Pocari Sweat’s Ramadan ‘horror’ film via Dentsu Indonesia warns of the risk of losing body fluids

Dentsu Indonesia has taken an unconventional approach to Ramadan marketing with a horror-comedy campaign, titled “Cairan Tubuh Bocor, Emang Bikin Horor” (“Losing Body Fluids? That’s a Horror!”), for Pocari Sweat.

With the long fasting hours of Ramadan in Indonesia’s tropical climate, the risk of dehydration is high. As one of the country’s top sports drink, the objective was to position Pocari Sweat as the ideal solution for maintaining hydration.

However, Ramadan marketing in Indonesia has traditionally been highly competitive, especially for food and beverage brands. This is particularly so as about 79% of consumers in Indonesia are more receptive to advertising during Ramadan. During this period, the market would be saturated with ads featuring familiar themes of self-improvement, family bonding, and generosity.

Breaking through the saturated Ramadan ad space required a bold strategy—one that dentsu Indonesia masterfully executed by tapping into a unique insight: the growing consumption of horror content during the holy month. While Islamic beliefs suggest that demons are locked away during Ramadan, data from streaming platforms indicate that horror content surges in popularity during this period.

Hence, dentsu Indonesia sought a disruptive approach by leveraging the paradox of Ramadan and horror for Pocari Sweat’s 2025 Ramadan initiative, an evolution of the brand’s positioning of “Ion Tahan Bocor” (“Leak Proof Ion”). The campaign’s centrepiece is a video commercial, which humorously compares the signs of dehydration—dry lips, pale skin, and weakness—to horror movie tropes. To amplify engagement, the campaign features popular influencer, Fadil Jaidi, his father Pak Muh, and their pet cockatoo, Ocong, whose comedic dynamic has captivated millions of Indonesians.

Puspita Winawati, Marketing Director at PT Amerta Indah Otsuka, said: “Ramadan is one of the most important moments for Pocari Sweat, and each year, we challenge ourselves to find new ways to connect with our audience. We’ve seen how hydration awareness spikes during Ramadan and this year’s campaign allows us to reach people in an unexpected yet relevant way. For years, dentsu Indonesia’s team has been a great partner in pushing creative boundaries, and we’re excited to see how this campaign sparks conversations around hydration during the holy month.”

Rangga Immanuel, Executive Creative Director at Dentsu Creative Indonesia, added: “This is the first time that a brand in Indonesia has embraced horror for a Ramadan campaign, and we’re proud to lead the way. At dentsu, we always seek fresh, insight-driven ideas that break through the clutter, and the surge in horror content consumption during Ramadan presented an unexpected yet powerful opportunity.”

The campaign was launched via the local influencer, Fadil Jaidi’s social media platforms, amassing 108 million views and 659,000 engagements across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok within a week.

More than just a viral hit, the campaign reinforces Pocari Sweat’s commitment to educating Indonesians on the importance of hydration during sahur. By continuously pushing creative boundaries, dentsu Indonesia has positioned Pocari Sweat as the brand that not only hydrates but also defines the spirit of Ramadan` in Indonesia.