Creator Culture in Indonesia: Seeking authenticity and building trust

The days of 'top-down' marketing are over. Today's savvy customers know they can easily access information about a specific brand, product or service at their fingertips. In the last 18 months, with strict social distancing rules, a rising number are also turning to content creators for tips and entertainment, for example, how-to videos, cooking channels, and DIY arts & crafts. 

This has led to the rise of creator culture. 

In Indonesia for example, individuals are going online in droves, embracing their creativity to produce digital content for a wider audience, and hopefully inspiring others to connect and share their own thoughts. 

The implication this has on the relationship between brands, customers and creators is explored at a panel featuring Kevin Mintagara, SVP chief marketing officer of Tokopedia, Michael H Koetjoro, SVP digital banking brand & marketing lead from Bank BTPN, and Leo Wirendra, senior client partner at Twitter, moderated by Campaign Asia’s editorial director, Robert Sawatzky.

The conversation centres on Creator Culture, one of six conversational trends Twitter has observed on its platform. The other five are Wellbeing, Everyday Wonder, One Planet, Tech Life and My Identity. 

One impact that creator culture has had on marketing is that it’s driven up the demand for authentic branded content. According to Twitter's latest Twitter Trends Indonesia report, there has been a 29% growth in conversations around this topic on the platform. 

Wirendra says that brands are revamping their old business models by partnering with targeted creators to keep their content fresh and authentic, drive conversations and build trust with their customers. 

Notably, the best engagement rates are from the most genuine and honest reviews that are in-line with the characteristics of each creator. The more honest reviews provide higher engagement, as the audience can relate to the product with similar shared experiences. 

Kevin Mintaraga mentions that brands are now engaging with content creators in more sophisticated ways - by not just ensuring that products are marketed on the relevant platforms, but to cultivate long-term relationships with the creators. As creators become more familiar with the brand’s goals, they are also more likely to create better and more authentic content that could convert their followers into customers for the brand. 

E-commerce companies are not the only brands working with creators. Banks are increasingly partnering with creators to bring inspiring content to their audience. 

Michael H Koetjoro says that creators are able to inspire consumers, as they are able to provide informational tips on their services and how to integrate them into their daily lives. 

Collaborations can also safeguard consumers, potentially protecting them from the rise in cybercrime that has arisen from increased digital activities. 

As both Leo Wirendra and Michael H Koetjoro note, creators are able to keep customers engaged and informed of the misperceptions of fraud and encourage users to protect themselves through their digestible content. 

In the era of post-pandemic marketing, where customers are craving authentic connection more than ever, brands need to consistently improve user experience by finding the right creators to market their campaigns, appropriately handle feedback for future campaigns, and take on the responsibility to provide accurate information. Only then will they be able to drive sustained engagement, and ultimately commercial return, in the long-run. 

Watch the panel above to learn more about the ways brands could leverage the rise of creator culture in Indonesia.

Watch the other panel in this series:

• How marketers can change the game for mental health in Indonesia.

For more insights from the top conversation trends in Indonesia, download the Twitter Trends Indonesia Report here.