5 Best Indonesian Commercials That Every Budding Marketer Must Watch

Over the last few weeks, we’ve covered commercials from different APAC countries like Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines. While Japanese and Malaysian commercials are mostly known for their high energy and unusual plots that stick with users, Singaporean and Filipino ads are mostly contextual in nature and are fun to watch.

Indonesian commercials, on the contrary, usually focus on societal issues and tend to make the viewers think about those. So, here we are with 5 such awesome Indonesian commercials that you will surely love.

1. Combiphar: Keep Walking Indonesia

Indonesia features at the very bottom of the world’s walker rank. So, to encourage Indonesians to take up walking, the Indonesian pharmaceutical company, Combiphar, came up with this ad campaign in 2018.

The commercial effectively links the objective to Indonesians’ national responsibilities. While some accuse the commercial of linking a company’s campaign to Indonesian self-esteem, the overall purport of the campaign is certainly positive.

2. ZOYA: Make Your Choice

While the space for freedom of expression is quickly shrinking across the world, brands like ZOYA have taken it upon themselves to help people be confident about themselves and be what they want with commercials like these.

The commercial from Indonesia’s Muslim fashion brand highlights the stereotypical attitude of people toward Muslim women who wear a Hijab. From the day that they start wearing it, they are expected to behave in a certain way. The commercial seeks to empower all the hijab-wearing women across Indonesia to be fearless and confident in the choices that they make to be who they are. The message #AmbilPilihanmu (MakeYourChoice) is aimed at giving back these women their power and voice.

3. Himalaya Herbals: Win the Fight

The beauty industry has been treating acne as something controversial for years. But this 2020 ad by Himalaya Herbals tries to convince people otherwise and tell them that it’s all natural!

Research conducted by Himalaya found that 77% of Indonesians have been bullied for their acne or what we can call ‘acne shaming’. However, this commercial highlights that far from being a skin problem, acne turns into a mental health issue because of the shame associated with it. This commercial from Himalaya sends out a message of solidarity to all acne fighters.

4. McDonald’s: Family Day Out

Do you know that 9 out of every 100 elderly Indonesians spend their Ramadan alone? Well, it’s true, and McDonald’s Indonesia certainly struck a nerve there with this ad.

The ad features an old man celebrating Ramadan with another family while he gets a text message from his son conveying his inability to celebrate Ramadan with his father. But just when you are about to go “Awwwwwww!” for the old man, he is called by his neighbors’ children for prayers.

While the McDonald’s ad reveals a depressing truth, it also kindles a ray of hope and helps us trust people who’d be willing to help others with the sole purpose of spreading happiness.

5. Google Play Points: Orc

We decided to end the blog on a lighter note with this 2021 commercial from Google Play Points. Indonesia ranks among the “Big Six” mobile gaming countries with 120.7 million mobile gamers. And to tap into Indonesia’s gaming culture, it came up with an orc- similar to the one that gamers usually see in the games that they played. Except that its orc was a little different.

The orc is shown to be a gentle giant and a lovable creature. The story follows the orc as he goes about his day earning and redeeming points for doing things that he loves. The revelation towards the end of the commercial further highlights the diversity and inclusivity factors that the commercial seeks to bring forth.

Wrapping Up

Indonesian commercials certainly know how to turn people’s attention toward significant issues by striking a chord with the viewers. We hope these commercials will give budding marketers significant insights into how they can place their brands around important social issues that not only promote their brand but also raise awareness about those issues.

We’ll be back with more commercials for you. Till then, stay tuned!