Dentsu Indonesia, together with POCARI SWEAT, took an unconventional step in Ramadan marketing by launching a horror-comedy genre campaign titled "Cairan Tubuh Bocor, Emang Bikin Horor" ("Body Fluids Leaking? That's Truly Horror!"). This initiative was designed to address the challenge of dehydration during fasting in Indonesia's tropical climate.
Aware of the tight marketing competition during Ramadan—especially for food and beverage brands—and the fact that 79% of Indonesian consumers are more receptive to ads during this period, dentsu Indonesia formulated a bold ramadan marketing strategy. Amidst a flood of ad content with mainstream themes like self-improvement and family togetherness, a breakthrough was needed.
A unique insight became key: dentsu Indonesia strategically leveraged the phenomenon of increased horror content consumption during the holy month. Although there's a belief that supernatural entities are 'locked away' during Ramadan, data from streaming platforms show the popularity of the horror genre soaring. This paradox was exploited for the pocari sweat advertisement as a disruptive approach for the 2025 Ramadan campaign, an evolution of the brand's "Leak-Proof Ion" positioning.
The campaign's centerpiece is a commercial video that humorously equates dehydration symptoms (dry lips, weakness) with typical horror film elements. To maximize reach and engagement, the campaign featured popular influencer Fadil Jaidi and his father, Pak Muh, along with their cockatoo, Ocong, whose comedic dynamic is loved by millions of Indonesian audiences. This approach provided unique ramadan campaign ideas for the brand.
Puspita Winawati, Marketing Director at PT Amerta Indah Otsuka, commented, "Ramadan is a crucial moment for Pocari Sweat. Every year, we challenge ourselves to find new ways to connect with our audience. Hydration awareness increases during Ramadan, and this year's campaign allows us to reach people in an unexpected yet relevant way. Dentsu Indonesia has been a great partner in pushing creative boundaries, and we're enthusiastic to see how this campaign sparks conversations about hydration".
Rangga Immanuel, Executive Creative Director at dentsu Creative Indonesia, added, "This is the first time a brand in Indonesia has used horror for a Ramadan campaign, and we're proud to be pioneers. At dentsu, we always seek fresh, insight-based ideas that stand out. The surge in horror content consumption during Ramadan presented an unexpected yet powerful opportunity".
Launched via Fadil Jaidi's social media, this pocari sweat advertisement successfully garnered 108 million views and 659,000 engagements within a week across various platforms. More than just going viral, the campaign strengthens POCARI SWEAT's commitment to educating about the importance of hydration during Sahur (pre-dawn meal). By daring to push creative boundaries, dentsu Indonesia successfully positioned POCARI SWEAT not only as a hydration solution but also as a brand that helps define the spirit of Ramadan in Indonesia. The use of influencers and relevant platforms are effective ramadan digital campaign ideas within the overall ramadan marketing strategy.