Festive ad producers have continued to put out inspiring work for the last year despite the multitude of challenges they’ve been faced with. Hence, we had to do our part and carry on with our Experts’ Choice Awards to help the industry decide which brand, agency and production house did it best for Chinese New Year this year.

Our robust industry-wide survey this time recorded 2185 validated and unique voters, with each person voting multiple times. We weeded out those who tried to vote for their own work, either directly or through third party invested partners (nice try). Our rankings are based purely on what our readers tell us, and not on how many million YouTube views, etc.

Perhaps the voters felt that these TVCs conveyed the best CNY message, took a risk with their plot or maybe there was no clear message at all but the film was evoked a feeling and it stuck.

The top 10 winners for the 2021 Experts Choice Awards, CNY edition are:

1. Etiqa

Film: Etiqa 2021 CNY – How do you get from C– To A+?

Agency: Ensemble Worldwide

Production House: Mastermind Group

2. Ecobrown

Film: Turn resentment into love, put your heart in the right place

Agency: Tigerwolves Marketing Sdn Bhd

Production House: Hurr.Tv

3. Maybank

Film: How to MAE-ke it ONG: Send e-Angpao with the MAE App

Agency: Clan Malaysia Sdn Bhd (The Clan)

Production House: Clan 7

4. Petronas

Film: PETRONAS CNY 2021 : 一起 “Yi Qi”

Agency: ensemble worldwide

Production House: Felicia Yong for Post2Post x Lorry Pop.

5. Digi

Film: Digi CNY 2021 – From the Heart 福心有余

Agency: Naga DDB Tribal

Production House: Mojo Films

6. Daikin

Film: The Extraordinary Family – GO喜发财

Agency: Luminous Entertainment Sdn Bhd

Production House: Luminous Entertainment Sdn Bhd

7. RHB Bank Berhad

Film: Love Carries On

Agency: FCB KL

Production House: Moving Pictures

8. Tenaga Nasional Berhad

Film: Nian-tastic New Start

Agency: Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd

Production House: Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd

9. 100Plus

Film: 100PLUS Chinese New Year 2021 TVC

Agency: Leo Burnett

Production House: THINK TANK

10. McDonalds

Film: Golden Chinese New Year

Agency: OMD, Leo Burnett

Production House: Seed Creatives Malaysia