Executive Creative Director of Mediabrands Content Studio, Ahmad Nazril Ibrahim, muses there might be hidden gems and pockets of relevancy still waiting to be found…

Malaysia – a country abundant in its variety of traditions – and no more so than during the holy month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims in the country in the lead up to Eid al-Fitr or Hari Raya, as it is called locally.

Not just constrained to its culmination of the two-day public holiday, the country of largely Malays takes pride in the richness of Ramadan traditions, even joined in by non-Muslims of the country. From the bustling Ramadan bazaars that sell an array of mouth-watering delicacies, to the supper after tarawih prayers held in mosques and suraus known as moreh, culturally, Ramadan is a ‘food festival’ for the nation and probably the biggest retail window of the year. 

Likewise, Raya is a time of joy, forgiveness, and renewal. Those celebrating dress in their finest, families picking colour themes for the year, to visit their relatives, friends, and neighbours. It is also a time of giving and generosity, with money envelopes handed to children, donations and food given to the less fortunate, and special feasts known as the ‘open house’, where even strangers are welcomed. 

Culturally, Raya, just like any family gathering, is a personal humble brag opportunity. A time to show up, and show off (covertly, humbly), as relatives gather around the homes of parents and grandparents in the homecoming tradition of ‘balik kampung’ (going back to the small towns of your youth).

Balik kampung is a cultural practice with deep roots in Malay society. For many Malays who live in the cities today, it is a way to reconnect with their rural roots and go back to where they came from. A time of remembrance, to embrace good times of the past. 

Before the 1980s, most Malays living outside of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur (KL) were either rubber tappers, farmers or fishermen, with household incomes limited by the geographically tied economic activities of their communities. With the rapid industrialisation of the 80s and 90s, a new generation of Malays sought greener pastures in KL and other major cities. 

As with any change, not all were in favour of these moves. Parents feared their children leaving for the cities, thinking that they and their progeny would lose touch with their cultural and familial roots. Conversely, those who left felt a big responsibility to prove to their parents and peers that life was good with big city living. They made a point of bringing back signs of personal success each year – expensive clothes or new cars were the gold standard. Perhaps that explains why dealers are asked to deliver the brand-new cars of their Malay consumers before the balik kampung rush begins. A tradition born out of this economic shift.

This concept of balik kampung serves as a catalyst for family gatherings and is widely used as the most relevant marketing theme during Ramadan and Raya. But with 40 years of the balik kampung tradition, are there still new insights to be discovered? Has being relevant now reached the point of cliché for creative ideas?

Balik kampung remains a very emotional experience. Some return to visit parents and grandparents, others to relive childhood memories. For those who have lost loved ones, Raya can be an especially emotional time, and going back to the empty home of one’s parents is often driven by nostalgia. But is there more to this?

When you look at the cultural ritual of celebrating Raya in a kampung, you’ll see a pattern of a consumer journey. After the early morning Raya prayer at local mosques, families head towards cemeteries to pay respects to loved ones before heading home for breakfast or family visits. Today, that ritual is complete with selfies and Insta stories for the Gen Z (yes in the cemetery!).

When we dissect this ritual, we find that it has little to do with the religion of celebrating Raya, and more to do with cultural aspects that have arisen from emotional desires and geographical challenges. It is about taking advantage of the holidays to fill this emotional need of showing up for their parents. To say, “yes, we are materially and spiritually balanced! We do remember our humble beginnings and never forget to visit our ancestors, even during happy times.”

If we look at it closely, there is an opportunity to create a personally relevant and emotionally connected ‘cemetery marketing’ strategy that could complement the expected ‘nostalgia marketing’. One that could really make your brand stand out. Certainly not suggesting a blatant hard sell of products here, but there’s probably a tiny space in someone’s heart for a brand that acknowledges and is emotionally present at the right time and place. Even one that provides useful help at a point of need. 

Imagine leaving a crowded mosque feeling thirsty and being offered free refreshments at any brand’s food truck on the walk to the cemetery. Or perhaps a sponsored return e-hailing ride to a nearby cemetery for those who parked their cars at the mosque. Now that’s top of mind AND heart.

There are even digital technologies that can be optimised for brands to connect better with their audience. Think of geo-tagging and time-sensitive moments that serve relevant tips or meaningful community services to their audience – simple friendly reminders like keeping the cemetery clean, or to not park cars indiscriminately around the cemetery. Even weather information could provide on-ground branding ideas – (branded) wet tissues, face towel, mineral water, sun block or shades when it’s hot, or an umbrella when it rains.

The opportunities are endless. More so when we think of brand story opportunities to engage on their journey back home, and relevant ads that could inspire cliché conversations with relatives for the humble brag. The list goes on.

So perhaps there still are opportunities for insight within this and other cultural rituals. But will brands in Malaysia consider risking their brand image to experiment beyond tried and tested touchpoints. Truly understanding audiences and their cultural behaviour is important, and while some aspects might feel sensitive or fall in the space of taboo, is that something to be afraid of? Might venturing into cemetery visiting behaviour be too dark a path for most brands? The opportunities are there… let’s wait and see.