Nando’s MY turns ‘Belaian Jiwa’ into spicy love song for chicken

If you’ve been to a Malaysian karaoke session, chances are you’ve belted out Belaian Jiwa at least once. Now, Nando’s Malaysia is reimagining the iconic 90s ballad as an ode to its gold standard chicken, and it’s bringing the heat.

In its latest campaign, the fast-casual chain launched InnuNando’s, a sultry, tongue-in-cheek music video set to a reworked version of the iconic track, celebrating the passion and craft behind its flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken. The spot is part of the brand’s new platform, "That’s a Nando’s thing", which shines a spotlight on what makes the brand tick.

Filmed inside a Nando’s outlet, the video follows a smooth-talking Nando employee as he croons about marinades, open flames, and crispy, juicy chicken. In classic Nando's fashion, the video is nostalgic, dramatic, and self-aware.

Don't miss: Nando's taps into anxiety around 'What would people say?' for new campaign

The campaign was created in collaboration with Chariot Agency, Aiman Aliff of Director’s Think Tank and Pitch Audio + Magic. It leans heavily into the brand’s unapologetic tone of voice.

In conversation with A+M, Christyna Fong, creative director at Chariot Agency, said the team wanted a fresh, attention-grabbing way to talk about the brand’s gold standard chicken – a chicken that’s “golden brown with even chargrill marks, crispy skin, tender meat, and generously basted in PERi-PERi sauce.”

"Instead of telling people that, wouldn’t it go so much further if they felt it? So we borrowed from the most dramatic expression of passion there is. Love ballads. And if we’re making a love song, what else could the love be about but PERi-PERi chicken," said Fong. 

When asked why Belaian Jiwa was chosen, Fong explained that it felt like the natural choice as the song was "practically a national anthem" for Malaysians.

"We were looking for a song that could carry the weight of our passion, and something Malaysians could also connect with on a consumer level. Belaian Jiwa is nostalgic, heartfelt, and universally loved. Reimagining it as a love anthem for chicken felt both unexpected and completely on-brand. It allowed us to tap into a shared emotional memory while reframing that intensity towards what Nando's does best, flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken," said Fong.

Ultimately, Nando's wanted to entertain first, and let people discover the brand’s passion in the process.

To keep fans engaged, Nando’s also hid real and fake promo codes throughout the video with sharp-eyed viewers rewarded with free sides. But there’s a twist: not all codes are legit. Redemption attempts are tracked via a dedicated site, turning the hunt into a data-driven engagement play.

"Nando’s has always had a generous spirit, and we wanted to turn that generosity into a fun little game. By hiding real and fake codes in the video, we gave viewers a reason to stay engaged, rewatch, and hunt. It was a playful way to highlight gold standard chicken’s quality, while also rewarding curiosity," said Fong. 

The creative director added that engagement is tracked through redemption attempts on the website, so that the brand will know how many people took up the challenge.

"We laid it all bare in InnuNando’s, because 'That’s a Nando’s thing' is all about embracing who we are as a brand, unapologetically. Yes, we're obsessed about making good PERi-PERi chicken. And yes, we're proud of it," said Fong. 

Nando's Malaysia first unveiled its "That's a Nando's thing" brand platform in August last year. To kick things off, the brand released a campaign that tapped into the phrase "What would people say?" and tackled the anxiety of how one carries themselves in public. It also aims to tell Malaysians to be themselves and that everyone is welcomed at Nando's. 

The campaign featured a series of ads, brought to life by a diverse cast and music inspired by its South African-Portuguese origins. Each ad featured a character expressing a deep-seated insecurity about their meal. This insecurity is later resolved with scenarios synonymous with the chicken restaurant. 

The campaign was also done in collaboration with Chariot Agency, Think Tank and director Carolyn Chon. 

Related articles:  
Ace or fail, Nando's MY is giving all SPM-takers free chicken  
Nando’s courts customers with pick-up lines this Ramadan  
Nando's MY transforms vintage car into a drivable grill in smoky new campaign