashok. 

Besides handling the creative approvals for the campaigns, the company also oversees installation logistics and safety checks. For campaigns involving scents, like Softlan’s and Wonda's, scent diffusers are discreetly installed on-board and regularly refilled by appointed vendors to maintain consistency throughout the campaign period.

Pushing the boundaries of public transport

MRT Corp on the other hand, has also been a part of several notable OOH and immersive campaigns in partnership with its agencies, such as for Netflix’s Squid Game, Marvel’s Thunderbolts* and Venom, as well as HBO’s House of Dragons station takeover in 2024, and 

"On the back of several standout campaigns, MRT Corp is looking to push the boundaries of what transit spaces can be," said Schrene Goh, chief of commercial, MRT Corporation.

We’re no longer just moving people from point A to B.

"We’re turning our stations into vibrant lifestyle destinations, retail touchpoints, and cultural hubs that invite people to linger, explore, and share," said Goh.

According to Goh, the spotlight is now on placemaking. This means creating immersive experiences which connect with commuters emotionally and visually, such as through curated pop-ups and brand takeovers. "We’re also sharpening our advertising strategy with data-driven insights, helping brands speak directly to the right audiences at the right time," she added. 

"At the same time, we’re actively building more public-private partnerships that reimagine stations as storytelling spaces. Where national icons, pop culture, and local entrepreneurs can all have a voice," said Goh.

Back in 2024, MRT Corp also worked with Samsung for its Galaxy Z Flip 6 launch activation across three stations with outdoor skate obstacle placements and indoor popup seats. The "Flip it up experience" also featured a Galaxy AI experiential booth and the "Game of skate" at MRT Ampang Skate Park.

One campaign currently taking place, is Grab Signature and Subway's tiny 6-inch billboards hidden across high-footfall MRT stations such as Pasar Seni, Bukit Bintang, Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), Ampang Park, Maluri, and Muzium Negara. 

Branding in motion

Beyond marketing strategy, immersive transit ads are also a reflection of cultural and consumer shifts, according to Mad Hat Asia’s founder and managing director, Rengeeta Rendava, whose agency helped lead Rexona's immersive train campaign for the launch of its premium perfume collection at the end of 2024.

"When brands invest in spaces like public transport, it’s a sign of confidence. Not just in the economy, but in consumers being open to more creative engagement," she said, likening it with Singapore and New York, which has well-developed transportation systems used by people from all walks of life. 

Seeing this play out in Malaysia, Rengeeta said, is a positive indicator. "It shows that brands meeting people where they already are, in the rhythm of their daily routines." With sensory-driven campaigns and immersion marketing, she explained that it’s not about telling people what to think, but about creating an experience that speaks for itself.

"That’s the real takeaway from this trend. It’s not about short attention spans. Brands that can prove their value through immersive, tangible experiences hold power. That’s why doing it in public spaces like trains is exciting. It’s not confined to malls or curated events, it becomes part of someone’s everyday routine," said Rengeeta.

Meanwhile, WPP Media's Wavemaker, which led the Softlan campaign most recently, shared that its objective was to break away from conventional product launches, by tapping into Malaysian commuters' dwell times of up to 45 minutes per train ride. Sheinne Ong, planning manager at WPP Media said:

This enabled us to craft an experience that would resonate deeply without being intrusive.

"Maximising a confined space for multi-sensory engagement was crucial, ensuring the immersive elements directly served the brand's strategic objective of communicating the product's superiority and strong consumer relevance," she added.

For the agency, the future of campaigns particularly in environments such as trains, is increasingly gearing towards immersive experiences. "This conviction stems from a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour. Today's audiences no longer just want to be told about a brand; they want to experience it, engage with it, and feel a genuine connection and resonance," said Ong.

Pointing back to Netflix's train takeover for Squid Game, Rengeeta said that what stood out wasn't just its visual execution, but the ability of the campaign to jolt people out of autopilot to notice the brand. "Bringing joy into someone’s commute? That’s powerful. It’s more than immersion, and I genuinely hope we see more brands moving in that direction," she added

We’re seeing a polarisation, where brands either lean into transactional efficacy or emotional resonance, with few mastering the balance.

"But the middle ground is thinning. For brands that want to leave a lasting impression, experience is everything, and there’s no better way to do that than with the senses," said Rengeeta. "This isn’t just about trains, it’s about brand experience. Words alone don’t cut it anymore."

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