Watsons MY maintains spirit of Raya online amidst social distancing

Watsons Malaysia recently launched its Raya campaign with the theme “Jauh di Mata, Tetap Beraya”, to remind Malaysians that they can still celebrate Raya amidst the social distancing. The campaign consists of a main film, as well as a TV commercial and a set of extension videos which highlight the products that will be on sale at Watsons this Raya. 

Done in collaboration with Naga DDB Tribal and film company Graph Studio, the three-minute film shows a young girl being worried that she will not get to celebrate Raya. Watsons’ ambassador, Ayda Jebat, then appears, showing the young girl how the spirit of Raya can be maintained through video conferencing and delivery services provided by Watsons. It also featured celebrities and personalities including Jalaluddin Hassan, Yaya Zahir, Nazrudin Rahman, Alyssa Dezek, Sean Lee, Jinnyboy, Amber Chia, Fiqrie and Nithya who participated in the filming via video conference call. Posted on its YouTube channel, the video has garnered 130,318 views at the time of writing.

Caryn Loh, managing director, Watsons Malaysia said producing the short film was not as easy due to the restrictions and limitations during this period, and it aims to remind everyone that despite all the challenges including staying a distance with your loved ones, Hari Raya can still be celebrated sincerely and wholeheartedly. 

Kevin Teh, head of brand management, Naga DDB Tribal, said: "It has always been Naga’s way of work of marrying data with creativity. With robust data from the strategic planning team, the realism of consumers’ sentiments towards Raya during these testing times have been reflected in an entertaining manner through the video."

Watsons Malaysia is not new at producing festive campaign films. Earlier this year, Watsons Malaysia launched its #HappyBeautifulYear 2020 campaign in line with Chinese New Year, which aims to bring all generations closer during festive season. The spot centres on the tensions and misunderstandings between two different generations in the same family, with the twists expressed in Chinese opera styling and singing. Interestingly, the hero who manages to bridge the barriers for both generations happens to be the family’s youngest child, performed by Sawyer Leong.

Last year, its Raya campaign film showed the journey of a city girl – starred by Jebat – as she travels back to her hometown for Hari Raya. Throughout her journey, she meets other people who are not returning home because they no longer feel the magic of Raya. She, however, believes that this magic lies in the effort people put into celebrating it. The story unfolds in dramatic scenarios that include a beautiful palace, a majestic horse, and a private jet, all held together by a light-hearted Raya song performed by Jebat herself. The film aims to send the message that everything looks beautiful and magical when people put their hearts into the celebration. 

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