Integrated Marketing Communications Conference

March 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Rapid digitisation of Indonesia brings new challenges to marketers
Marketing Communications professionals need to revolutionise communications efforts to earn pocket-share  


SINGAPORE, [7th March 2012] –  Along with Indonesia’s burgeoning economy, digital media penetration rates  are clearly at an all-time high. Undeniably, the rapid number of mobile phones, Facebook and Twitter users in Indonesia demonstrate the inherently social nature of Indonesians and their robust appetite for “chatting”. While social media has woven its way into the very fabric of Indonesian society by offering a relational space for the sharing of conversations and lifestyle activities, many businesses still question their need to participate in this social arena and often have no clue how to go beyond establishing a Facebook presence, much less use digital and social media as a strategic business driver.

According to Isobar Indonesia’s Executive Creative Director, Tania Mailangkay, “The one prevalent issue in Indonesian businesses is a preference for the established ways of marketing that was built around the television. It takes a marketing director who is bold enough to recognise, accept and act on the fact that we are at the helm of a fundamental change in communicating brand messages.”

As such, brands need to accept that an important shift in the balance of power between brands and consumers has occurred. In today’s world of multi-channel and multi-platform communications, consumers can pick and choose their preferred media based on personal interests. In order to effectively engage them, companies should not abandon traditional media platforms, yet neither should they blindly jump onto the social media bandwagon. Instead, as Tania explains, “because social media and the Internet are now a large part of how consumers are exposed to brands - apart from television, print, radio and OOH - a key objective for marketers is to understand how to integrate these media to deliver a coherent brand message”.

Another challenge commonly faced by businesses in Indonesia, according to BBDO Indonesia’s Associate Strategic Planing & Business Development Director, Ezra Nathannael, is the fact that  “Indonesia is a country rich in diversity, consisting of different languges, cultures and habits. To create an integrated marketing strategy that resonates across Indonesia is indeed a challenge. Technological infrastructure is also part of the challenge as it is not evenly spread across Indonesia.”

As a result of this diverse infrastructure and changing technological landscape, customers are often left confused by the multitude of unrelated brand messages that companies are sending them. Not only does this prevent consumers from understanding the brand’s value proposition and what the brand stands for, marketing efforts are often duplicated and resources wasted on messages that serve no impact on consumers.

To counter this, Robby Susatyo, Chairman of Ipsos Indonesia has this to say, “Using different media alone is not integration. Companies must have distinct objectives, and separate goals and metrics for each campaign in order to be successful”. Adding on to this, Dian Firlia M.K., former head of Corporate Communications and Online Planning for LG Indonesia says, “Some companies may think that planning and implementing an integrated marketing strategy would be costly and ineffective. However, a proper integrated marketing strategy creates competitive advantage for the company and boosts sales and profits while saving time, money and stress”.

Lastly, Chris J Reed, Regional Partnerships Director – Asia Pacific, Partnership Marketing Asia, has this advice for marketers in Indonesia, “Rise to the occasion and meet the challenges head on. Be brave and let your product or service stand out from the crowd and you will be rewarded as long as you are at the forefront of your industry”.

In light of the challenges faced by marketing communications professionals today, a two-day conference on “Integrated Marketing Communications” will be held on 26 – 27 April 2012 in Indonesia.  Comprising of a stellar line-up of marketing communications professionals such as Sajin Varghese, Regional Director, Reputation Management / Emerging Markets / Philips Consumer Lifestyle,  Philips Electronics, Tina DiCicco, former Regional Manager, Asia Australasia Brand PR and Communications at IHG InterContinental Hotels Group and the above-mentioned speakers among others, this conference aims to deliver insights on delivering a synergistic brand image across traditional and social media platforms.

Featuring both international and local case studies such as HP, Expedia, Holiday Inn, Anlene Indonesia and Ayo! Indonesia Bisa, attendees can also look forward to specific tools on calculating the long-term ROI of your marketing efforts and customer engagement plans across platforms, evaluating strategy and justifying marketing spend across all channels.

Conference Details:
Title:       Integrated Marketing Communications
Date & Venue:   26 – 27 April 2012, JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta, Indonesia

Organiser: Pacific Conferences
Contact Person: Ms Elaine Dang
DID: (65) 6592 7366
Email: Elaine@conferences.com.sg

Full Programme: http://www.conferences.com.sg/i5203-imci-22a-l.pdf
Full programme can also be found at: http://www.conferences.com.sg/conf-imci.htm

About Pacific Conferences
Pacific Conferences specialises in organising business conferences aimed at providing interactive, insightful information and analysis about issues facing businesses in Asia-Pacific. Our conferences are developed through thorough research and a deep understanding of the critical concerns facing industry professionals. They are addressed by experts and leaders who have deep knowledge and practical experiences in their respective areas.
More information may be found at www.conferences.com.sg