Petronas, Leo Burnett and Reservoir Productions re-imagine Malaysia's Festive Raya campaign

ASIA-PACIFIC – KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, AUGUST: What started out as a continuation of the “reimagining energy” theme distilled itself into a message of “inner strength and self discovery” which led to the creation of a series of TV spots that led to a short film – the story of a Malaysian spending Raya away from home.

“While PETRONAS films from the past celebrated stories from within the country, representing the voice of Malaysians, this year’s campaign was meant to start a new chapter – telling of a broader PETRONAS story and the role it plays across the globe,” explains PETRONAS senior general manager of Group Corporate Affairs Dato Mohammad Medan Abdullah.

The main TVC titled “A Letter Home” follows the story of a young PETRONAS engineer named Erman based in Central Asia. His struggle begins when he is unable to return home to spend Raya with his family, but the true journey begins when his path crosses that of a local boy, Jeyhun. Erman narrates his story through a letter to his parents, telling them of his experience in a foreign country and how it leads to him discovering the true meaning of Raya.

“This story is something all of us can relate to,” said Leo Burnett creative director Iska Hashim. “We all want to be together with our family and friends, especially during the festive season. So, you can feel sorry for yourself or make the best of the situation. What best sums it up is Erman’s epiphany – [I realise] that who I am is less important than what I have to offer.”

With the idea quickly taking shape, the team explored different avenues that would cut through the festive clutter.

The short film begins and ends with interviews of real PETRONAS staff stationed away from home. “What viewers will see are real, spontaneous responses, it’s completely unscripted. It was touching to see their true emotions, how they truly miss their family, friends and homeland. It was a heartwarming revelation to hear how being away from home strengthens their love and appreciation of Malaysia,” said Quek.

Forgoing the traditional cutdowns, the 30-second spots served as trailers for the short film – one Raya-skewed, the other focusing on Merdeka.

The Raya trailer follows the protagonists on a ride home. Driving through cotton fields, Erman notices his young friend looking bored and to cheer him up, plays the iconic “Selamat Hari Raya”, a charming twist on the familiar “balik kampung” ritual.

Strangers, released on August 6 has achieved 566,591 hits and 6,073 “likes” since.

Credits:

Agency: Leo Burnett Group Malaysia

Executive Creative Director: Eric Cruz

Creative Director: Iska Hashim

Copywriter: Justine Lee, Paul Prabhakar

Art Director: Eric Cruz

Creative: Erman Basiron

AV Producer: Debra Wong

Brand Director: Natalie Foong

Account Manager: Fitrina Tutyzaini

Account Executive: Ainamardhia Fahmi