Hari Raya or Eid is that time of the year to indulge in food, green packets, and finding the perfect reason for your weight gain. No really, it’s the worst time to be on a diet this month!
It has become quite the tradition to anticipate and watch Raya advertisements every year, something as essential as the Christmas advertisement tradition in the UK. A few of these advertisements are so memorable we’re still talking about it for years.
So, what are the ads that made into our list of loveable classics? Let’s find out:
No.6: Snickers Understands – Snickers (2017)
In this casual, laid-back advert, Snickers gave us a picture of what it’s like to fast like a Muslim during Ramadan. While other brands may have large production teams for their Raya campaign, Snickers used a vlogger style with almost no script. It worked and got the Snickers brand message out. You know, the one about eating a Snickers when you’re hungry.
No. 5: Aida’s Raya Challenge – TNB (2017)
Humourous with on-point messaging, this TNB advert is both engaging and colourful. It tells the story of Aida and the many challenges she faced as Raya approaches. TNB got their message of ‘family comes first’ fittingly well.
No. 4: Suparjo & Raju – Petronas (2004)
Back in 2004, Deepavali and Hari Raya were a few weeks apart, thus it was called ‘Deeparaya’ that year. Written and directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad, this advert became the talk of the town for years to come. It’s a tale of friendship lost and found again by two boys of different races. The advert is so memorable because it has a song, nostalgia, and a warm feeling at the end. Everyone loves a happy ending.
No.3: Atuk – Nissan (2014)
In this heartfelt advertisement filled with kampung vibes and gorgeous scenes, Nissan tells a story of a grandfather and his millennial grandson. Nissan also took the chance to tell viewers that their cars have been around for generations and the memories a car can create. We also enjoyed the plot twist at the end.
No.2: Goodbye, Good Buy – Mudah.my (2017)
Mudah.my released this Raya advertisement in the form of a catchy and ‘sempoi’ song. Surprisingly, this short advert has everything; a theme, a lesson, an ear-worm, and a fitting brand message that you can find and sell anything on their website.
No.1: From A Father’s Heart – Astro (2017)
Astro adopted the tearjerker genre for Raya in 2017. Based on a real-life story, the advert showed the journey of a father who has a son with autism. Tears were shed. Although there were no Astro products or services surreptitiously slipped in the advertisement, it did fit into their Raya branding theme of that year; forgiveness and family.
In Conclusion
Many brands took this chance to celebrate Raya with the public while getting their brand messages out. Not only is it a great brand awareness tactic, but it’s also a great and indirect way to connect with the target audience on one of their happiest moments of the year.
Some common themes used in many Raya adverts are family, forgiveness, connections, and understanding. It’s also common for these seasonal adverts to be emotional, because emotions connect with the audience better. Whether it’s a happy, tearful or rib-tickling advert, people still love a good engaging ad that speaks to their culture and the emotional attachment to it.
Brand360 wishes everyone a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!
