Julie's bucks the short-form video trend in China with film about a translator
A professional translator is the star of Malaysia-based biscuit company Julie’s newest campaign in China, which aims to challenge the notion that only short-form videos work in the country.
Julie’s believes that even though there is a demand for short-form content in China with the rise of TikTok, it felt it need to buck the trend by producing a short film to get its message across to audiences.
The 15-minute-long film, produced by Govt, tells the story of a translator named Jonathan Huang, who helps others communicate professionally, but is unable to do the same outside of his work. He only has his pet parrot, called White as a companion.
"Julie’s has always been a story-driven company - we believe in and love the everyday stories in our community. We have always loved the underdog and unsung hero piece. And biscuits are kind of a heroic snack. Stable, long-lasting, convenient, and tasty, they are always there to keep you going, fill the hunger and emotional voids, and pick you up throughout your day,” explained Tzy Horng Sai, the brand director of Julie’s
“When the idea of the translator as a cultural intermediary and peacemaker was brought to my attention, my eyes lit up. The story was the perfect underdog and unsung story, one that we don’t often hear. Yet I felt that Jonathan shouldn’t be framed as an underdog. Characters such as The Translator need to be celebrated as heroes, unsung heroes. Jonathan is a stalwart; someone like him provides much-needed stability in our everyday social interactions. Similarly, Julie’s aim to be a trusted stalwart in the industry."
The film, which was shot last year, has already picked up numerous awards after it was submitted to multiple film festivals. It was officially released as part of Julie's campaign video on May 20.
