As it nears its 75th anniversary, Sido Muncul teams up with Nicholas Saputra for Tolak Angin's latest TV advert
Jakarta, KOMPAS.com – With its 75th anniversary approaching in November, PT Industri Jamu Dan Farmasi Sido Muncul Tbk launched the latest Tolak Angin television advertisement titled “From Indonesia to the World”. The 1 minute 15 second advert marks the arrival of Nicholas Saputra as Tolak Angin’s new brand ambassador. Through this campaign, the company again conveys a message that goes beyond talk of the product, but also educates the public.
Chief Executive Irwan Hidayat said that the latest Tolak Angin ad was born amidst the flood of information on social media. “We hope this advertisement will convey a message for the public not to be easily swayed by the news circulating,” he told Kompas.com at the Sido Muncul offices in Jakarta, on Wednesday (18 May 2026).
Through this campaign, Sido Muncul also wants to communicate the importance of independence in the field of herbal medicine, while bringing the message closer to the younger generation through the figure of Nicholas Saputra. “We invited Nicholas Saputra because he is considered able to represent the current generation to understand the message of this advertisement,” he said.
Irwan stressed that Sido Muncul is currently strengthening the company’s orientation toward research and scientific validation of herbal products. The company, he said, already has pharmacology laboratory facilities to support research on various herbal products. “We want to create products that are based on research, not just based on experience,” Irwan said. The research, he added, is undertaken to scientifically prove the efficacy of herbal products, ranging from the development of metabolic products to health supplements. Irwan also noted that this year Sido Muncul will intensify research into various herbal products to bolster their scientific basis. “Therefore, this year we will concentrate on research to prove there is efficacy or there is not; if not, we will improve it,” he said.
Marketing Director Sido Muncul Maria Reviani Hidayat explained that the latest advert tells the journey of Nicholas Saputra in getting to know Tolak Angin better. In the advert, Nicholas is shown visiting Sido Muncul’s factory in Semarang to observe the production process firsthand, from raw material selection and research to the processing of herbal products. Maria said the character in the advertisement is not far removed from Nicholas’s real-life persona. “When we invited Nicholas to be brand ambassador, he turned out to be very critical of the brand he would carry,” Maria said. Nicholas, she added, asked many questions about the research process, safety of the product, and the processing of Tolak Angin’s raw materials. “Usually brand ambassadors do not ask questions in that much detail, but Nicholas was very enthusiastic about seeing the process,” Maria said.
Maria noted that Tolak Angin has long been part of Nicholas’s daily life, especially when travelling abroad or undertaking busy daily activities. In addition, the latest Tolak Angin campaign continues to carry social messages like Sido Muncul’s previous advertisements. “If previously Sido Muncul highlighted themes of tourism and humanitarian messages, this time the message is an invitation to the younger generation to be more discerning in filtering information,” she said.
Nicholas Saputra said he is not unfamiliar with Tolak Angin because the product has long been part of his daily life, especially when travelling. “I have known Tolak Angin for a long time and it has become part of my daily activities, especially when I travel,” he said. One of the things that attracted him to join this campaign is the company’s commitment to research and the quality of herbal products. Nicholas said he gained a lot of experience when visiting Sido Muncul’s production facilities. He saw directly the research processes, tissue culture of herbal plants, and the development of raw materials with farmers. “What is most interesting for me is how Tolak Angin strives to bring the product closer to the public in a more scientific way,” he said.
In the midst of the rapid information flow in the digital era, Nicholas also believes that the younger generation needs to be more critical in sorting the information they receive. “Now we have access to a huge amount of information, but we must also learn to respond to everything wisely,” he said. Not only that, the working atmosphere at Sido Muncul’s factory left a positive impression on Nicholas. “I see the people working there look happy. That is also the impression I gained,” he said.
Meanwhile, Independent Commissioner of Sido Muncul, Dr dr Mohammad Adib Khumaidi, SpOT, assessed that Sido Muncul’s move to strengthen research is a form of the company’s commitment to building public trust in Indonesian herbal products. According to Adib, the various research processes undertaken are an effort to ensure all herbal products are produced using a scientific approach. He explained that Sido Muncul also opens space for collaboration with the medical community, researchers, and educational institutions to develop herbal research in Indonesia. “Let us push this research space together,” Adib said. In addition to supporting product development, herbal research is also deemed to play an important role in maintaining the sustainability of Indonesia’s natural raw materials. Adib said that the development of herbal plants is not only related to public health but can also strengthen the national economy through the utilisation of domestic natural wealth.
Meanwhile, senior journalist and Tolak Angin Brand Ambassador, Andy F Noya, assessed that Sido Muncul’s main strength has historically lay on the consistency of its research and its ability to adapt to changing times. The younger generation today, he continued, is not sufficiently convinced by stories handed down through generations.