Rice brand Jasmine reinvents storytelling with musical recipes and TikTok drama

Jasmine, one of Malaysia’s longest-standing rice brands, took an unconventional turn this Ramadan with the launch of two digital-first content initiatives: "Dapur irama" ('Rhythm kitchen'), a musical recipe series, and "Seharum bunga jasmine" ('The scent of jasmine flowers'), a TikTok-exclusive vertical drama.

The campaign signals a growing shift among legacy brands toward entertainment-based content, as younger consumers increasingly gravitate toward short-form and mobile-native formats.

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"Dapur irama" positions itself as Malaysia’s first musical cooking series, blending AI-generated vocals and music with classic Malaysian recipes. Each episode aims to present everyday dishes in a more engaging, multisensory format, the rice brand said in a statement.

The series was rolled out in collaboration with digital creators and influencers and has reached over 9 million views across platforms since its release.

The second initiative "Seharum bunga jasmine", is a 30-episode drama series released exclusively on TikTok. The show, which follows a fictional billionaire’s hunt for a successor. Each episode runs for two to three minutes, in line with short-form viewing habits. It stars Mellysa Liesa, Auni Yusri and Amin Razak, and is directed by Azhar Jalil. 

The series takes on the same tone as popular Malay dramas in Malaysia, touching on themes of ambition, rivalry, and romance. It began airing exclusively on TikTok from Friday (25 April).

Speaking on the direction, Jasmine Food Corporation CEO Dennis Foo said the campaign was designed to reflect modern storytelling sensibilities while honouring cultural relevance during the Ramadan season.

“Ramadan is a season of meaning and memory. Our aim was to honour those traditions while telling stories in ways that feel current, bold, and deeply Malaysian. With 'Dapur irama' and 'Seharum bunga jasmine', we wanted to do more than advertise. We wanted to entertain, inspire, and build connection,” said Foo.

The campaign is part of Jasmine’s wider brand repositioning as it looks to stay culturally relevant with younger audiences. While the product remains central, the brand is experimenting with formats that prioritise content, experience, and emotional connection.

While food advertising during Ramadan often focuses on themes of nostalgia and family, Jasmine’s approach reflects a broader movement toward branded entertainment, where the product is less of a focal point, and storytelling becomes the main driver of engagement.

Last month, Kiehl's Malaysia also unveiled a micro-drama series on TikTok titled "Cahaya Raya" ('Raya's light'). The series highlighted how Hari Raya is a time of forgiveness, joy and love as well as well as for creating memories and cherished moments with family and friends. It also stars Auni Yusri, a popular Malay drama actress who also appears in 'Seharum bunga jasmine'.

The series follows the story of Raya, a 'nepo baby' who finds self-worth and the ability to love herself after going through a series of personal challenges and life changes. Throughout the four episodes, Raya navigates a painful breakup and an unexpected encounter with a prior schoolmate. 

Jasmine and Kiehl's foray into micro-dramas comes following a steady rise of popularity in China's micro-drama industry. The trend has also seen an impact outside of North Asia, with shows such as Addicted only to you and White moonlight gaining loyal fans across Malaysia.

In conversations with A+M, industry professionals said the emergence of micro-dramas reflects the change in viewers' behaviours into leaning towards short, fast-paced storytelling and emotionally intense narrative style.

This Raya, brands like Grab Malaysia and Shell Malaysia also opted for multi-episode releases for their Raya campaigns over releasing a single brand film. Grab's "Kebaikan dalam setiap pesanan” (The good in every order’) campaign celebrated and turned real stories from Grab drivers and delivery-partners into meaningful storytelling. 

For Shell, the petrol brand reintroduced Roger Hensem, an “adventurer” played by local actor Remy Ishak who brings his family on four “quests” through a four-episode series. The four “journeys” build on the success of last year’s campaign of the same title, “Kembara Lebih Jauh” (‘Journey further’).

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