In the midst of increasingly competitive business competition, the existence of a brand is no longer sufficient to be simply known, but it must be relevant to the consumers needs and preferences. Engagement is the key to remaining alive in the mind of consumers despite being flooded by many choices. Addressing these challenges, MBA FEB UGM Jakarta Campus invited Bobby B. Suadi, Vice President of Marketing at Prudential Indonesia and a brand marketer to host an Executive Series entitled “Brand Relevance: Being Hip With The Hype”.
The event started with remarks by Prof. Gugup Kismono, the Head of MBA FEB UGM Jakarta Campus. He explained that marketing concepts can be observed through simple conditions in surroundings, such as a local cafe that remains busy with customers even having no advertising promotions. This demonstrates that relevance to consumers is one of the key factors in a brand’s survival.
In the main session, Bobby B. Suadi who is well known as Mr. Bobs, explored the importance of brand relevance in maintaining competitiveness. Various top global brands such as Harley-Davidson, Adidas, and Coca-Cola which collaborated at the FIFA World Cup, serve as examples of how a brand nurtures emotional closeness with its consumers. Mr. Bobs revealed that relevance is not only about building product quality, but also requires a deep understanding of consumers behavior and preferences. Positioning a product before deciding a communication strategy is also necessary. “Brand relevance is like building a relationship. Every product should have a clear purpose with a specific target audience,” he explained. Positioning will lead to different marketing approaches, both in terms of messages and promotional channels to be used.
During the discussion session, around 250 students actively participated in various relevance case studies. For example, Pocari Sweat’s strategy which successfully leveraged the healthy lifestyle trend through its annual running event. The KitKat brand with its iconic tagline “Have a break, have a KitKat”, successfully associated its product with moments of relaxation and leisure for its consumers. Indomie also succeeded in building an emotional closeness with its consumers, making it as the top choice across various market segments.
Relevance of “Hip with the Hype” itself does not sacrifice a brand’s authenticity. According to Mr. Bobs, the Covid-19 pandemic is a real example of how products like Zoom and Halodoc were able to adapt quickly to shifting consumer needs. He also cited Kodak as an example of a brand that failed precisely because it refused to ride the wave of digitalization. The principle of relevance applies not only to brands but also to individuals as in building their careers. He added that staying relevant is one of the key factors for surviving the dynamics in the working industry. “Relevance isn’t just about the right idea, but also the right moment”, he emphasized.
Through this Executive Series, students are invited to explore more deeply about concepts and strategies of brand relevance that can be applied in the business industry and also for their future professional career development. Furthermore, the MBA FEB UGM Jakarta Campus is committed to holding similar events with equally engaging themes in the future.
Reporter: Alfian Rama Aditya
Editor: Suci Hapsari
