With All Our Hearts: PETRONAS’s Merdeka Story

By The Malketeer

Every year, as the calendar edges towards Merdeka and Malaysia Day, Malaysians brace themselves for a wave of brand films.

Some aim to tug at the heartstrings, others to spark reflection.

Yet few achieve the elusive balance of sincerity, relevance, and resonance that turns a seasonal campaign into something memorable.

In 2025, PETRONAS appears to have struck that balance once again.

Its new film, With All Our Hearts, directed by longtime collaborator Ismail Kamarul, does not trade in grand spectacle or elaborate sets.

Instead, it sets its lens on a single classroom, a young teacher, and the deceptively familiar ritual of the Rukun Negara recital.

A Simple Scene, A Larger Question

The film introduces viewers to Cikgu Murni, a history teacher arriving at a new school with the optimism of someone who still believes in the transformative power of education.

Yet almost immediately, she notices a disconcerting pattern: her students recite the Rukun Negara during assembly mechanically, with neither understanding nor engagement.

This everyday observation—so ordinary it often passes unnoticed—becomes the spark for the film’s central question: What does it mean to live by the words we so casually repeat?

Through warmth, gentle humour, and the occasional stern nudge, Cikgu Murni guides her class to see that the Rukun Negara is not a hollow recital.

It is a collective promise built on five principles: belief in God, loyalty to king and country, the supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law, and courtesy and morality.

Recasting the Rukun Negara as Living Values

For many Malaysians, the Rukun Negara exists in the background—an emblem on government posters, a recital before official ceremonies, a textbook page revisited briefly during school years.

PETRONAS’s film attempts to shift that perception.

By setting the story in a classroom, the production reminds us that national values are first shaped in youth.

But by placing the emotional weight on a teacher’s effort to connect meaning with words, it underscores a broader truth: unity cannot be taught by rote.

It must be felt, understood, and lived.

This is where With All Our Hearts distinguishes itself.

It does not frame the Rukun Negara as an abstract doctrine.

Instead, it shows how its principles touch everyday realities—how loyalty, justice, and morality are not slogans but daily choices.

The Director’s Signature Touch

Ismail Kamarul is no stranger to festive storytelling, having helmed several PETRONAS films over the years.

His approach is understated: moments of humour amid sincerity, characters who feel recognisably Malaysian rather than idealised archetypes, and dialogue that mirrors how people actually speak.

The classroom becomes a microcosm of the nation—diverse, energetic, sometimes distracted, but capable of reflection and growth.

By keeping the setting intimate, Kamarul allows viewers to project themselves into the scene, recalling their own school days, teachers, and assemblies.

Aligning with the National Theme

This year’s national theme, Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni (Malaysia Madani: People Cared For), finds natural alignment in PETRONAS’s narrative.

Where “people cared for” might risk being reduced to policy jargon, the film translates it into something tangible: the act of a teacher taking the time to care that her students not only recite the pledge but internalise it.

In doing so, the brand bridges government messaging with human experience, reinforcing the idea that caring for people begins with attention, guidance, and a willingness to connect.

The Brand’s Role as Cultural Custodian

PETRONAS Vice President of Group Strategic Relations and Communications, Ir. Norafizal Mat Saad, articulated the film’s intent succinctly:

“The Rukun Negara is more than a pledge we recite. It is an enduring promise that calls us to honour our shared values in every action we take. This is what inspired us to produce this film for every Malaysian to embrace. May these values, when truly lived, keep us united as one nation, with all our hearts.”

For a brand of PETRONAS’s stature, these words matter.

In a fragmented media landscape where corporate messaging is often met with scepticism, positioning itself not only as an energy provider but as a steward of cultural continuity gives the company a moral anchor.

Why It Resonates

The film’s resonance lies in its restraint.

It does not demand that viewers stand up and wave flags, nor does it bombard them with sweeping aerial shots of landmarks.

Instead, it chooses the small scale—a teacher, a classroom, a pledge—and trusts that Malaysians will recognise themselves in the details.

The reaction speaks for itself: in less than a week, the film garnered over 740,000 views on YouTube, becoming one of the most-watched Merdeka 2025 brand films.

For context, festive ads often compete in a crowded space, with dozens of brands releasing content within the same fortnight.

To stand out requires not just production quality but emotional truth.

Insights for Marketers

For marketers watching this campaign, several insights stand out:

1. Everyday stories carry universal weight. By grounding the narrative in a classroom, PETRONAS tapped into a memory nearly every Malaysian shares.
2. Cultural symbols need fresh interpretation. The Rukun Negara could have been presented as history. Instead, it was reimagined as living guidance.
3. Authenticity trumps grandeur. In an era where audiences are increasingly cynical, sincerity earns more engagement than spectacle.
4. Festive films work best when aligned with brand ethos. PETRONAS has long positioned itself as more than an energy giant; this film extends that role into cultural stewardship.

Beyond the Screen

The challenge now lies in activation.

A film can spark reflection, but continuity cements it.

Imagine if schools nationwide used the film as a teaching tool, or if social platforms invited Malaysians to share what the Rukun Negara means to them personally.

These extensions would turn a seasonal ad into a living movement.

As Malaysia marks its 68th Merdeka and 62nd Malaysia Day, With All Our Hearts offers not just a story but a reminder.

Unity is not guaranteed by shared history alone; it must be nurtured by shared values, revisited across generations.

By bringing the Rukun Negara back into the centre of the conversation—and by doing so with humility, humour, and heart—PETRONAS has delivered more than a festive campaign.

It has offered Malaysians a mirror to see themselves, not just as individuals, but as part of a nation bound together by promises worth keeping.

And in that promise lies the true power of marketing—not to sell, but to stir.

MARKETING Magazine’s Experts’ Choice of Top Merdeka TVCs is now open for voting from 31st August to 16th September, and the winners will be announced on 19th September. For more information, visit our official website.