YouGov: PETRONAS and Tenaga Nasional Ramadan ads have highest recall

Ramadan ads by PETRONAS have the highest top-of-mind, unaided awareness (33%) among Malaysians, according to a recent survey by YouGov. This was followed by dates brand Yusuf Taiyoob (25%), Tenaga Nasional (4%), and clothing brand Jakel (4%). Most Malaysians (72%) recall watching Ramadan ads by PETRONAS and Tenaga Nasional.

Suntory Group’s Ribena was also on the list (2%), making it the top foreign brand. Other brands included in the survey recorded a 1% recall rate, consisting of global brands such as Nestle, AIA, Unifi, 100 Plus, F&N, Adidas, Celcom, KFC, Prudential and Samsung.

While ads by PETRONAS and Tenaga Nasional have consistently won the hearts of consumers, those by Shopee Malaysia (27%), Saji Malaysia (24%), and Watsons Malaysia (22%) have also left an impression on consumers when it comes to catchy Ramadan ads. 

Meanwhile 17% recall festive commercials from Lazada Malaysia, and 13% for Etiqa. Finally, one in 10 remember seeing Ramadan advertisements from hardware and home improvement chain MR D.I.Y. (10%), Julie's biscuits (10%) and RHB bank (9%).

Meanwhile, in a separate survey, YouGov measured what Malaysians would be spending their money on during Ramadan, where 65% chose shopping. Segmenting by region revealed that Malaysians residing on the east coast (Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan) are more likely to have Ramadan shopping plans (77%), compared to Malaysians residing in other regions.

Most are keen on shopping for fashion and apparel (79%) while 49% plan to buy household items, such as washing detergent and cooking oil. At the same time, 49% also plan to purchase personal care and beauty products as well.

A demographic deep-dive revealed that clothing and apparel are the most popular category for both genders: males (75%) and females (81%). Among men, other popular items include household items (52%), footwear (42%), electronics (32%) and furniture (31%) - making up the top five items of interest.For women, beauty products ranked in second (61%), followed by household items (48%), footwear (42%) and fashion accessories (33%).

The statistics were obtained from YouGov RealTime Omnibus, which offers quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. Both surveys were conducted online on 10 March 2022, with a nationally representative sample of 1,127 adults in Malaysia (aged 18+ years) of Malay ethnicity, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov.

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