Hari Raya 2025: Brand campaigns we loved this season

Selamat Hari Raya from the A+M team! This past weekend, Muslims worldwide came together to celebrate Hari Raya, embracing warmth, laughter, and cherished traditions. As the festive spirit filled the air, brands once again delivered Raya films that went beyond storytelling. 

This year, we saw a fresh wave of creative and heartfelt narratives— films and campaigns that not only tugged at emotions but also sparked meaningful conversations. From vibrant musicals to impactful social initiatives, these seven standout campaigns from Malaysia captured our attention. 

The list below is in alphabetical order. 

Don't miss: Hari Raya 2025: Roundup of brand campaigns from Malaysia

1. ASNB 

“Amanah Sulung” (‘The responsibility of the eldest’), a Raya brand film by Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB) in partnership with Fishermen Integrated, beautifully captures the silent sacrifices of the eldest sibling in a subtly dramatic way, touching our hearts.

The film also highlights ASNB as a trusted investment option, with the main character, Kak Long, diligently saving to support her family as the breadwinner. Additionally, the film uses narration in a unique way, creating a contrast between the mother’s optimistic voiceover and the visuals of Kak Long’s sacrifices. 

“Amanah Sulung” felt more like a movie that we'd catch in the cinemas, rather than just another Raya ad. It had emotional depth, especially with the stellar performance by the main actress. The contrasting narration was also a breath of fresh air, as it captured our attentions even more.

At the start, we thought that it'd be a generic straightforward storyline, but once we started to realise that the mother's voiceover did not align with the visuals, it caught us off guard. “Amanah Sulung” also strikes a perfect balance between warmth and tension, portraying family dynamics that we're familiar with, especially in Malaysian households. 

2. BFM 

Independent local radio station BFM, also known as BFM89.9, has taken one step further with its content creation this 2025. Known for its news-related memes on Instagram and TikTok, the radio station has released its "Sounds of Ramadan" short-form video, which takes us through an ASMR-like experience, sparking feelings of nostalgia and warmth. 

As someone who's away from home, this video brought back the mushy feelings of missing Malaysia and the sounds that we hear but never realised we'd miss it. 

The video beautifully captures familiar Raya scenes, while cleverly highlighting the sounds that bring them to life— fittingly so, as a radio station’s heart lies in audio. We felt that unlike other radio stations this season, BFM has kept it clean and simple, yet impactful with “Sounds of Ramadan”. We love to see content that strays away from the shouty, high energy "Jom kita beraya!" ("Come celebrate Raya!") campiness, but leans into being no-frills and calming. Especially in a Superbowl-like season where brands are churning out Raya ads left right and centre.

Not to mention, “Sounds of Ramadan” is a host-free and faceless video, which makes it all the more calming to really tune into the audio. And yes, even the dreaded alarm sounds and the video of Khairul Aming. 

To date, the video has garnered over 15K likes. One of the comments on the video read: "This is lovely for us who live overseas. Thank you BFM." 

Babu Shawn Tanis, head of digital, BFM Media told A+M the team did not anticipate such a strong response, as their main goal was simply to create a video that would evoke nostalgia. "There are two primary objectives of creating content online— to keep radio relevant, but also to reach new audiences in the digital space." 

3. Julie’s  

Julie’s Biscuits’ "Selamat lari Raya" brand film created in collaboration with GOVT, has warmed our hearts in an unexpected way. We found it to be a unique take on a Raya film, seamlessly weaving in a prison scene alongside the love of grandparents.

The story follows Johan, who spent his life running from his problems and past. He eventually fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in prison. While behind bars, Johan’s grandfather, Pak Hassan, commits petty crimes in order to meet Johan in prison. Soon after reuniting with his grandfather, Johan finally faces his past and grief which he had been running away from.

"Selamat lari Raya" blends suspense, humour, fear, and sadness, all in one film. The main part about the film which caught our attention was the way it weaved in themes of diversity without coming off too forced. Although Raya is a Malay and Muslim celebration, it has become a part of the ingrained culture of Malaysia. Every Raya, non-Malays also look forward to joining in on the celebrations and the festive atmosphere (not to mention having our fix of ketupat and rendang too). Being able to see a variety of races and languages being used within the film, made it feel like home.

Additionally, the film also delves into the silent killer of unresolved guilt and grief within families, which let's be honest— needs to be talked about way more in our country. 

 

4. MR D.I.Y 

The home improvement retailer’s “Raya penuh makna” (‘Raya is full of meaning’) 2025 campaign has brought smiles to our faces with its bright coloured sets, great pacing, and a meaningful message about the true joy of celebrating Raya. 

The story follows Diyanna, determined to fit into her favorite baju Raya (Raya outfit) by resisting the temptation of her beloved treats. These foods are humorously brought to life through special characters— such as a mak cik (aunty) in pink representing kuih lapis (layered cake), a guy in a green outfit with an afro for broccoli, and Mr. Pisang, played by actor Syafiq Kyle in a yellow suit, for banana fritters.

What impressed us the most about “Raya penuh makna” was its beautiful set— which represents an immigration hall, that is Diyanna’s digestive system. We appreciated that it was a built-up set, with little details which gave it the added touch of looking handmade and fantastical.

This was amplified further with the music which made it feel like we were watching a Wes Anderson or Harry Potter film (sorry, we're from that era), adding to the climatic build-up of the film. As a whole, “Raya penuh makna” took the one concern most women have during any festive period— to look good and keep slim in order to fit into our outfits— and turned it into a more meaningful message. This is definitely a Raya film for our books.  

 

5. McDonald’s Malaysia  

Not to be confused with McDonald’s Instagram and Facebook Ramadan ad created by Leo Burnett Malaysia, the fast-food brand’s “Indahnya kesyukuran” (‘The beauty of gratitude’) YouTube brand film by C27 has garnered 5.7 million views in the past three weeks.  

Since several years ago, McDonald’s Malaysia has stuck to its “Indahnya Ramadan” title for its Ramadan brand campaigns. Five years ago, it released “Indahnya Ramadan dengan kesyukuran” (‘Ramadan is made beautiful with gratitude’). Despite this, it still offers fresh perspectives and angles, encouraging gratitude and giving back during the season. The film, published on YouTube, follows the story of Afnan, a young boy who learns the true meaning of Ramadan as he follows his mother to volunteer at a children’s home.

For the lack of a better way to explain it, “Indahnya kesyukuran” is akin to what an adult does when they squat down to speak to a child in a warm and encouraging voice. It's heartwarming and educational. And it makes sense, because McDonald's is one of the top fast-food choices for the younger generation and children. By taking the point of view of a young child trying to figure out the meaning of Ramadan, older adults like the rest of us are also brought back to that childlike wonder and the moment we understood the deeper meaning behind a festive period.

We can get so easily swept up by the hustle and bustle of Raya preparations, worrying about which outfits to wear, or how many money packets we'll get (or give)— so this was a great reminder for us to appreciate the true blessings of Raya. 

6. Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG)

Malaysia Aviation Group has decided to highlight the story of its own group managing director Captain Izham Ismail in this year's Raya film, "Selagi ada hormat" ('As long as there's respect').

To some, the film may seem like just another balik kampung (return to hometown) storyline, but we appreciated the efforts of Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) and Directors Think Tank to subtly draw our attention towards the little things that spark joy on such a journey.

We loved the cut scenes showing the dew drops on the kampung paddy leaves; the sounds of Malaysian traffic amid the clicking of the turn signal; moments of reminiscence upon seeing a familiar restaurant; remembering the simple fun times cycling down the road with friends; and the feeling you get when you drive by a beloved childhood friend’s home. As Malaysians away from home, watching this made us feel like catching the next flight or ride home to our own familiar hometowns, and to call up our close friends from home. 

Being such an established company that's home to Malaysia's national carrier, we thought it was a great choice to feature Captain Izham's story. In a way, it makes the brand more personable and relatable. 

7. Time  

Creative. Dramatic. Satirical. These three words came to mind upon watching Time’s festive film "Rumah terbuka kabel besar" ('Big cable's open house'), fronted by the character Dato Kabel Besar.

Created in collaboration with Fishermen Integrated, Graph Studio and Two AM Music, Time’s Raya film plays on the idea of a rumah terbuka (open house), as a good time to “open” up its heart to feedback and honest reviews about its services. And we find that quite clever. Mainly because most internet companies shy away from addressing any honest feedback about their services. 

We also loved that the film weaved in a futuristic theme, which in a way, depicts Time as a future-forward and modern internet provider. Also, the one scene with Dato KB “self-reflecting” in front of an optical illusion painting got us impressed. We hate to say it, but we almost got out of our seats to groove with Tony Eusoff's character Dato KB at the end of the video.
 

Join us this coming 21 May for #Content360, an extravaganza centered around three core thematic pillars: Challenging the norm; Conquering Media Fragmentation; and Unlocking Imagination. Immerse yourself in learning to curate content with creativity, critical thinking, and confidence with us at Content360!   

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