Asia-Pacific Power List 2023: Sai Tzy Horng, Julie's Biscuits

Sai Tzy Horng

Director
Julie’s Biscuits
Singapore
Returning member from 2022

With a master’s degree in psychology, the scion of Julie’s Biscuits might come across as an unlikely choice to helm branding and marketing for one of Malaysia’s most iconic snack food names, Julie’s. But it is this contrasting background that injects a fresh and forward-thinking perspective into a nearly four-decade old brand.

After the successful rebranding of Julie’s in late 2020, which literally turned heads with an energised and more millennial-friendly look-and-feel, Julie’s is shaking stereotypes, connecting people and bridging divides with its impressive marketing efforts.

One of the most notable campaigns this year, in line with the same thought-provoking vision, is Hari Raya’s Kisah Raya P.E.R.I.T which promotes diversity. A love letter to a single mum, narrated through the eyes of her daughter, this tear-jerker celebrates single parenthood, a rather different Raya between the duo. Promoting unity, peeling off the layers of seasonal stigma, the campaign is especially close to Sai’s heart.

For Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar triumph, the homegrown brand was one of the first to roll out a simple, sincere tribute—a tweaked version of their logo to resemble the award-winning actress—one that embodied her spirit, fearlessness with a touch of cheeky irreverence.

Humility and cultural ties are close to Julie’s, as a brand founded more than 38 years ago and spread to over 80 countries, Sai is proud of their heritage. In a bid to cement that connection with Malaysians, Julie’s recently collaborated with an internationally renowned graffiti artist to unveil ‘The Julie’s Magnifity,’ one of the largest graffiti walls in Melaka. An instant hit with the locals, the wall has become an iconic tourist landmark of sorts.

The rollout of two new bold flavours was a highlight; each amplified with campaigns, collaterals and experiential events for loyal customers.

A mental health advocate, the idea with #Take25 was to create a movement to encourage communities to take 25 minutes out of their busy days to unwind. Agency partner GOVT created the campaign on the unique ways people choose to decompress and rolled out the message through three films and a mix of collaterals placed at strategic locations in Singapore and Malaysia.

For a household Malaysian brand with humble roots in Melaka, it’s exciting to see how Sai, the second-generation leader, is pushing frontiers to make Julie’s braver and taking it to new heights.