Ramadan 2021 special: Which brands are rocking it on YouTube?

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With Ramadan around the corner, brands in Indonesia and Malaysia have gone all out with the Ramadan campaigns. Several brands in Singapore have also showcased their festive ads which have made the cut in YouTube's 2021 Ramadan leaderboard. According to YouTube, brands across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have told stories that reflect the unbreakable spirit of kinship and gratitude during the month of Ramadan. For example, McDonald's Singapore and IM3 Ooredoo captured the hearts of audiences by reuniting families across borders using technology, while McDonald’s Malaysia and Zakat SG highlighted the significance of gratitude and giving back. Grab Indonesia also tickled viewers with an entertaining take on saving the day by delivering the food and groceries people need this festive season

Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE regarding her opinions on Ramadan ads , Hilda Kitti, vice president of marketing Tokopedia, said typically, most Ramadan ads convey a feel-good story that also encourage Indonesians to spread more goodness in the holy month. Tokopedia’s Ramadan campaign theme this year was ‘Dekatkan yang Jauh, Kirim yang Bermakna’ and was inspired by the pandemic conditions in Indonesia which resulted in more people turning to sending parcels online as a way to stay connected with each other even when they’re apart.

“We collaborated with numerous sellers - especially local MSMEs - in various industries, from food and beverages, fashion to households, to launch the Parsel Ramadan campaign,” she said. “We will always focus on the consumer to explore themes that are relevant with people’s needs and the shifting dynamic surrounding their lives,” she added. Kitti also said that since the launch of the campaign, parcel product transactions soared more than 3x during the campaign compared to the month before the campaign was launched.

Fahroni Arifin, SVP head of brand management and strategy, Indosat Ooredoo added that given this is the second Eid season where most Indonesians will be apart from their families, the team decided to focus on the small gestures which make the occasion memorable. For example, in Indonesia, kissing the hand of their elders is a gesture of honorable greeting, and is traditionally becomes very central during the season of Ramadan and Eid. However, with physical distancing measures still in place, kissing the hand has become something the nation has missed greatly for the second time.  Arifin added that the theme was chosen as many Indonesians, over the course of the pandemic, have suffered personal losses. However, this sense of loss is something that has strengthened the determination to stay connected to those who are most precious to us.

“Ramadan in Indonesia will never be the same without physical closeness, without kissing the hands of our parents and the people we respect. Yet many of us found ourselves once again not being able to do that this year. We understand the importance of it culturally. As one of the biggest telco brands in Indonesia we want to enable everyone in Indonesia to still be connected to their dearest ones and show appreciation of their presence in our lives despite the situation. If we can’t do that physically we can always pay our respect through technology,” he said.

Meanwhile, here are some ads that have resonated best with consumers from April to mid- May this year.

1. Bulan Yang Baik (feat. Sal Priadi)
Through the song IM3 Ooredoo presented in its ad, it invited viewers to use the internet as a bridge to stay in touch with their loved ones who are far from home, to share Ramadan moments together. The ad garnered over 66 million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

2. Bisalah Ramadan Lancar Jaya Bareng Grab!
Grab Indonesia's advertisement subscribed to an "alien spaceship" theme. It was greeted with over six million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

3. Dekatkan yang Jauh, Kirim yang Bermakna di WIB Spesial Ramadan Tokopedia.
Tokopedia combined animation with reality in its advertisement, which received over nine million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

4. Dian Sastrowardoyo Menemukan Makna Hidupnya - Heart to Heart with Dewi Sandra
The 22 minute long interview with Dewi Sandra and Dian Sastrowardoyo met with over two million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

5. Syukur Bersyukur
The advertisement released by McDonalds brings the message of enjoying the beauty of Ramadan in togetherness. It garnered more than two million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

6. McDonald’s Ramadan: My Happy Table
The advertisement by McDonald Singapore allowed Malaysian McDonald employees to converse with their families living in Malaysia through a video call in a McDonald's outlet. The tear jerking advertisement garnered over 390, 000 views on YouTube at the time of writing.

7. Nenek Keropok - 2021 Ramadan short film by Zakat Singapore
The advertisement released by Zakat Singapore, took the theme of a horror-comedy genre and received over 390,000 views on YouTube at the time of writing.

8. OPPO | Kebersamaan Baru di Ramadan Film
The OPPO advertisement that showcased a comical take on spending quality time with family received over two million views on YouTube at the time of writing.