HLB Interactive Digital ‘Kolam of Dreams’ 2019

Kuala Lumpur, 23 October 2019

Drawing intricate Kolam is an integral part of Deepavali celebrations all over the world including Malaysia. Usually visible at the threshold of homes, the intricate geometric patterns and vibrant colours of a Kolam symbolise the invitation of prosperity and luck into the household.

To give Malaysians their own platform to seed their dreams and wishes this Deepavali, Hong Leong Bank Berhad (“HLB” or the “Bank”) has launched a first-of-its-kind digital Kolam interactive engagement called the ‘Kolam of Dreams’ to give Malaysians from all walks of life a chance to take part in this time-old tradition with a modern digital twist by designing their own Kolam and sharing them with their families and friends with well-wishes for Deepavali.

“With Malaysia being one of the leading countries in the world for smartphone penetration and social media usage, and in line with the Bank’s digital-at-the-core ethos, we see technology as a way to bring people closer together, and for tradition to continue to prosper through modern expression. With ‘Kolam of Dreams’, all Malaysians can seed their dreams in a fun and interactive way, celebrating together this Deepavali,” said Domenic Fuda, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HLB.

The intricate nature of traditional kolam designs require skill, a good eye for detail and years of practice. This year HLB aims to give all Malaysians, regardless of artistic ability, the opportunity to try their hand at this very unique and traditional cultural experience by creating their own distinctive digital kolam designs as a way to join in the celebration of this joyous occasion alongside those celebrating Deepavali.

“They can then share the Kolam with their Deepavali greetings with family and friends, thereby creating social connections with one another. These Kolam designs will come together to be part of a massive collection where users can look through and see the sheer number of celebrants who participated and shared their dreams,” added Fuda.

Zalman Zainal, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer of HLB commented, “The Bank is trying to deliver a simple message of unity through creativity. Just as a Kolam starts with a spark of imagination, the Bank, as an advocate of forging ahead digitally hopes that by creating an interactive digital experience, we can extend this unique cultural experience to all Malaysians, to take part in a nationwide collaboration whereby the dreams of an entire nation can be shared onto a gallery, creating Malaysia’s first ‘Kolam of Dreams’ collection.

“The very nature of the Kolam is that it is intended to be transient, as it can be easily moved or wiped away, and this is why the collection of digital Kolam designed by Malaysians will be extra special as it will be everlasting,” continued Zalman.

A preview of the ‘Kolam of Dreams’ collection together with the vision and hopes of all Malaysians will be available for public viewing on digital screens at Pavilion Elite and Bukit Bintang from Nov 1 to 7, 2019.

To seed your dreams on the digital kolam, visit http://deepavali.hlb.com.my/ , enter your name and message of hope before allowing your artistic creativity to flow through your fingers.

To learn how to create your digital ‘Kolam of Dreams’, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LIiUB4c3m0