Every few years, Malaysia unveils a new tourism campaign – but some campaigns have gotten more flak than fans. However, the new “Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026)” campaign has gotten lots of love from locals, thanks to two bear-y adorable mascots.
The “VM2026” campaign recently held its launch event officiated by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’s Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who unveiled the campaign’s logo, mascots, theme song and aircraft livery. The new logo carries a batik design and a font inspired by traditional wood carving. It features the national flower, the hibiscus, and a colour scheme meant to represent the five major communities in Malaysia.
The campaign also introduced two new adorable Malayan sun bear mascots, Wira and Manja. The two sun bears symbolise the countries’ commitment to wildlife conservation. Both bears have playful and friendly designs that feature traditional Malaysian elements. Wira, the male version, wears a batik scarf around his neck, while Manja, the female version, wears a batik sash around her torso and a batik bow on her head.
Many Malaysians have since shared their reactions to the new “VM2026” logo and mascot. Many praised the design of the logo, highlighting the modern typeface. Many also cooed over the cute designs of Wira and Manja. Some also urged the Malaysian Tourism Board to release collectable dolls of the mascots, even suggesting the dolls be made into random boxes, akin to POPMART’s Labubu, to increase sales.
The new VM2026 campaign will continue to use the “Truly Asia” slogan. It will also release a new theme song sung by Malaysian songstress Ernie Zakri. Additionally, three of the country’s airlines – Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Batik Air, will carry their own exclusive “VM2026” livery. What are your thoughts on the new campaign logo and mascots?
Here’s a look at the official campaign video:
Sources: Bernama, The Star, Malay Mail, Facebook, Twitter (1)(2)
