Designing a Mural for Air Asia’s Cambodia Expansion
C. Keo / MARch 13, 2024 / Mural Commission
Recently, I was approached by my good friend Raksa Uy, a fellow Dutch-Cambodian and video producer at Havas Champagne, a leading advertising agency in Cambodia. They are working on a project with Air Asia, promoting their new routes in Cambodia. Raksa reached out to me with an exciting opportunity—to design a digital mural for a scene in their promotional video.
Concept
The concept for the mural was centered around a Khmer dragon, or Naga, as this year marks the Year of the Dragon in the Khmer zodiac calendar. Incorporating this cultural symbol was key to the design, but it also needed to align with Air Asia’s branding, including their iconic color palette.
My creative process always begins with sketching. I played around with different ideas, envisioning how to capture the Naga’s dynamic form. Given the dragon’s long, serpentine body, I focused on creating a sense of movement, making the body flow seamlessly through the mural. The clouds surrounding the dragon were essential to symbolize the sky and reflect Air Asia’s identity as an airline.
The centerpiece of the mural was the dragon’s tail—a mandatory focus since the tail design would also be featured prominently on the aircraft itself. This meant the tail had to stand out and convey a sense of Khmer artistic heritage.
Conclusion
What I love most about corporate projects is the challenge. Each one demands adaptability and a deep understanding of both the brand and the message they want to convey. Being part of Air Asia’s campaign allowed me to immerse myself in their brand identity while adding my own creative twist.
But beyond the thrill of problem-solving, this commission also brought me one step closer to a personal dream of mine—to paint an entire airplane!
