Jakarta, Indonesia – PT Global Digital Niaga (BELI), the parent company of companies such as the e-commerce player Blibli, travel agency Tiket.com, and Ranch Market supermarket chain–has announced that it has announced Dekoruma, a local home decor startup, for IDR 1.16t or approximately US$70.6m. This is according to the latest stock disclosure by the company on the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX).

According to the disclosure, BELI bought 26,217 shares which represents 99.83% of Dekoruma’s ownership. Said transaction was completed on June 20.

Additionally, according to BELI’s statement, the acquisition is anticipated to strengthen Blibli’s operations, particularly in the home and living vertical, and allow Blibli and Dekoruma to unite as an integrated enterprise for both online and offline commerce. Blibli, a company with a wealth of experience in both traditional and online commerce, plans to combine these channels to maximize the synergy between the two businesses. 

Dekoruma was founded in the year 201S. It links customers with interior designers, contractors, property developers, and retailers of home furnishings. The business has collaborated with over 5,000 designers and constructors and served over a million clients. On its website, Dekoruma lists more than 100 banks and real estate developers as partners. 

Indonesia – Superbank has become Indonesia’s first bank to integrate digital banking services directly into the Grab app.

The partnership allows millions of Grab users and partners to open accounts, save money, and make payments without having to download an additional app. 

The integration provides consumers with a 6% yearly savings interest, the ability to withdraw funds at any time, and a 75% discount on GrabFood and GrabBike services. This project significantly enhances Superbank’s aim of providing safe, and affordable financial access, hence fostering greater financial inclusion in Indonesia.

Through the Grab app, users can register a Superbank account and link it to their payment method for GrabFood, GrabBike, GrabCar, GrabExpress, and GrabMart, among other services. By doing away with the need for extra apps, this expedites the account registration process and lowers storage consumption on customers’ phones. 

Furthermore, ‘Pinjaman Atur Sendiri (PAS)’, an unsecured digital loan with adjustable credit limits and terms as well as clear interest and charge details, is being made available to a limited number of Grab users by Superbank. 

Financial services sectors like Grab, EMTEK Group, Singtel, and KakaoBank encourage Superbank to keep innovating. Superbank’s integration with Grab is evidence of its dedication to offering a more relevant and inclusive banking experience, assisting customers in better managing their money. 

Speaking about the integration, Tigor M. Siahaan, president director of Superbank, expressed, “We are thrilled to see how easily people can open accounts, save, and make payments directly through the Grab app. This aligns with our mission to transform banking in Indonesia with innovative and secure financial solutions. The integration with Grab provides easier access to banking services and attractive offers, supporting users in managing their finances better.”

Meanwhile, Neneng Goenadi, country managing director of Grab Indonesia, said, “Our users and partners can now quickly and securely access banking services and Grab services in one application. Superbank’s 6% annual savings interest is expected to benefit the community significantly. This initiative aligns with our mission to create a broader positive impact through technological innovation and economic empowerment.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – Jenius, a digital bank by Bank BTPN, has tapped Perx Technologies to transform traditional banking experiences that are purely driven by needs and wants to a fun and game-like experience.

Through the partnership, by introducing the concepts of gamification and instant gratification into every day personal banking experiences the Perx Loyalty Engagement Platform and Jenius aim to transform and uplift the quintessential thought relationship a consumer has with his or her lifestyle banking needs.

At the core of this partnership lies the goal to drive maximum customer lifetime value through a dynamic and rewarding loyalty program, mobile customer journeys studded with instant gratification and gamification allowing the bank to nudge and influence positive customer behaviour.

Moreover, with a diverse array of rewarding experiences, gamified savings milestones and a personalised loyalty program that keeps rewarding customers for their every action, Jenius aims at driving positive behavioural hacks into the community such as building a nest egg or better managing impulsive spending habits with full transparency.

Lastly, moving away from existing as ‘just another digital bank’ and transforming into a financial solution for the digital-savvy audience, Jenius aims to engage its customers beyond their regular banking needs by becoming an enabler to the lifestyle choices its customers make daily.

Febri Rusli, digital banking product and innovation head at Bank BTPN, said, “As a digital native bank, the app experience is paramount to Jenius’ success. By collaborating with Perx, we are able to leverage innovative technology to provide a fun, personalised, and rewarding experience across all customer touchpoints throughout their entire customer journey. This is essential to create retention, engagement, and customer-first service experience – which is ultimately what sets us apart from others in the industry.”

Meanwhile, Anna Gong, founder and CEO at Perx Technologies, commented, “In the experience economy, digitally savvy consumers expect personalized and meaningful interactions that keep them excited enough to return. We are delighted to deliver these ‘Aha moments’ in every customer journey a Jenius customer will experience going forward. We are thrilled to partner with Bank BTPN to create and deliver an engaging customer experience for everyone served by Jenius in Indonesia.”

Lastly, Jovin Shen, global sales director at Perx Technologies, stated, “Jenius is embarking on one of the most exciting customer experience transformation projects I have seen and delighted that Jenius chose to partner with Perx.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – If you ever get the chance to travel into the North-South Line of the Jakarta MRT line in Indonesia, chances are you get to pass through the Senayan Mastercard station–rebranded in 2023 as part of a strategic partnership between Mastercard and MRT Jakarta to enhance transit experiences. As part of the partnership, the Senayan MRT station rebranded and also featured convenient cashless top-ups and purchases of MRT cards at the station.

But one of the key highlights of this partnership is how its iconic soundbite–the Mastercard “Acceptance” track–is now also featured on the Jakarta MRT station and plays once the Senayan Mastercard station is announced as the next stop. In recent months, many local and even international travellers have found the soundbite being converted into a short and cute dance, which has garnered significant attention across Indonesian social media over the past few months.

@ydd2710

“SENAYAN MASTERCARD” selalu bikin canduuu 😍 @melvinewijaya #mrt #mrtjakarta #senayanmastercard

♬ original sound – ydd2710 – ydd2710

So what makes this Mastercard-MRT Jakarta partnership truly resonate beyond the power of sonic branding? For that, MARKETECH APAC spoke with Dheeraj Raina, VP and Head of Integrated Marketing and Communications, Southeast Asia, Mastercard to discuss the beauty behind this branded MRT station, and what the partnership holds to improve urban mobility across Jakarta.

“The sound of trust, speed, and peace of mind”

For Dheeraj, the Mastercard sonic branding–first released in 2019 and conceptualised by BrandMusiq–evokes the sound of trust, speed, and peace of mind. For him, as the world becomes ever more connected and always on, the way people interact, transact and live is constantly changing, and the benchmarks for consumer expectations are at an all-time high.

“Sound has the power to connect people’s hearts and minds to create lasting associations. In this context, we have the opportunity to leverage the science of sonic branding to give people the experience that they’re looking for,” he explained.

Speaking about the sonic branding at the Senayan Mastercard station, he states that it is not only distinctive but also enhances the overall commuting experience. He also quips that through online conversations, many passengers find the tune “so extra,” fun, and entertaining, which transforms routine travel into a more enjoyable and memorable experience. 

“This uplifting emotional response makes the daily commute feel less monotonous and a little more fun, thereby deepening the connection between the Mastercard brand and commuters. Mastercard’s activation in the MRT Jakarta demonstrates how the sonic tune can capture attention and evoke positive emotions, thereby cutting through the noise and ultimately enhancing the brand’s presence and impact in a busy urban environment – so much so that it became viral, organically, on TikTok,” he added.

Why Mastercard invests heavily in sonic branding

Mastercard’s investment to sonic branding has been evident in its campaigns and initiatives throughout the years. In 2022, the company released “Priceless,” the brand’s first-ever music album produced alongside Timbaland during the Cannes Lions 2022 Festival. Earlier this year, Mastercard teamed up with Westpac to produce and release “Touch,” Australia’s first feature-length motion picture without pictures, aimed at embracing an inclusive cinematic experience through sound.

And for Dheeraj, they believe that voice is the new frontier in omnichannel marketing, as demand from consumers for innovative, engaging experiences has led businesses to seek new and interesting ways to use brand identity across consumer touchpoints to continuously capture their attention.

“Beyond visual assets such as brand logos, motion and sound also play a role, making branding both dynamic and multisensory. People can connect with sound, music and voice in incredibly powerful ways. Music, specifically, can create a strong memory and a powerful emotional connection,” he explains.

In the case of the Mastercard sonic branding, Dheeraj notes that the company’s sonic branding evokes a positive and uplifting tune that has a consistent presence wherever and whenever consumers encounter Mastercard — from their advertising to consumers’ point-of-sale and checkout experiences.

“Wherever it appears, it evokes the emotion of trust that consumers already have in Mastercard. Sonic branding is one aspect of Mastercard’s multisensory marketing approach which taps into people’s sense of smell with world-class fragrances, hearing with our sonic brand identity, and taste through our diverse culinary partnerships around the world,” he said.

Dheeraj further added, “This approach leverages the various senses to create more engaging and impactful brand experiences, and enables us to engage consumers in ways that resonate deeply, fostering a lasting connection with the brand.”

What’s next for the Mastercard-MRT Jakarta partnership?

For Dheeraj, the Mastercard’s partnership with MRT Jakarta goes beyond branding – it is part of their strategic commitment to enhance urban mobility and improve the overall transit experience for commuters, while also uncovering new ways for transit and mobility operators to increase efficiencies.

“This partnership marks the first use case for card acceptance for transit in Indonesia. We are really pleased that our partnership with MRT Jakarta has been able to provide Jakarta’s commuters with cashless payment options that give them greater convenience and flexibility in their daily commutes, while supporting MRT Jakarta in reducing operational costs and increasing efficiencies, ultimately contributing to a smoother, more efficient transit system in Indonesia,” he explained.

The partnership between Mastercard and MRT Jakarta for the “Senayan Mastercard” station began in December 2023

It is worth noting that through the partnership, commuters are able to top up MRT cards at manned counters within MRT stations using Mastercard debit cards. In addition, consumers also have the option to purchase MRT tickets through the MyMRTJ app using Mastercard credit cards, marking the first credit card acceptance on this app. All Mastercard cards can also be used to purchase MRT cards at station counters.

When asked about what’s next for the partnership, he added, “We have some exciting developments in the pipeline for Mastercard’s campaigns in Indonesia, particularly at our branded MRT station. We are focused on enhancing the commuter experience with more seamless payment options and engaging initiatives. Stay tuned for our upcoming campaign which promises to bring fun and innovation to Jakarta’s commuters.”

Sonic branding has emerged as a pivotal element in enhancing travel experiences, significantly amplifying the emotional and sensory dimensions of a journey. Through carefully crafted auditory cues, travel brands can evoke a sense of place, nostalgia, and comfort, creating a deeper connection with travellers. In the case of Mastercard’s branding at the branded Senayan Mastercard station, the sonic branding became an integral part of the overall rail experience for travellers–even amusing for some to do a cute little dance trend online.

Jakarta, Indonesia – Local telecommunications provider Telkomsel has announced a partnership with anime streaming service Crunchyroll for its first specialised anime destination package in Indonesia, namely the ‘Telkomsel and Crunchyroll Bundling Package.’ 

Through the bundle, Telkomsel customers, including both prepaid and postpaid (Halo) users, can easily purchase it through the MyTelkomsel app and website. ‘The Crunchyroll Fan’ package, when purchased through Telkomsel, is priced at IDR 36,000 which includes 3 GB of MAXstream quota for use on a single device. Similarly, ‘The Crunchyroll Mega Fan’ package on Telkomsel is priced at IDR 48,000 and includes 5 GB of MAXstream quota for use on up to four devices simultaneously.

Moreover, ‘Mega Fan’ subscribers will also get access to the Crunchyroll Game Vault which provides unlimited access to a constantly growing library of premium mobile games specifically for fans of anime and anime-inspired entertainment.

Both packages are valid for one month and include a Crunchyroll subscription, allowing access to a wide range of popular Japanese anime content, such as One Piece, Kaiju No. 8, Solo Leveling, Chainsaw Man, JUJUTSU KAISEN, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, amongst others.

After purchasing the Telkomsel and Crunchyroll Bundling Package through MyTelkomsel, customers will receive an SMS containing a Crunchyroll Voucher Code. Telkomsel customers can redeem this voucher code via tsel.id/croll. After downloading the Crunchyroll App from the Play Store or App Store, they will have access to both the exclusive Japanese anime shows, many of which are exclusive to Crunchyroll.

Terry Li, executive vice president of business development at Crunchyroll, said, “Crunchyroll’s goal is to always meet fans when, where and how they want to love anime, and the Telkomsel partnership aptly positions us to give Indonesian fans that access. It’s a significant milestone in expanding our audience base in the region with localised access.”

Meanwhile, Nirwan Lesmana, VP of digital lifestyle at Telkomsel, commented, “By integrating Telkomsel services with premium content from Crunchyroll, we aim to enhance the experience of our customers, especially anime content lovers spread across Indonesia. We hope this collaboration will facilitate anime fans in accessing their favorite content, supported by the widest and most advanced broadband connectivity from Telkomsel.”

Subsribers can utilise the MAXstream Quota included in the Telkomsel and Crunchyroll Bundle Package to watch the latest contents on Crunchyroll, MAXstream, and other video streaming services that have partnered with Telkomsel.

Jakarta, Indonesia – The Lego Group has officially opened its largest store in Southeast Asia, with its latest outlet located at the Senayan City shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This opening is part of the LEGO Group’s ongoing efforts to expand its presence in Indonesia and strengthen its domestic and travel retail presence in Asia.

The 365 square metre store in Senayan City offers immersive Lego experiences, including Southeast Asia’s first “Lego Minifigure Factory” where shoppers can customise Lego minifigures.

It also features three-dimensional Lego brick models of popular Indonesian icons such as the National Monument and the Jakarta bus, as well as a 3m-tall mosaic wall of the historical Selamat Datang Monument made with 21,562 Lego bricks.

Alongside this, the LEGO Group, together with the LEGO Foundation, has pledged to donate US$1 million over three years to support initiatives designed to provide children and caregivers greater access to “Learning Through Play”.

This store is one of six set to open this year, bringing the total number of Lego stores in Indonesia to 26 across nine cities. Additionally, Lego products are available at 300 other retailers, including toy stores, department stores and official online shops.

Talking about the opening, Claus Kristensen, senior vice president at the LEGO Group APAC, said, “Today marks an exciting milestone in our journey to bring joy and creativity to children across Indonesia. We see potential in this dynamic, growing market and are looking forward to strengthening our presence, reaching more children and inspiring the builders of tomorrow.”

“We have been present in Indonesia for over ten years through distribution and manufacturing partners and appreciate the strong support shown for our brand and business. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with local partners as we further build our presence,” he added.

Notably, this opening also follows LEGO’s recent appointment of two general managers to its Asia Pacific leadership team for business units of Singapore, Malaysia and Travel Retail (SMTR), and India & Emerging Asia (IEA).

Indonesia – Unilever’s oral care brand Pepsodent, together with creative firm MullenLowe Lintas Indonesia, has launched its latest campaign, “Behind Every Smile of Indonesia,” which emphasises the transformational potential of a smile amid difficult circumstances. It reflects Pepsodent’s long-standing dedication to reducing health diseases and promoting universal dental access.

The campaign highlights authentic portrayals of Indonesians’ tenacity and fortitude, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak and difficult economic times. These tales demonstrate how smiles, which are a symbol of oral health, can bring people together to overcome challenges and share happiness. 

In one tale, an old woman overcame hardships to maintain her little shop open, motivated by the kind gestures and cheery smiles of youngsters. The arrival of the Pepsodent team, who were providing free dental check-ups and oral care protection, and the encouragement they received from the community also feature in another story about a fisherman in a distant place. 

In Indonesia, Pepsodent has taught almost 25 million kids about dental health. In order to improve the dental and oral health of two million schoolchildren and students nationwide, Pepsodent carried out its “Healthy Smile Indonesia” campaign in 2024. The program included tele-dentistry services and instruction on dental care during fasting. 

Speaking about the campaign, Distya Tarworo Endri, head of marketing oral care & professional marketing at Unilever Indonesia, said, “Pepsodent firmly believes in the significance of every smile and the essential role it plays in our lives. Regardless of challenges like poor oral health or tough times, we remain dedicated to enabling smiles that radiate health and hope. For 90 years, Pepsodent has been at the forefront, championing healthier smiles and empowering communities. It’s our privilege to continue this journey of making dental health accessible to all.” 

Meanwhile, Bellamia Agustina, growth director, MullenLowe Lintas Indonesia, stated, “For 90 years, Pepsodent has stood by Indonesians, enriching their lives and fostering genuine connections. These stories of community solidarity underscore the brand’s commitment to uplifting communities and promoting oral health for all. Through Behind Every Smile of Indonesia campaign, we celebrate Pepsodent’s legacy of making a meaningful difference in the lives of ordinary Indonesians, empowering them to face challenges with confidence and a bright smile.” 

Jakarta, Indonesia – OCBC has announced the completion of its acquisition of PT Bank Commonwealth (PTBC), making PTBC a subsidiary of OCBC Indonesia and bringing more than 1.2 million PTBC customers to OCBC Indonesia.

PTBC will continue to operate independently until the integration process is completed. This is targeted to be in the fourth quarter of 2024. During this period, PTBC will serve its customers as usual with its banking products and services, including banking transactions at PTBC’s branches and through digital channels.

This acquisition underscores Indonesia’s continued importance to OCBC Group. It is one of the Group’s core markets together with Singapore, Malaysia and Greater China, and presents many opportunities as ASEAN’s largest economy and the world’s fourth most populous country. 

It is worth noting that with China being Indonesia’s largest trading partner and Indonesia’s second largest investor, combining PTBC’s capabilities with OCBC Indonesia’s enables OCBC Group to better capture the opportunities from the increasing ASEAN-Greater China wealth, trade and investment flows, in line with the group’s corporate strategy.

Helen Wong, group CEO of OCBC, said, “With the acquisition process now complete, our immediate priority is to ensure the successful operational integration of PT Bank Commonwealth Indonesia into OCBC Indonesia. We are working closely with its management team and are committed to a smooth transition for the customers and employees. Customers of both banks have a lot to look forward to as we leverage our complementary strengths to expand our product and services offerings in Indonesia.”

She added, “This acquisition builds on our already strong presence in Indonesia. It signals our commitment to accelerating growth in the country, and to support our customers as they seek growth across multiple markets. Rising ASEAN-Greater China flows is a focal point of Asia’s growth story and a big opportunity for us. Chinese companies for instance, are looking to expand into Indonesia to tap its large young population and abundance of natural resources. Continuously strengthening our network across ASEAN and Greater China, and presence in other global financial centres, is therefore imperative to our strategy.”

The acquisition is the latest strategic milestone for OCBC in Indonesia. It became the first Singapore bank to acquire a banking stake in Indonesia with the acquisition of a 22.5% stake in PT Bank NISP Tbk in 2004 – a stake that has increased over the years to the current 85%.

With a company like Publicis Groupe Indonesia consisting of multiple agencies across a vast array of markets, driving business transformation using creativity and technology is no simple feat to achieve. However, for Sony Nichani, CEO of Publicis Groupe Indonesia, this is made easier with how she makes her leadership work in the company.

In terms of how she approaches leadership, Sony focuses significantly on fostering collaboration and driving camaraderie, pushing forward the agenda of building strong and authentic relationships with her teams as well as supporting their individual growth.

“If I have to pin down my leadership style, it would lean towards Servant leadership. As a team, we focus on defining our culture and driving positive employee engagement. We are very proud of the way this is reflected in our bi-annual employee surveys and low attrition scores,” said Sony.

Motivation through merits

To compliment her values in leading others, Sony shared the unique initiatives implemented by Publicis Groupe Indonesia to keep the teams engaged and motivated.

Firstly, Sony shared how the company utilises a clear and transparent ‘Pay for Performance’ model, which provides a disciplined approach to meritocracy using their ‘Career Conversations’ tool to ensure that their top talents are recognised and compensated well. Aside from these rewards, the company also launched its monthly ‘Lions of the Month’ initiative, which recognises team members who showcased exemplary performances based on peer nominations.

Furthermore, the company also commits to several activities and events to promote upskilling and cater to the well-being of employees such as mental health initiatives, ‘Thirsty Thursdays’ that promotes learning on digital transformation and A.I., and Friday disconnects which help teams bond with each other or spend time at home with the family while continuing to offer hybrid working opportunities.

Facing the dynamic shift

Talking about the challenges faced by Publicis Groupe Indonesia, Sony mentioned that there has been a radical shift in the kind of work that clients are investing in, as businesses are transforming more and more to be competitive. With this in mind though, Sony shared that Publicis Groupe Indonesia is equipped to deal with these emerging situations.

“Given the Groupe’s creative, intelligence, and technology expertise, our agencies are well equipped with strong capabilities to provide clients with transformative ideas and consumer experiences. This has given us a unique positioning to provide strategic counsel to help our clients solve their business challenges and provide an open architecture that allows them to plug & play with world-class experts under a single P&L, leading to a deeper and more meaningful partnership with clients,” she mentioned.

Going into detail, Sony explained that Publicis Groupe Indonesia achieves this by creating bespoke teams to offer clients end-to-end solutions in a frictionless and efficient manner. This approach has helped them significantly in campaigns such as with Mondelez and Blackpink, wherein they efficiently leveraged data, experiences, AI-based personalised content and activated communities to give K-Pop fans a one-of-a-kind experience.

Through this method of gaining a deep understanding of their audience, Sony has seen a strong business growth momentum with Indonesia being recognised as a key driver and contributor to SEA’s growth in the first quarter of this year. This leads to an improvement in ownership and empowered leadership when it comes to how they bring together their services to clients.

Building strength towards success 

As a result of these strategies and initiatives, Sony commented on how Publicis Groupe Indonesia has gone from strength to strength over the past four years in terms of capability building, new business growth, and achieving fame at regional and global levels.

“In 2023, we had double digit growth, won over 80 awards including Creative Agency and Digital Agency of the Year in Asia Pacific and have been recognised for our work in creative, data, CRM, AI as well as for key client projects. But what was most heartening for me was winning SEA’s Best Culture Award at Campaign Asia Agency of the Year 2023 as that truly is a testament of our coming together as a team,” she shared.

Talking about how this style of leadership helped make everything possible for the company, Sony concluded with a piece of advice saying, “Empathy is most important – we are in the people’s business and we spend so much of our time together, so it’s really important to understand and appreciate each other’s differences.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – Omnicom Media Group (OMG) in Indonesia has promoted Rohan Mahajan, managing partner at PHD Indonesia, to chief operating officer – media services. In his new position, he will lead a team of 300 professionals from OMD, PHD, Transact, and Annalect. Mahajan will continue to report to Rajat Basra, CEO-president director of OMG Indonesia. 

In his new position, Mahajan’s responsibilities are overseeing the application of OMG Indonesia’s practices to all agency brands. 

Mahajan’s promotion is a testament to his business acumen and ability to close deals. Since joining the agency network in 2017, he has been helpful in growing its clientele and fostering important business ties. 

Digital media was Mahajan’s area of expertise when he started his consultancy career. His knowledge of digital media and account management has served him over the years in offering clients innovative, timely, and useful hybrid business solutions. 

Speaking about the appointment, Rajat Basra, CEO of OMG Indonesia, said, “Rohan’s journey to this point, growing through the ranks, has prepared him well for this moment. The joy of seeing someone start his Omnicom journey first at OMG India, migrate to Indonesia on a growth task, and take the helm after six years of consistent performance is unparalleled. Rohan will not only strengthen the OMG Indonesia media services network but also create the conditions for all our clients to meet and exceed their goals and ambitions, with the best talent, experience, practices, and know-how.” 

Meanwhile, Mahajan stated, “It is an exciting time for OMG not only globally but here in Indonesia too. We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary in Indonesia being named the fastest growing Media Agency Network in Indonesia and as per RECMA’s latest report, we are ranked second. This is surely a testament of a decade-long strong leadership by our Indonesia Board of Directors, a very stable ecosystem of satisfied clients and industry best talent that makes OMG Indonesia a network with a difference in the market. Our clients, talent, and partners keep aiming higher and that opens award-winning possibilities.” 

Furthermore, Danar Hardianto, general manager, PHD Indonesia, said, “I am ready to be at the forefront and lead this advancement, acting as a catalyst for the consistent and comprehensive roll-out of our offering everywhere.”