Strategy 

13 years ago, Gempak was established to stabilise online traffic for Astro’s Malay content. Eventually, it grew from a content disseminator of Astro’s seasonal TV programmes to becoming a one-stop destination for entertainment, lifestyle news, viral trends and pop culture. 

Rapid digitalisation exposed new online consumption behaviour and opportunity for the platform. From binge-watching streaming content to binge-scrolling social media, audiences have shorter attention spans and expansive appetite for more entertaining formats. Challenge: Keeping up with highly wired audiences, continuously engaging them within a competitive digital space.    

Objective: Gempak to continuously remain relevant for evolving digital audiences, appealing to all ages across generations.   

Strategy: Position Gempak as the leading 360° digital content ecosystem (across editorial, digital, radio and TV) and entertainment publisher with end-to-end creative and content solutions. 

 

Creative & Innovation

Gempak made significant efforts to enhance its digital content offerings: 

 Content Studio

  • Established in-house content studio in 2018, with creative and content solutions, developing exciting formats – spin-offs, digital bites, snippets for platforms beyond digital.  

Gempak Originals

  • Intuitive-based original series using insights from Gempak’s social listening of 17.02M audiences.  
  • Curate relatable branded stories with insights-based ideation, appealing to their target.  

Digital Enhancements

  • Optimised users’ journey with advanced features connecting traditional media to the digital sphere using QR codes, driving viewers to our social media pages, website and app.  
  • Synchronised Single Sign On ID (SSO) personalisation to customise content, page and video player. 

 

Execution 

Gempak executed several breakthrough initiatives throughout the year:  

Branded Content  

Julia’s Secret Recipe (19 Apr – 30 Jun)  

  • Branded web film of a Gen-Z’s journey of self-discovery.  
  • Created ‘Herbal Essences Cinematic Universe’ connecting characters, storyline, continuing the brand story from the award-winning success of previous campaigns. 

Gempak Originals  

  • Ex Aku Pontianak (19 Jan – 23 Mar)
    • Comedy horror drama developed for TV under the Gempak brand. 
       
  • The Maid S2 (6 Jul – 21 Sep) 
    • Murder mystery drama produced for TV under the Gempak brand. 
  • Borak Dulu Baru Kamu (4 Aug – 30 Dec)
    • Digital comedy talk show with TikTok creator, Ubai interviewing top comedians. 

Developed spin-off content, character backstory edits and bite-sized previews, digitally exclusive for Gempak’s platforms. 

 

Digital Enhancements

  • Gempak Most Wanted (18 Sept – 31 Dec – ongoing)  
    • Weekly TV chart show, recognising audiences’ online voting for favourite digital icons across categories. 

Utilised QR codes on TV, driving viewers to Gempak’s website to cast votes and watch chart show snippets. 

 

Results

Gempak’s lifetime views – 747.4M views, 1.2B minutes watched. Ranked no.1 for highest digital followers – 17.02M, beating 7 other publishers (Feb-Aug FY22).

Julia’s Secret Recipe  

  • 4.3M views 
  • 1.2M minutes watched on Facebook.  
  • Highest time spent watching 89% (Malays,15-29)  

Borak Dulu Baru Kamu 

  • 34M views  

The Maid S2 

  • Top watched drama on VOD, >90,000 unique visitors. 

Ex Aku Pontianak 

  • 15.2M digital views 
  • Increased TV slot’s average time spent by +5% 

Gempak Most Wanted  

  • 7.14M views  
  • Total votes – 522,823 (21 weeks since Sept)