From Julie's to Watsons, usher in Hari Raya festivities with family ...

This year’s Hari Raya ads mostly emphasise family and togetherness. — Picture courtesy of Julie’s

By Milad Hassandarvish

Tuesday, 09 Apr 2024 8:46 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The holy month of Ramadan is coming to an end to make way for the Hari Raya celebration and reunions.

With that also comes a range of Hari Raya commercials and short films by various brands that have become part of the festivity every year.

From heart-touching stories to cheeky commercials, the festive short films have become a big part of the celebration for decades.

Here’s a low-down of some of the short videos by several brands that went the extra mile to make the festivity more joyous.

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Julie’s ― A tale tackling gender norms stereotypes

Biscuit brand Julie’s Raya short film this year dives deep into conversations surrounding gender norms and stereotypes.

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The short film follows the journey of a fictional marketing team at Julie’s who are on a mission to produce the perfect Hari Raya commercial using generative artificial intelligence, AdGPT.

The story highlights the struggles of the marketing team as they try to avoid the ideas suggested by the AI that focus on traditional gender roles during the festive season.

Despite their multiple efforts to edit the prompt content, the AI-generated ad constantly suggests stereotypical Hari Raya scenes of women cooking in the kitchen and men doing lighter tasks in the living room.

The team eventually found the root causes of the biased AI-generated content which goes back to years of societal conditioning and stereotypes.

The seven-minute short film aims to highlight that changing such old-fashioned views is possible.

Etiqa ― Embracing individuals with autism

Etiqa’s Hari Raya short film touched on the spirit of togetherness and sympathy.

The six-and-half-minute film called Niat is a story to celebrate the beauty of compassion, acceptance and acts of kindness.

Coinciding with World Autism Awareness Day, the story emphasises Etiqa’s ongoing commitment to supporting individuals with autism, reinforcing the message that everyone deserves to feel recognised and valued.

Niat unfolds a heart-touching tale of Shukri and his cousin Izzat who lives with autism.

In the film, Shukri notices his cousin’s discomfort with the loud fireworks during the Hari Raya celebration.

Recognising the sensory sensitivities that people with autism often experience, Shukri takes it upon himself to ensure Izzat feels comfortable.

He then offers Izzat headphones and sunglasses to enable him to enjoy the festivities without distress.

This gesture not only brings them closer but also serves as a beacon of inclusivity and understanding.

Proton ― Syurgaku

National carmaker Proton is back again with yet another family-centric Raya short film to emphasise the importance of spending quality time with family.

The 22-minute short film features several local actors and actresses including Shaheizy Sam, Sharifah Amani and Fauziah Ahmad Daud.

The short film follows the story of Mir who is extremely occupied with work and forgets the importance of family values.

The storyline revolves around a more general theme about time spent with family, sacrifices being made as well as forgiveness during the Hari Raya celebration.

Watsons ― Dimensi Raya Paling Unik

Celebrating Hari Raya in different fashion every year may be one of the top priorities for the younger generation who opt for the most Insta-worthy festive photos for their social media.

But what would happen if one becomes too obsessed with that and feels everything the family does is boring?

They may simply forget and appreciate the true moments of togetherness with the family during the festivity.

That’s the message Watsons Malaysia sends through its musical Hari Raya short film titled Dimensi Raya Paling Unik.

The seven-and-half-minute ad featuring lead artist Ahjyda Jebat tells a story about a girl who feels everything the family has planned for Raya is boring.

She then goes through various scenarios after receiving a mystery box from Watsons before she appreciates her family.

CelcomDigi ― Bukalah Hati series

Telecommunication company CelomDigi continued its tradition of festive campaigns with not one but three short films from young Malaysian directors.

The short film series were produced based on Bukalah Hati theme where the filmmakers told their own stories of acceptance, forgiveness and sacrifice in short three-minute films.

The series also highlights the importance of being open to embrace the differences and celebrate the festivity together regardless of one's cultural background.