Newspaper vs Academic Research

After 6 months trying hard to attract and to provoke The Jakarta Globe readers through my articles on My Jakarta column, I finally have to meet a new writing challenge.. Case writing (case studies) for academic purposes and yes, in English.

For me it’s easier to write articles for newspapers because you can fuse the emotional side and your personal opinion or thoughts on that article. Well, I’ve been told that actually it’s a bullshit if writing an article for newspaper have to be objective.

The column that I contribute is an opinion, human interests column which usually less than 1000 words per story. different with what I’m currently doing now, I’m learning to write case studies minimum 7 pages each. In addition, I need more vocab to work on since you can not use your personal terms but academic terms. And fusing emotional touch on the article is a bit prohibited since all I need to convey there is truly facts from existed, reliable, and legit data.

But I thank God for the chance. I was given chances to learn to write in any kind of form and purposes

 

Sales and Marketing: Social Media

People, companies, and brands are way too excited about getting their brand in Social Media platforms, let’s say Facebook and Twitter, the common ones.

They expect too much with all the phenomena and success experiences of other brands or companies in building their brand in Social Media and even increase their sales.

I’m currently developing an existing brand to be exist in social media platforms (FB and Twitter) which product is quite segmented, quite new in Indonesia, worldwide benefits, and required the audience to pay to obtain the products.

The challenge is I need to create engagement and gain followers with certain target (which I think it’s quite impossible) PLUS sales target in socmed. So I learn new things that I’d like to share.. Feel free to comment.

1. High sales target in social media platform doesn’t work. Social media works more as a marketing instead of sales.

2. Define your STP first and then determine or set the possible followers/fans target. See other brands experiences. 5000 followers doesn’t happen in a month. Again, depends on your product. Don’t compare commercial product with news portal account, for example.

3. Use social media effectively for: brand and product awareness, consumers engagement (communicating with and identifying your audience is never as easy as with maximizing your social media platforms), and customer/consumer service.

4. Content and context quality (align with brand personality and information on products/services) and also great customer service will definitely lead the non-customers to purchase intention or even buying decision.

5. You don’t reach the followers target? How to measure whether your social media strategy actually works or not? The comments and feedbacks and see how good the engagement you create. It’s important to have “the paying-attention-audience” even if you don’t have that much followers as you targeted. See how much contacts you make and how satisfied they are with your responses.

I know those 5 points above are developed only based on my personal experience. So maybe some of you will think differently and have any other ideas and point of view. I’m so open to feedback since I’m still learning on this thing

Thanks.

“It’s better to have 1000 highly interested followers than to have 10,000 followers who don’t care about you or your tweets.” – Susan Gunelius, 30-minute Social Media Marketing

 

Adventure Does SELL

Wondering if “ADVENTURE” really does good in attracting consumers.
I currently admire two TV commercials of two totally different products for two totally different segments.

They are Djarum Super and Nutrilon – ciggarette and milk for baby.
Both try to “sell” their products with offering “adventure” to the consumers.

Djarum Super – My Life, My Adventure
The strong concept of branding and tagline represent Djarum’s brand identity. All of their TVCs (Djarum Super) always tell stories about adventurous men in action.

Nutrilon Royal – Life is an Adventure
This TV ad showing cute babies with their activities but what I like the most is the awesome script! My all time favorite TV ad despite the rumor (or the fact) that they copied the concept from one of Levi’s TVC.

“I want to live my life to the absolute fullest

To open my eyes to be all I can be

To travel roads not taken, to meet faces unknown

To feel the wind, to touch the stars

I promise to discover myself

To stand tall with greatness

To chase down and catch every dream

LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE”

http://vodpod.com/watch/5422369-nutrilon-royal-3-life-is-an-adventure

Love both!
Do you think most people are really attracted to particular products because the companies sell “adventure”? Hm.

 

The Marchs

Somehow I have a feeling that I have this kind of good connection with the month of March..

March 2009: recruited as a Commercial staff team for Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 – Indonesia. This is my first job after I passed the thesis session.

March 2010: moved to the headquarter of HM Sampoerna as a Brand Executive for A Mild after joining Jakarta Timur area office as a Supervisor Trade Marketing.

March 2011: Binus Business School granted my post-graduate scholarship in Creative Marketing which I believe will be one of the most important steps for my future plan.

Do you ever think that you have your lucky month every year?

 

Chasing The Butterflies

I don’t wanna end up someday regretting about what I did and what I didn’t do earlier in life. So here I am, pursuing my goals and dreams.
Making every drop of tears, sweats and blood count.

I live life to the absolute fullest.

I’m running around in a beautiful garden. Dancing to the wind blows and carrying the hand-picked flowers. Singing with the parakeets and chasing the butterflies.

 

Scholarship

Finally the good news!

Udah semingguan kemaren nunggu kabar yang super ngegantung soal beasiswa gw. Akhirnya siang ini confirm juga walau ada mis-komunikasi. Mestinya hari ini gw udah mulai kelas.

Sekitar sebulan lalu, gw emang lagi cari-cari info S2 yang mau gw sesuaikan dengan refleksi karir gw 5 tahun ke depan (ciyeh, aposeh). Gw pengen banget terjun jadi expertise di digital marketing. Apalagi dengan era maraknya orang gila di social media sekarang ini, keliatan lah ya digital marketing ke depannya bakal jadi andalan bisnis/perusahaan/pribadi.

Selain mau ahli di digital marketing, gw juga agak gila soal copywriting. Gila di sini bukan maksudnya gw udah expert. Tapi passion gw gede. Gw suka nulis, tapi ngga kepengen-kepengen atau ngebet jadi jurnalis gitu. Walaupun sempet mengkhayal mau (sok) studi di Amerika sana untuk S2 jurnalistik.

Setelah pencarian jurusan-jurusan yang pada ngga sreg di hati, akhirnya terpikir kenapa gw ngga cari jurusan atau bidang kerja yang bisa nyatuin passion gw di marketing dan nulis.. Jadilah “copywriting”. Berhubung gw juga antusias banget kalo liat iklan-iklan kece dengan script menarik dan ngga mureh. Cenderung seneng maki-maki iklan absurd sih sebenernya.

Akhirnya liat-liat jurusan di S2 Binus Business School, padahal ngga interest tadinya untuk kuliah di sini, secara S1 gw di sini cyinn. Tapi apa mau dikata, ternyata jodoh ngga kemana

Pas baca kurikulum (courses) yang ditawarin di jurusan ini gw antusias, menggeliat, gegap gempita, meledak-ledak, pengen banget jurusan ini!! Digital marketing dan copywriting bakal dibahas di jurusan ini. Seneng maksimal!!

Mulailah kalkulasi soal budget. Walaupun terhitung lumayan murah dan cepet lulus, tetep aja kalo duit gw sendiri mah berat. Belom sanggup. Maka gw coba “submit proposal” ke orang tua gw, yang berakhir pada ditolaknya secara mentah-mentah proposal impian gw itu. Jadi gw bertekad cari info jalur beasiswa.

Setelah datang dan ngobrol dengan mbak-mbak marketing di Binus Business School, JWC Senayan, ternyata ada jalur beasiswa, full pula! Makin semangat nanya-nanya. Ternyata kalau syarat-syarat beasiswa terpenuhi dan lolos interview sana sini, gw akan direkrut untuk posisi Research Assistant di Binus. Jadi kerja pagi sampe sore, malem kuliah.

Emang kerjanya ngga digaji. Itung-itung gaji gw buat bayar kuliah. Tapi lumayan fasilitasnya. Dapet makan sehari 2 kali trus buku-buku pinjem di perpustakaan aja bebas. Secara gw ngga suka baca buku apalagi beli. Mahal. Gw masih ngga terima kenyataan kalo mau pinter itu harus mahal. Dan terima kasih buat BBS yang udah bantu gw untuk menyanggah hal tersebut *kecup mesra*.

Jadi jurusan yang gw ambil itu namanya Creative Marketing. Degree nya sih MM. Tapi yang penting yang emang gw kejar ya kurikulumnya itu. So, hopefully dengan diterimanya beasiswa gw yang gw perjuangkan setengah mati ini dengan berbagai hal yang siap gw korbankan, hal ini bisa menjadi titik penentuan masa depan gw.

Binus Business School

 

YES to PARKS, NO to MALLS

Currently I just interviewed an urban planner for My Jakarta, The Jakarta Globe. His answers were somehow great and he could answer my questions smart and decent. The interview made me realize how pampered Jakarta citizens are with those AC-ed shopping malls. However, like it or not, shopping malls are recreational destination in Jakarta. More malls to come and is Jakarta able to accommodate them? It’s getting hot, it’s green-less. Is there actually anyway to change the lifestyle of our citizens?

Don’t you think the city will be more beautiful and friendlier if we build more parks instead of malls? I’m talking about recreational parks.

They’re developing a giant park at Ancol called Ecopark. So they said soon we can go jogging, cycling, picnic, canoeing, and even will have this petting zoo and outdoor entertainment. Currently they just planted millions of trees on that Ecopark area.

I really do hope this Ecopark will run well and can be the prototype. You should go and check it out later.

 

10 Life Lessons

I don’t know if I’m at the right age to share you about the life lessons I’ve got for almost 24 years. But, I’m doing it anyway…

1. We NEED to be always ready for separations. Even though I am a believer that “people come and go like seasons” and “all things come to an end”, somehow separations still hurt I know. But when you are READY, it should be easier.
2. Don’t hate people who hurt you no matter how bad they deserve it. Agony and vengeance will only hurt you more. Let them go and move on. Let time heals the wounds. Congratulations now you are wiser!
3. There’s no such hard work that is futile. Enjoy doing it and have faith in it. There will come the time. Success doesn’t come to pessimists.
4. BRAVADO is the biggest temptation and the major cause of all failures.
5. Motivation comes in short bursts.  Act while it’s hot. (quoted from this blog post)  — And somehow it’s so TRUE!
6. Always think that you’re alone. The fact that rejections are irritating, better to try it by yourself with all the power and strength you have. That way, people won’t see you as a dependent person.
7. You are your best motivation. Don’t expect people to motivate you. It is your life and future that you’re dealing with..
8. Broaden your network enough until you are sure you’re seeing the world. Otherwise, don’t stop make new acquaintances.
9. Mind is the wildest substance. Make sure you feed it well with good things and knowledge.
10. Chances often come in your life. Sometimes you just don’t see it come. Hence, heads up!

I found this quote is also very inspiring:

I’ve learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them, and less to do with how many years you have lived.

(Source: http://www.indianchild.com/lesson_in_life.htm)

 

Me Against Myself

Don’t let me feel alone for I’m too scared with my own thought. How powerful its capability is in bringing down my emotion. Or perhaps, it’s just me being weak.

It makes me feel insecure and makes me believe that what I’ve done is only a futile attempt. It says I am so tired of being strong. It recommends me to quit. It tells me to run.

It shuts down my common sense to stop me from talking to people about what I feel by reminding me over and over again that I actually have no one to share, that I actually alone here.

A pile of vain smiles. A bunch of delusions. A grasp of fears. An ocean of dead hopes..

 

We Love Sinetron!

Do you get the sarcasm from this post title? Well, you better. Because I’m not a fan of sinetrons and [trust me] I have been trying to like one of them with watching it for a couple of times, and… it fails to win my heart [FYI, a super "hits" sinetron in Indonesia: Putri Yang Ketuker].

I define sinetron as: A show with over-reacting stars, stupid and lame characters, 98% crying scenes, and hospital scenes is a must, someone loses his memory, someone dies, the good and the bad, we can make a long list out of it.

My concern is about how Indonesia can shift to developed country from developing country if 75% of the TV shows are dominated by sinetrons.

I did watch some sinetrons awhile ago when I was a kid. But time flies, people grow, and somehow I expect people’s demand also grow; not only the quantity, but foremost people’s demand on quality. I really really hate to say this, but somehow it makes me [again] realize that there is a lot of Indonesian people are too much pampered with uneducated fiction stories that actually are misleading.

I have a dream… When someday we’ll have shows like Grey’s Anatomy or Desperate Housewives to replace the kind of sinetrons that are currently running now. It’s OK to cry over the films or to feel emotionally attached to the characters, but it’s better if you can get any lessons from what you consume everyday. Let’s say Grey’s Anatomy is oh-so-full with drama and tears whatsoever. But watching it I [and I believe other people] can get so many lessons like friendships, relationships, career, and especially I learn some medical terms and get to know about how doctors work.

To make the audience crying is not always have to come up with an idea or a thought that your audience love to see the protagonists intimidated by the antagonists. If you see the trend of sinetron in Indonesia, there are always good people versus bad people. Bad people roles is somehow the key to make the sinetron blowing up in the market. By the end of the day, what do people learn from watching sinetron exactly?

I tried to resume what lessons people may get from watching sinetrons:

1. Most of rich people are bad and like to torture poor people.
2. Be rich and then be evil. Well, people change.
3. Other girls are bitches. Talk and scream to them in front of the public makes you look more gorgeous.
4. If people do or say something wrong, just go slap them in the face.

Indonesians are not stupid. We have people with brilliant and creative ideas and minds, we have enough resources, we have the money, but those producers just think about how to gain profit for them. So they choose to fit in the niche instead of educate the market. The chance to explore your skills and knowledge seldom comes to random people. They have the ideas and would love to explore themselves but limited to the capital. While people with money love to produce stuff that are futile instead of exploring the ideas more and more to help this country serving great shows that we can be proud of.