Tag: Julie's Biscuits

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Julie’s is shaking up the scene once again with its latest must-watch Hari Raya short film called “Iklan Raya A.I.dilfitri” (A Raya A.I.dilfitri Ad). In this highly anticipated release, the brand continues its tradition of pushing boundaries and sparking conversations through compelling storytelling. 

The film, conceptualised alongside GOVT Singapore, follows the journey of a fictional marketing team at Julie’s who are on a quest to create the perfect Hari Raya advertisement using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), AdGPT. The short film delves into the struggles of the marketing team as they attempt to break free from the ideas suggested by the AI that focus on traditional gender roles during the festive season. 

Despite their multiple efforts to manually edit the prompt and content, the AI-generated ads consistently emphasised these stereotypical Hari Raya scenes of women cooking in the kitchen and men engaging in lighter tasks in the living room amongst many other stereotypes, reinforcing outdated gender norms.

In a compelling twist when trying to fix the AI, the team finds themselves immersed within the AI realm itself, encountering a child, the embodiment of the AI. Through this encounter, they discover the root cause of the biased AI-generated content which stems from years of societal conditioning and ingrained stereotypes. 

Despite all that, they discover a beacon of hope: changing these outdated views is possible. Through positive narratives and reinforcement, particularly during celebrations like Hari Raya which emphasises forgiveness and renewal, these biases can change.

Tzy Horng Sai, director of Julie’s Biscuits said, “This marks Julie’s fourth year producing short festive films of this nature. We are passionate about continuously using our platform to spark meaningful conversations and drive positive change. In crafting this year’s film, we aimed to shed light on society’s role in perpetuating gender stereotypes while advocating for gender equity, all while honouring traditions.”

Sai added, “We hope it serves as more than just entertainment; let it be an inspiration for change. By teaching and modelling equality, we hope to lend a hand in creating a future where there are fewer assigned gender roles, where women and men can both contribute equally in their own ways.”

Meanwhile, Kevin Poh, group creative director at GOVT, commented, “When we started brainstorming for this, we were surrounded by debates and discussions about AI and were particularly interested in the gender and cultural biases found in AI. Through testing, we spotted gender stereotypes in the generated results despite trying to reword our prompts. We quickly realised a fundamental truth: AI learns from humans and mirrors our biases. The good news is, AI can learn to unlearn those biases if we can too.”

He added, “Since Raya is also about renewal, we thought it the perfect timing to reflect on these biases and start a clean slate about the way we see and talk about gender — in a way that’s meta, self-referential and, as always, loads of fun.” 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Julie’s returns with its mental wellness campaign #Take25 by featuring literal goats as its unexpected guests, alluding to the acronym G.O.A.T. meaning “greatest of all time”.

Conceptualised alongside GOVT, the campaign leverages a series of three entertaining videos featuring a day in the life of some unexpected stars – goats aka G.O.A.T.s, sharing their wisdom on mental health.

Using the power of humour, the videos which stars goats, playfully uses the acronym G.O.A.T.s which stands for “The Greatest of All Time”, to convey that: even the greatest individuals have days where they don’t feel so great or positive all the time. 

According to GOVT, the campaign aims to challenge the misconception of what a perfect life or person should be. It emphasises that perfection is a myth and embracing vulnerabilities is okay. 

Tzy Horng Sai, director at Julie’s Biscuits, said, “The surge in idealised portrayals in society, in particular on social media, mainly highlights curated content that features life’s successes and joyful moments, has contributed to a societal perception that the curated content equates to an ideal life. Yet such portrayals are impossible standards and this paradox of impossible standards, promulgated in our everyday social media musings, is precisely why our #Take25 campaign is needed.”

Meanwhile, Aaron Koh, creative partner at GOVT, commented, “We live in a very success-driven world where it is very crucial to acknowledge that even the most accomplished individuals such as the G.O.A.T.s of our generation have their low moments too, and that’s perfectly normal.”

He added, “For this campaign and in line with the typical Julie’s brand humour, we have decided to feature real goats instead (as the actual G.O.A.T.s would be too costly) to spread the message that mental wellbeing is a complex journey, and each person faces their own unique challenges. Feeling less than great doesn’t always signify a mental health issue; it just means you’re human.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The celebration of the Hari Raya festivities this 2023 has just ended, and with that we have been blessed with an array of ad films that celebrate the values and teachings of the Raya season–whether through laugh-inducing commercials or through feature-length emotional ones.

To celebrate the diversity of these Raya ads, video streaming platform YouTube has released its top ads on the platform. Listed alphabetically, the ads feature various depictions of the Muslim celebrations whether through purposeful teaching, viewer relatability, or simply all about ‘just-feel-good’ vibes.

BHPetrol – BHPetrol Hari Raya Video 2023

“There will always be light at the end”. This is the overarching message of this ad from local petroleum company BHPetrol. After a series of misfortunes while on the road, a man finds himself stranded without fuel in his car. As he shouts in frustration, a man he nearly hit with comes to his rescue with a bit of fuel to take as far as the vehicle could. Realising how much good there is, he calls back to his family apologising for his rudeness during an earlier call and promises to return in time for the Eid celebrations.

BSN Malaysia – Iklan Raya BSN 2023 | Salah Siapa?

This hilarious ad from the government-owned bank BSN Malaysia shows that regardless if someone bought the wrong dessert for the festival meal or changed the colour theme for the living room, what’s more important is that the family stays together in celebration.

Bulan Bintang – Bulan Bintang Raya 2023 – Raya Macam Star

Conceptualised by Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), this maiden ad film from this local clothing line is a timeless boy-meets-girl tale that aims to make everyone feel like a star when wearing the Bulan Bintang collection this Raya.

ERA Foods Malaysia – Tetamu | ERA Raya 2023

This emotional ad from food FMCG company ERA Foods, which shows how a man’s poverty is not a hindrance to help others: all in the name of practising the teachings of Allah on giving to those who need most.

Etiqa – Etiqa Raya 2023 – Panorama Abah Den

While most families return to their villages during the Raya festivities, this ad from insurance company Etiqa depicts a situation where the festivity is celebrated in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. What starts out as a humorous tale of city sightseeing turns into an emotional tale of why this city visit matters.

HRD Corp – HRD Corp Raya 2023: Peluang Kedua

An emotional ad from the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp), this four-minute ad teaches viewers the value of second chances–as there is still time left to try, time left to fight.

Julie’s Biscuits – Raya 2023 | Kisah Raya P.E.R.I.T | [BM Subs] | Julie’s Biscuits

Conceptualised by GOVT Singapore, this newest Raya ad from the local biscuit brand brings to attention the challenges that one faces as a single parent such as the typical, yet critical judgements usually dished out to single parents, especially during the festive season.

PETRONAS – PETRONAS RAYA 2023: Dilema Irama

The local energy group PETRONAS has released yet another great emotional Raya ad: this time focusing on the timeless power of music: regardless of genre and time period. The ad, conceptualised alongside Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), is a sweet tale of a father and son music duo who find reconciliation in the music passion they have.

Puteri Malaysia – Puteri Raya 2023 – Puteri Mana Yang Hebat | Iklan Ramadan | Hari Raya 2023

For food company Puteri, their Raya ad is all about the message of building these familial relationships during the festive season–even if it means coming from recent misunderstandings.

Saiji Malaysia – Iklan Ramadan SAJI 2023 | SABAR

Lastly, this ad from cooking oil brand Saiji teaches viewers on the virtue of patience and the importance of always practising such virtue–even when faced with everyday challenges and issues.

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The list showcases the most engaging ads that people choose to watch during this period, and are determined in no particular order by an algorithm that factors in watch time, organic views, paid views, and audience retention. This list was extracted on April 27, 2023 and captures data from March 22 to April 25, 2023. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Continuing its tradition of creating provocative festive campaigns, Malaysian biscuit brand Julie’s has launched its latest short film called Kisah Raya P.E.R.I.T (A Raya Story of P.E.R.I.T), a part of the brand’s annual Hari Raya campaign and ongoing efforts to break down stereotypes that people often face during the festive season.

‘Kisah Raya P.E.R.I.T’ is produced in collaboration with GOVT Singapore, the creative agency that helped create Julie’s multiple thought-provoking festive campaigns.

This year’s short film features Timah and her daughter Farah, bringing the audience on a journey through their ‘balik kampung’ drive to attend Hari Raya celebrations throughout the years. The film brings to attention the challenges that Timah faced as a single parent such as the typical, yet critical judgements usually dished out to single parents, especially during the festive season.

Affected by the challenges faced during Hari Raya, this single mother goes out of her way to delay her trip every year to ensure that she spends less time with family members. The film done in both comedic and sentimental fashion shows how the single mother as part of this secret society called P.E.R.I.T (Persatuan Rahsia Ibu Tunggal) looks to end Hari Raya celebrations in 2023.

“We have always used our creative short films to showcase stories of empowerment. This year, Kisah Raya P.E.R.I.T features the trials and tribulations of a single parent celebrating Hari Raya. We hope this will inspire people to be more understanding towards each other,” said Tzy Horng Sai, director of Julie’s Biscuits.

Sai also added that through the short film, the brand invites viewers to practise forgiveness, embrace the diversity that exists within families and appreciate family members for who they are.

Joy Sng, business director at GOVT also commented, “With a brand like Julie’s Biscuits, that believes in building a more open and inclusive world, each year, we aspire for our Raya films to challenge conventions and address uncomfortable topics that people tend to avoid or ignore.”

She added, “Taking insights and stories from conversations we’ve had with various single parents, our film this year aims to shine a light on the stigmas and challenges of single parenthood, told through a love letter between a mother and daughter.”

Kisah Raya P.E.R.I.T is now available for viewing on their official YouTube channel. The campaign follows Julie’s Hari Raya campaign last year titled ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’, which was targeted at debunking traditional stereotypes about gender roles.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Local biscuits brand Julie’s Biscuits has paid a tribute to Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh by tweaking its logo to resemble the likeness of Yeoh. This follows Yeoh’s recent win at the recently-concluded Oscars 2023 ceremony. 

The newest campaign is made in partnership with GOVT Singapore, the appointed creative agency of Julie’s Biscuits.

Yeoh won an Oscar for the ‘Best Actress’ category; the first Asian to win said award, and the first ever Malaysian to bag an Oscar. Said recognition was for her role as Evelyn Wang in the 2022 film ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.

According to Julie’s Biscuits, aside from bringing such pride to her roots, Yeoh also undoubtedly embodies the brand’s values – humility, openness, fearlessness and a slight hint of cheeky irreverence. They add that her inspirational journey reminds all to hold our heads up high and be inspired to work hard for their dreams.

Sai Tzy Horng, director of Julie’s Biscuits, said, “I am incredibly proud of Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh. She is truly an international icon and a pride and joy to all fellow Malaysians. As a Malaysian household biscuit icon, we want to congratulate her by paying tribute to her remarkable achievement in her Oscar nomination amongst many other impressive milestones in her illustrious career. She has proven time and again that she is one of Malaysia’s most revered national treasures.”

Meanwhile, Jimmy Neo, group creative director of GOVT Singapore, commented, “When we knew that Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh was nominated, we thought that a simple, sincere tribute would be appropriate, to honour all her achievements over the years. She’s an inspiration to all.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – With the aim of putting a spotlight on the importance of mental health, local biscuit brand Julie’s Biscuits recently launched its #Take25 campaign. 

The campaign focuses on encouraging the public to ‘take a break’ amid the World Health Organization report on the 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide due to the pandemic.

“There are various ways for people to take care of their mental wellbeing. As the producer of the OAT 25 biscuits, one of the healthier snack options for many consumers, we would like to communicate that on top of encouraging healthy snacking, we are also looking to advocate taking scheduled breaks as part of your wellness practice,” said Tzy Horng Sai, director of Julie’s Biscuits. 

#Take25 is inspired by the Pomodoro technique, which refers to a time management method that focuses on working in 25 minute intervals to increase productivity while also experiencing relaxation. 

“We would like to call upon people to #Take25 minutes to unwind in any way that allows them to destress or feel better – be it a 25-minute walk or even enjoying the soothing “symphony” of tearing and crunching into packs of the OAT 25 biscuits. As we continue to adjust living in an endemic, we hope that this campaign can inspire people to find ways to prioritise their mental wellbeing,” Sai further explained.

Made in collaboration with Singapore-based creative agency GOVT, the campaign features a series of curated content that emphasizes the unique ways people choose to unwind. This is shown through three videos titled, “Roll the Day Away”, “ASMR”, and “Have a Cuddle”, plus advertisements placed in strategic areas in Malaysia and Singapore.

Aaron Koh, GOVT’s co-founder and Julie’s creative partner, said, “For the launch of the Julie’s #Take25 campaign, we wanted to play with the notion of unwinding in between moments. #Take25 reminds us to take that step away from the negative aspects of the day and focus on what is important – me time. And everyone has their own version of me time.”

He added, “The campaign encourages everyone to unwind in their own unique ways – no matter how unconventional. In this short and, we hope, wonderfully offbeat video series, we show a working woman coming home from a hectic day and creating her own #Take25 moments in weirdly interesting ways.”

#Take25 follows Julie’s Biscuits’ Hari Raya and Chinese New Year campaigns, which featured short films about gender stereotypes, hope, and optimism.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The celebration of Hari Raya in Malaysia has concluded, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. And with such festivities, there is always a rise of ad films centred around the values and teachings of the Raya festivities.

In line with this, YouTube in Malaysia has round up the top 10 Raya ads released by local and international brands in the country.  Presented in alphabetical order, the list is based on a mix of relatable festive situations that touched the hearts and funny bones of viewers, collaborations with well-loved local personalities, and nostalgia for the good ol’ days, while continuing to explore the creative formats of past campaigns.

  1. Astro Malaysia – Senandung Hari Raya Untukmu – Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza & Aliff Aziz 

Through an original track sung by Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza and local-based Singaporean artist Aliff Aziz, this campaign from the Malaysian satellite TV provider aims to communicate the values of the Raya season, from keeping in touch with loved ones or supporting local businesses for any Raya needs.

  1. Celcom Malaysia – Iklan Hari Raya Celcom 2022 – Syukur 1 Syawal

Duit raya or tokens of money given during Raya are great and all: but have we actually thought about where we ought to spend them? In this heart-warming campaign by this local telco provider, we see a kid named Danish going around houses with his friends to collect duit raya. Among those kids is Aishah, who later on we learn that she gives all of her duit raya to his ailing father. Touched by this scene, Danish thinks of an act of kindness to Aishah’s father.

  1. HongLeong Bank Malaysia – HLB RAYA 2022 – Lebaran Penuh Kesyukuran

This fun and quirky campaign by banking institution HongLeong Bank in Malaysia centres around the festive days despite instances being not the most ‘perfect’ celebration. In spite of obstacles along the way, like the camera falling over a swamp while taking a family picture or meals getting delayed, there is still a glimmer of hope and genuine happiness around family members to be together as always.

  1. Julie’s Biscuits – Raya 2022 | Ini Iklan Raya baru, tau? [Full] | Julie’s Biscuits

Conceptualised by independent agency GOVT Singapore, this hilarious yet eye-opening campaign by the local biscuit brand invites Malaysians to explore traditional definitions of stereotypical roles and see how antiquated expectations no longer hold in today’s day and age.

  1. PETRONAS – PETRONAS Raya 2022 ‘366’: Hari Ke-123 | Full Film

“Find peace within that disappointment”: It is within one of these lines within the ad that sum up the message of the campaign. This Raya-centric campaign is part of Petronas’ ongoing original series called ‘366’, aimed at tackling stories of fortitude, resilience and togetherness among Malaysians during these difficult times. Said campaign is conceptualised under Ensemble Worldwide of IPG Mediabrands.

  1. Saji Malaysia Official – Iklan Raya SAJI 2022 | Raya Dulu – Dulu

This fun campaign by local cooking oil brand Saji focuses on cherishing the Raya festivities, even if it feels like it will never be the same as last year. In this film, we follow a male character cherishing past Raya celebrations, while being mindful to always remember such important moments from past Raya festivities into the future.

  1. Samsung Malaysia – Raya 2022 | Rezeki Memori

Centred around the theme of fun and nostalgic memories, this film by tech company Samsung focuses on a story of Adik and his father cherishing some great memories–which is actually an emotional representation of missing sharing those moments a long time ago. The film, shot on a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra phone, invites viewers to cherish time with their parents, one of the values being focused during the Raya festivities.

  1. Spritzer Group – Raya 2022 | Iklan Raya Paling Berseri

On a more hilarious route, this Raya ad by Spritzer focuses on doing the festivities, alongside with your full-out relatives, in this ad signifying Auntie Vivi. Despite the stereotypical nature of the ad, it teaches viewers to just remain calm and enjoy the festivities.

  1. Taylor’s University – Sadaqah | Hari Raya 2022

If there is one saying to embody this ad from Malaysia’s Taylor’s University, it’s the adage of “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” The ad follows the story of a beggar named Amin, who asks one day for free food from a food stall owned by Kak Zaiton. Despite the ad’s initial impression of Zaiton being angry always, we see a different side of her story, as being compassionate towards the poor. In all, Zaiton’s character teaches viewers of not just getting something but rather having the opportunity to learn and grow as a person.

  1. Tenaga Nasional Berhad – TNB Raya 2022 – Raya Macam Cara

The perfect ad to close this entry, this ad from Malaysia’s multinational electricity company focuses on the diversity of emotions–and antics–during the Raya festivities. After a long time where Raya meetups have been hampered during the pandemic, said ad communicates the long-yearning of families to meet up during these festive times.

Said ad list showcases the most engaging ads that people watched during this period, and are determined in no particular order by an algorithm that factors in watch time, organic views, paid views, and audience retention. This list was pulled on 5 May, 2022 and captures data from 3 April to 3 May 2022 inclusive.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As Chinese New Year (CNY) draws near, which will be celebrated on 1 February, the Malaysian biscuit brand, Julie’s Biscuits, has launched a new short film, aimed at encouraging Malaysians to embrace and share optimism in 2022.

The film, which is created in collaboration with independent creative agency GOVT Singapore, invites viewers to see the silver lining in situations and challenges.

Titled ‘The Worst Feng Shui Master’, the short film is a humorous and intriguing tale that features the troubles of Master Wong, a Feng Shui consultant whose business and reputation appear to have fallen into hard times since he lost his lucky jade ring, making his astute skills and abilities hang in jeopardy. With this, Master Wong was mocked on social media by his fiercest rival, Chan Sifu, and when it seems at first that all is lost, a twist of fate in fact leads Master Wong to a profound realization – that hope can arrive in unexpected ways.

Tzy Horng Sai, the director of Julie’s Biscuits, shared that they wanted to encourage people to be agents of hope to one another as the new year begins.

“As we emerge from a time of uncertainty, Julie’s wishes everyone a wonderful celebration in the lunar new year festivities and we deliver our greetings in this meaningful film with a hint of humor,” said Sai.

Kevin Joseph, GOVT Singapore’s associate creative director, commented, “This film aims to show everyone that coming back from hard times is possible, especially with help from our fellow members of society.”

The new short film is now available to watch live on Julie’s website and YouTube account.

In addition to celebrating Chinese New Year, Julie’s Biscuits will be introducing a limited-edition Golden Eggy Roll that offers a perfect, buttery golden crispy texture. Julie’s Love Letters, a crowd favorite, will also be seeing an all-new packaging.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As Malaysians celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan last 13 May, brands of various industries have launched each of their unique campaigns to come in solidarity with Muslims in Malaysia, and commemorate Hari Raya.

YouTube in Malaysia has just launched the year’s top 10 Ramadan-Raya ads that have touched the hearts of many viewers, where the list was based on factors such as organic and paid views, watch time, and audience retention.

1. Tenaga Nasional Berhad: TNB Raya 2021: Hikmah Raya Aida

For this year’s Raya, Malaysia’s electric utility giant Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) released a quirky short film, featuring the brand’s well-loved character, Aida, who came to realize that ‘family time’ is the most important treasure in life.

2. Etiqa: Etiqa 2021 Raya – Balik Tanjung Mana?

Through a married couple-themed ad, insurance and takaful business firm Etiqa in the country reminded its viewers of the value of ‘togetherness’ this Raya.

3. Watsons Malaysia: Watsons Raya 2021 #RayaUnikRayaIkonik

In a musical short film, health and beauty retailer Watsons in Malaysia introduced the unique family of Ayda Jebat and Nabil, embracing each other’s differences to have an iconic, unforgettable Aidilfitri.

4. MR DIY: Iklan Raya MR.DIY 2021: Kerana Azman

Household products retailer MR DIY inspired viewers with a heart-warming campaign that highlights ‘self-worth’.

5. Lazada Malaysia: Lazada Ada Sentuhan Raya 5.5

In line with e-commerce platform Lazada’s 5.5 Sale, the app released some amazing deals and ‘lowest price guaranteed’ promise for its customers.

6. Petronas: PETRONAS RAYA 2021: Syukur Raya

Narrated by a singing dove, the short animated film by the country’s oil and gas company Petronas Malaysia presented a fun and cheeky story of compassion.

7. RHB Group: RHB Group Raya 2021: Sempurna

Malaysian financial service company RHB Group showed its support to the deaf community through a Raya ad that tells the true story of a girl, who shares videos of herself performing sign language song covers, despite suffering from a hearing disability.

8. Saji Malaysia: Iklan Raya SAJI 2021: Mangkuk Tingkat Mak Teh

Cooking oil brand Saji celebrated Ramadan through a heart-rending campaign, highlighting a wife’s longingness for her husband.

9. Julie’s Biscuits: Ini Iklan Raya, tau?!

Through a comic yet meaningful campaign, biscuit brand Julie’s Biscuits made use of typical Raya ad scenarios to encourage its consumers to show more appreciation towards women.

10. Shopee Malaysia: 2021 5.5 Raya TVC

In a 15-second sing and dance video, Shopee in Malaysia introduced its Ramadan and 5.5 Sale which offered shoppers free shipping with no minimum spend.