The
debate over the “I Lite U” campaign is healthy. Whether to promote Malaysia in
English or Malay is a valid discussion – but it should be guided by marketing
logic, not sentiment. The goal must be to promote our country while staying
true to our soul.
While it
is logical to use a language that the target market understands best, the real
creative challenge and wisdom lie in marrying communication with who we are –
our product, service, and offerings.
However,
my first concern is this: while we debate its language, “I Lite U” is not good
English or good communication in the first place.
As
someone trained in marketing, with experience in copywriting and running
campaigns, I would like to first comment on this poor choice of English words
and campaign communication.
The word lite
is a slang form of light, often used in marketing to mean low-calorie
(as in “Coke Lite”) – not illumination. Using “I Lite U” as a phrase to mean “I
light you up” or “I illuminate you” is grammatically incorrect. To English
speakers, “I Lite U” sounds childish or like text-speak (“I luv u”), which
undermines the seriousness of a government tourism campaign.
Are we
targeting kids or adults who have the money to spend?
Foreigners
may not understand what the phrase actually means – who is “I”? What is being
lit? It could even be misread as a personal romantic message (“I light you” =
“I love you”) rather than a tourism slogan. For an international audience, such
ambiguity weakens brand clarity. A slogan must communicate instantly, without
explanation.
Good
tourism or city branding slogans are clear (“Incredible India,” “Truly Asia,”
“Amazing Thailand”), authentic (reflect local identity), and emotionally
resonant yet linguistically correct. “I Lite U” fails on clarity and
correctness. A foreign visitor might even assume it’s a typo.
From a
language and branding standpoint, “I Lite U” sounds more like a playful typo
than a professional message. English-speaking foreigners are likely to think
it’s broken English (since “lite” isn’t a verb, and “U” is text-speak), be
unsure what it means – is it “I light you,” “I like you,” or “I’m lit up?” –
and perceive Malaysia’s public communication as careless or gimmicky. This
undercuts the goal of projecting sophistication and confidence.
Ask
again: who are we targeting? Those who fall for gimmicks, or those who think
well and carefully before they spend their travel dollars?
Perhaps,
a better campaign slogan would be something like “Many Lights, One City”
with a subheading in Malay – “Ku Petik Bintang-bintang Untukmu.” In this
way, English attracts while the Malay words create curiosity. We get visitors
to participate by googling to find out what the Malay phrase means. Once we get
customers to participate, we are halfway there.
“Ku Petik
Bintang-bintang” also echoes Bukit Bintang – one of the main attractions
we are inviting them to in this campaign.
Furthermore,
“Many Lights, One City” is simple, universal, and elegant. It is easy
for foreigners to understand and remember. It carries Malaysia’s unity and
diversity. Each “light” can symbolize different people, cultures, or
communities – all shining together as one city. It resonates with tourism and
local pride, perfectly matching Malaysia’s multicultural narrative: “Many
races, one nation” → “Many lights, one city.”
It could
also be extended and scaled for the future and for other cities and areas in
Malaysia, avoiding the silo mentality where each ministry runs its own campaign
without a unifying national theme: “Many Lights, One Nation.” “Many
Lights, One Malaysia.”
Light
symbolizes people, hope, warmth, creativity, and faith. It positions Kuala
Lumpur as a city glowing with diversity – authentic, inclusive, and alive.
What Must We Learn from This Episode?
My dear
Malaysians, we often waste precious time debating what is secondary instead of
focusing on what truly matters. And the manner of debate too is often
unhealthy. Our goal should always be what is best for the nation.
While it
is good to have passion about our language or our strategy to bring in
business, we must ensure that we do not allow our emotions to get the better of
us. It is precisely because every decision is, at its core, an emotional act –
for we can never have complete information – that we must discipline our minds
and exercise reasoning with utmost care before reaching a conclusion.
The
problem with many of us – including those who see ourselves as “smart people” –
is our inability to define reality without emotional attachment. Instead of
evaluating both the good and the bad in a person, idea, or policy, we allow
personal bias – whether positive or negative – to shape our perception of
truth. In doing so, even intelligent individuals can act foolishly, as our
emotions cloud judgment and rob our minds of clarity.
The I
Lite U friction is yet another example of misplaced attention – a debate
driven by noise rather than thought. Instead of discussing whether the campaign
is done right in the first place, we allow ourselves to debate something else
entirely.
And in
doing so, we miss the real issue – how to communicate our nation’s story to the
world with wisdom, integrity, and pride.
Peace.
Anas Zubedy
Kuala Lumpur
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