Campaign Spotlight Indonesia 2025: When technology, consumers and culture collide

Campaign Asia held its first Campaign Spotlight Indonesia in Jakarta, in partnership with DoubleVerify and Moonfolks, on April 15, 2025. This exclusive event brought together dozens of marketing leaders and CMOs from Indonesia's top companies for a half-day of insightful sessions, incisive discussions, and a look at the industry's future trends.

Participants from sectors as diverse as FMCG, technology, banking and telecommunications came together to explore the challenges and opportunities of Indonesia's increasingly complex and fragmented marketing landscape.

Ramadan and the younger generation: Spend wisely, prioritize the future

Dwi Budiarty from YouGov. Photo: Reza A. Gunawan

The first session was opened by Dwi Budiarty, senior research manager from YouGov, who presented the latest research on Gen Z and millennial consumption patterns during Ramadan. Dwi highlighted how the younger generation now prefers to use their THR to save and invest, instead of consumptive spending.

Even so, spending on Lebaran needs remains significant, such as food, clothing, zakat, parcels, and self-care products, showing that financial planning now goes hand in hand with personal and social needs.

DTC is not just a sales channel

Robert Sawatzky, Fahroni Arifin, Meinar Dyah Muslimah, and Peggy Esther Anastasia. Photo: Reza A. Gunawan

In a panel moderated by Robert Sawatzky, editorial director of Campaign Asia, speakers discussed the transformation of direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies in Indonesia.

Peggy Esther Anastasia from Electrolux, Meynar Dian Muslima from ParagonCorp, and Fahroni Arifin from Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison agreed that DTC is now more than just a sales channel. It has become a space to build relationships, strengthen brand narratives, and expand audience reach.

• ParagonCorp said that although the sales contribution is still dominated by offline channels, the presence of DTC encourages conversation and awareness, especially in areas that have not been reached physically.
• Electrolux emphasizes that for household products such as refrigerators or washing machines, consumers still want a hands-on experience - seeing and touching the product before buying. However, the online channel is considered to have the potential to grow, provided that logistics infrastructure and services are also strengthened.
• Meanwhile, Fahroni emphasized that once consumers experience good digital interaction through apps or e-commerce, they rarely return to conventional shopping patterns. Effective DTC campaigns have proven to deliver double-digit growth for Indosat.

A new threat: AI-based ad fraud

Anurag Sure. Photo: Reza A. Gunawan

The third session was presented by Anurag Sure, Enterprise Sales Director of DoubleVerify, who highlighted the dangers of increasing digital fraud practices by utilizing generative AI. According to him, it is now easier than ever to falsify ad impression data, making it look as if ads are reaching more people than they actually are.

This problem is compounded by the limitations of many measurement tools that are not yet able to differentiate between human and bot audiences. More than half of industry players recognize that AI technology has significantly clouded the accuracy of marketing data.

Anurag also emphasized the importance of understanding that brand safety standards vary by market; content that is acceptable in the Philippines, for example, is not necessarily appropriate in Indonesia. Therefore, local customization is key to maintaining brand integrity in the era of digital globalization.

More humanized brands in healthcare marketing

Yudith Arianda. Photo: Reza A. Gunawan

In her discussion session, Yudith Arianda, Marketing Director of Haleon (formerly GSK Consumer Health), discussed a new approach to health marketing: no longer just selling the benefits of products, but delivering personalized and meaningful messages.

The main challenge in this field, according to him, is not just raising awareness, but encouraging long-term behavior change. Therefore, Haleon is now focusing on messages that touch the emotional side of consumers and are relevant to their life journey.

TikTok and rebranding through impactful campaigns

Yudith Arianda. Photo: Reza A. Gunawan

Anish Daryani, CEO of Moonfolks, shared a case study of a TikTok campaign in Indonesia that successfully changed public perception. To dispel the image of a "dancing platform", TikTok engaged Najwa Shihab in a campaign that showed that anyone can share useful and meaningful content on the platform.

The result? The campaign not only succeeded in creating a new image for TikTok, but also exceeded initial expectations, broadening its appeal to professionals, educators, and the wider public.

Live commerce and brand consistency

Aulia Masna, Parjono Sudiono, Wenny Vanilla, and Ferdi Anggriawan. Photo: Reza A. Gunawan

The closing panel brought together Ferdi Anggriawan (Allo Bank), Wenny Vanilla (Skin Dewi), and Parjono Sudiono (Greenfields Dairy), who discussed how brands maintain authenticity amidst the rising trend of video and live commerce.

Topics covered include:

• How to maintain a balance between content that drives conversions and brand identity.
• The challenge of building trust when performing live or on an interactive platform.
• Strategies to keep brands relevant without losing authenticity on performative channels like TikTok Shop or Shopee.

The Spotlight Indonesia 2025 campaign is proof that while Indonesian consumers continue to change rapidly, effective marketing still requires a deep local understanding, a human approach and technological precision. From the threat of AI to the power of storytelling, the future of marketing in Indonesia will be shaped by those who are able to blend data and empathy in equal measure.