Indonesia’s Cultural Rebellion: Why Brands Can’t Afford to Ignore the Subculture Revolution

Indonesia’s Cultural Rebellion: Why Brands Can’t Afford to Ignore the Subculture Revolution

The global marketing landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Traditional approaches that cast a wide net are proving less effective in a society that is increasingly defined by its diverse subcultures, including in Indonesia.

According to the latest Industry Impact Survey 2024 conducted by The Insight Family, 71% of participating industry professionals stated that the media landscape is now more fragmented than ever. This fragmentation has led to nearly 70% of these professionals agreeing that it is becoming increasingly difficult to connect with current consumers.^[1]

This fragmentation, driven by technology, globalization and a desire for individualized expression, presents a unique challenge and opportunity for brands seeking to connect with Indonesian consumers on a deeper level.

This has left us with some challenges that need to be navigated:

• One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Fit: Mass marketing messages often fail to resonate with subcultures that prioritize authenticity and shared values.
• Missed Opportunities: Brands overlooking subcultures are leaving untapped markets with significant potential for growth and engagement.
• Cultural Disconnect: Generic campaigns can alienate subculture members who feel misunderstood or misrepresented.
• Evolving Landscape: The rapid pace of change within subcultures demands agile and adaptive marketing strategies.

The Context

As we immerse into our research for this article, we were lucky enough to see history being made for Indonesia at the latest Olympics 2024 in Paris. The country’s very first gold medal in Weightlifting, a dream come true, shows the amazing strength of a carefully built cultural legacy. This win is proof of the dedication and never-give-up attitude that started twenty years ago with the first bronze medal, finally leading to this golden moment after five Olympic Games.

These amazing events have got us thinking as marketers. We want to explore how these different successes can create a new story for Indonesian culture. How can we make sure these wins aren’t just passing fads, but become a lasting part of society, inspiring everyone?

For us, these victories show just how powerful cultural stories can be in marketing. They remind us that by connecting with shared experiences and dreams, we can build strong relationships with our audience. It’s a call to try new things, to create campaigns that not only speak to people today but also help build the future we want to see.

1. How do Indonesian subcultures diversify?
   While spotting what’s hot in subcultures is important, just scratching the surface isn’t enough. We need to dig deeper into the norms, language, values, and symbols that shape how people act within specific cultural groups. This makes us wonder: what other hidden passions are waiting to be discovered in Indonesian society? By looking closer, we might find cultural gems that are often overlooked or dismissed as just passing fads.
   Take the rising popularity of TARKAM (Amateur Football) in different provinces as the case in point. These events are no longer just about local competition; they’ve become modern spectacles, often filmed with drones and shared on social media. It has evolved as part of the entertainment source that not only exists in certain regions but also travels around on social media.
   From another angle within Indonesia’s thriving Lifestyle and Fashion scene, the sneaker culture shines brightly. Specialized stores, bustling online communities, and energetic sneaker expos reveal a scene that’s exploding in popularity.
   The Indonesian sneaker market is poised for steady growth in the coming years, with projected revenue reaching $0.53 billion in 2024. This positive outlook is further reinforced by the expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.23% from 2024 to 2028.^[2] This consistent growth trajectory indicates a sustained demand for sneakers in Indonesia.
   These examples show the huge potential of immersing in culture. By actively engaging with and understanding the little details of Indonesian society, we can unlock a treasure trove of marketing insights. It’s time to go beyond surface-level observations and really understand how consumers behave.
2.  How do they consume media?
   One of key insights on media consumption comes from the Influencers, which are then adapted by advertisers on how they represent their brands across Social Media platforms.
   Premium audiences, such as those in the Sneakers Enthusiasts subculture, are more comfortable expressing themselves in the space of Instagram, though they’re still a multimedia Digital native. This is because, the visualization tends to be more stylish on Instagram, thus for brands to represent themselves also has to be more subtle in their ads and product placements.
   Meanwhile the Casual audience, such as those in the Amateur Football Fanatics subculture, have shown to be more engaged in the community of TikTok as the platform offers relatable and snackable contents. Brands looking to engage with this audience segment, therefore have to be able to showcase their product implementation within a short period of time.
3. How did it impact their purchasing pattern?
   Eventually, the distinctive characters and how they engage with Social Media platforms will also shape their purchasing pattern.
   Subcultures originating from a more premium audience tend to be more thoughtful in their purchases, which is why a lengthier purchase journey still works for them on Instagram. The utilization of Collaborative Ads as an ad format enables this purchase journey, by connecting Instagram to brand’s eCommerce platforms. Promotions that drive footfall to retail stores are still effective for them, as they don’t mind making the journey to take advantage of the promotion.
   Whereas for subcultures from Casual audiences, tend to be more instant in behaviour, which consequently also expecting an instant purchase journey experience. That’s why TikTok Shop is blooming in the market. Within a few clicks, audiences can purchase the brands / products right after they saw the ads, without having to switch to another platform.

The Proposed Solutions

To thrive in Indonesia’s subculture revolution, brands should adopt a multi-pronged approach:

1. Subculture Immersion: Thorough research to understand the nuances of target subcultures. This includes their language, values, interests, and online behaviours.

2. Authentic Storytelling: Craft narratives that resonate with the subculture’s identity and aspirations. As the process of thought, we can decode it through several points:

3. Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate with influential figures within the subculture, such as content creators, artists, or community leaders. Their endorsement can lend credibility and reach to your brand, in a more meaningful way. As we have seen the growth of different passion points from different creators through different cultures, it will help how we can create more tangible conversations with consumers that are quite related with their influencer.

4. Targeted Channels: Learning from the current media habit of each of these subcultures, creating presence where they already are is probably the most efficient way in the short term. While in the longer term, creating a Social Media channel for them to engage and interact with their community can also be an option. Another option would be being present in the relevant events such as football match viewing parties for football fanatics or Fashion Week events for Fashion enthusiasts. This can be explored by collaborating with certain communities and media partners or engaging with members if we’ve established a Social Media channel.

5. Data-Driven Refinement: Continuously track and analyse the performance of your subculture marketing efforts. For example, if Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) is part of the activation strategy, we are able to unify platform dashboards to have a holistic view of campaign performances across each of the segments we’ve previously defined. The unified dashboard subsequently can also be linked with Customer Data Platform (CDP), to understand the full customer journey starting from the 1st party data generated, to their actual performances when they’re activated.

The Example: Case study from Rentokil Horroroach comms approach

In Indonesia, the prevalent fear of cockroaches, or Katsaridaphobia, is deeply rooted in cultural folklore. This backdrop sets the stage for “The Horroroach” campaign, which taps into these fears to highlight Rentokil’s pest control services. Although Indonesians often use ineffective sprays, Rentokil’s home services are relatively unknown, presenting an opportunity to increase its market visibility.

“The Horroroach” campaign leverages culturally resonant storytelling to position Rentokil as more than just a pest control solution, but as a brand that understands Indonesian cultural nuances. This approach led to high engagement and behavioral shifts, with increased demand for professional pest control services, particularly for Rentokil. As a result, the campaign successfully enhanced Rentokil’s brand image and significantly boosted its awareness and customer interactions.^[3]

The Conclusion

Subculture revolution is not merely a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour. Brands that embrace this reality and invest in targeted, authentic subculture marketing will not only survive but thrive in the evolving Indonesian market. By forging genuine connections with these passionate communities, brands can unlock a new era of growth, loyalty, and cultural relevance.

^[1] The Insight Family. Industry Impact Survey 2024.

^[2] Statista. Footwear – Indonesia. (2023).

^[3] Dentsu Creative, “Rentokil “The Horroroach””.