Once upon a time where storytelling was through words by words. Now, it’s all about vibes baby. More and more heritage or abandoned old buildings around Malaysia been transformed into creative hubs (or event halls). Indirectly evolving into hipster’s heaven, a place where almost every inch of it been posted online, certifying “I’m there!” culture. Digital storytelling today just doesn’t start with a laptop. It could goes with a loud happening event, complete with a disk jockeys spinning on the decks and aroma fulfilling cup of coffee (coffee rave?!?). Let’s dive even deeper why such creative hubs being targeted as campaign’s hotspot.
Every moments could turn a creative hubs into digital marketing hubs when everyone sharing and posting on social medias. Whole place is vibing with strong community energy where definitely can’t fake it. Bringing in the cultural relevancy with local art and design which gave such emotional depth. Cross-collaboration with artists, brands or local creators are usual sights. Just as the recent Jameson Distilled Sounds that took place at Zhongsan Building, blending online and offline experiences, amplifying the digital storytelling with posts, sharable visuals and music.
When vibe really is the thing, local arts been embraced and needed a right place for it. It started become a thing when in the early 2000s where group of indie business owners, designers and creative minds took old shop lots or abandoned warehouses, turning it into shared spaces. A place where mind alike to gather, started with smaller places like MAPKL (at Publika) or APW (at Bangsar), with several new sustainable cafes and shops been opened.
Several main points that make digital storytelling effective if the place able to provide:
When a local shoe brand hosts a launch in Zhongshan or a sustainable café opens in GMBB, the content writes itself. The vibe becomes the message.
A bustling cinema started during 1950s right in the heart of KL, with several infamous fire incidents. Rebuild after rebuild (even converted as hostel once before... yes, fire again) before ended up as the poster child of creative hub itself, the one and only REXKL which we knew today. Now with multi-story with cafes, bars, restaurants, retails and even a bookstore. The transformation giving a new life of the abandoned cinema into a modern creative culture, bringing up as a successful example of adaptive reuse. Even the hall been refurnished as REXEXPERIENCE, hosting immersive digital art shows, or even as concert space.
Vintage REXKL
Of course it is! For modern marketers, this creative hubs just naturally blend offline experiences with online attention. Big names like Tiger Beer, Adidas or Johnny Walker, all have pull out successful events on such creative hubs. As everywhere just perfect for digital storytelling, combo together with influencers, indirectly promoting the place. Even the spaces are flexible as ever, today having a cultural shows while the next day could throw a rave party. Attracting a lot foot traffics all the time, making the place as main attractions. Marketers just effortlessly chose cultural hubs when they think of throwing any events.
While some becoming the landmarks itself which attracting even the tourists, while some may not be able too (vibes don’t pay rent). With the rapid city redevelopment which also could kill the places if no community within strong enough to keep it going. Big names like New Balance, Jameson, Heineken or Chivas keep injecting cash, visibility and bringing audiences which keep these places not just sustaining but growing as well.
Read more about the evolving trends of modernize old places here: https://www.hiseven.co/my/en/blog/14989/kopitiam-2-0-where-tradition-meets-trend