Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – To commemorate Hari Raya, Malaysian biscuit brand Julie’s Biscuits has launched a new short film which tackles the age-old issue of stereotypical roles.
The new short film, which was developed with independent creative agency GOVT Singapore and production house Layar Lucida, invites Malaysians to explore traditional definitions of stereotypical roles and see how antiquated expectations no longer hold in today’s day and age.
Titled ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’, which in English translates to ‘This is a Raya Ad, isn’t it?’, the film features the much-loved Malaysian actor Amerul Affendi, playing the role of ‘Tuan Direktor’. In the ad, the cast and crew seem determined to thwart the stereotypical ideas and script with their breakaway thoughts, leaving ‘Tuan Direktor’ disheartened and failing to produce his desired Hari Raya ad.
Tzy Horng Sai, director of Julie’s Biscuits, shared that while the community have made progressive steps forward, there is still much to do if people want to enact change and change mindsets on a larger scale.
“As we share merriment and laughter in celebration of Hari Raya, we want to encourage people to take a moment to reflect and explore how they can spread this message to strengthen the bonds of family, friendship and humanity,” said Sai.
Meanwhile, Junad M. Nor, Layar Lucida’s film director, noted that many people look forward to watching festive-themed ads, and it is a vast platform to share important messages.
“Using light-heartedness to convey serious topics makes people more comfortable and receptive, and I hope this ad can reach and resonate with as many people as possible,” said Nor.
Alvina Seah, GOVT Singapore’s managing director, commented, “It’s a delight that we get to bring to light these insights, reminding people that we can all do our part to break these stereotypes. We believe that sometimes it’s a little easier to make people chuckle and notice the touchy topics that go unaddressed – in our ad’s case, it’s the stereotypical elephants in the room. And that has always been what we try to bring across in our work for Julie’s.”
