Publicis Nilakshi Medhi: Crafting Impactful Campaigns Across Cultures

Meet Nilakshi Medhi, Head of Strategic Planning at Publicis Indonesia, a seasoned strategist with a knack for connecting brands with audiences. With over a decade of hands-on experience, she’s traversed diverse markets, shaping impactful campaigns for iconic brands. Nilakshi’s journey is a testament to grit and authenticity.

 In this candid interview, she delves into the pulse of advertising, offering genuine insights into bridging cultures, adapting to technological shifts, and crafting campaigns that resonate with hearts and minds.

With more than 15 years of experience in branding, digital marketing strategy, and planning, could you tell us about your background and journey in the advertising industry?

‘Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday’ – Winnie-the-Pooh

The past 15 years have taught me the value of patience and the wisdom gained along life’s journey, encountering people, brands, and places that inspire and shape you. Although I hail from the North-eastern corner of India, my educational and professional journey has led me to various places, laying the groundwork for where I stand today.

My academic background lies in literature, having studied at Delhi University before pursuing Mass Communication at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. My initial exposure to advertising began as an intern in account management, but with the guidance of my mentors, I discovered my passion for account planning.

Transitioning into a planning role came with its own set of challenges, as I delved into diverse categories like Automobile, Consumer Durables, and Real Estate, wearing multiple hats simultaneously. Working at renowned agencies like the erstwhile J. Walter Thompson, which heavily emphasized this discipline, provided me with the solid foundation needed early in my career.

Life took an unexpected turn when I relocated from India to Indonesia following my marriage. As I gaze out at a rainy day from my 16th-floor Publicis office in Jakarta, I have realized that life is a journey of planned and unplanned steps. 

From my humble beginnings in India to navigating the streets of Indonesia, embracing the journey and trusting the process is essential.

No matter where you start, perseverance will lead you to your destination.

Having worked across a wide range of categories- from automobiles, and healthcare to consumer durables, can you tell us about the different strategies that you employed? What were the factors that you needed to keep in mind while executing them?

As a junior Account Planner, I learnt the importance of building solid strategy fundamentals, a principle I advocate for newcomers in the field. Understanding brand building, consumer planning, and market realities is essential. There are no shortcuts; you must immerse yourself fully. 

Across different categories, I’ve found listening to clients and walking in the consumers’ shoes is crucial. Often, in our pursuit of strategy frameworks, solution mapping, or consumer touch-point planning we overlook asking clients the simple question: what are your daily business challenges, which is keeping you awake at night? 

For instance, consider the Nestle Lactogrow repositioning exercise, where the initial hurdle was the highly cluttered and competitive category. Both value and accessibility were pivotal for competitive brands, delivering physical and mental availability. Going beyond just a communication exercise, a holistic approach was initiated with adjustments in brand positioning, packaging, and engagement strategy, thereby achieving a tangible market impact for the brand. 

Effective strategy requires asking the right questions and seeking clarity at every stage, going beyond industry jargon or marketing templates to deliver effective solutions.

During your time in the Indonesian advertising sector, what are some of the shifts that you have seen? How has that impacted your campaign strategies in reaching and clicking with the target audiences?

A recent trend in branding has been the focus on reaching out to the notoriously elusive demographic dubbed ‘Gen Z’ – the lucrative segment every business aims to capture. In Indonesia, the population of the audience below the age of 25 comprises 28% of the population, roughly a base of 65 million individuals.

-Strategic shift towards cultivating a young Gen Z base: It involves unlocking their attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyles to establish stickiness and relevance with this audience. Alongside changes in audience touchpoints and journeys, efforts have been made to enhance insights and initiatives that foster a two-way conversation with them. 

One notable campaign was with the iconic brand Bintang, which aims to unite people across differences. We addressed the challenges faced by Indonesian Gen Z, combating prejudices and judgments. The campaign, ‘Unity in Diversity: Without any Terms & Conditions’ (‘Berbeda Bersama: Tanpa Syarat Dan Ketentuan’), created a safe space for these young individuals to express their innermost feelings.

-From collectivism to individualism: Collectivism is deeply ingrained in the social fabric of the country. However, there is a noticeable shift as young people rebuild their “sense of self” within the larger collective. 

They seek to express their individuality without disrupting the status quo. During a market visit to a rural area, we witnessed this firsthand as young entrepreneurs set up their coffee shops or warungs (small restaurants), involving friends and family in their businesses to share in the success.

Having worked in both the Indian advertising sector and the Indonesian market, what differences did you notice? How have you adapted your strategies to align with a completely different consumer market and technological changes?

Having worked across both the Indian and Indonesian markets, the realities of brands, businesses, and consumers remain constant. As a brand strategist, we delve into the layers of our consumers, exploring their values, rituals, and lifestyles.

While universal motivations like love, family, and ambition persist, the nuances become apparent upon closer examination of each market. Much like the diverse regions within India, Indonesia is not a homogeneous entity; it’s an archipelago comprising thousands of islands with distinct cultures, ethnicities, languages, and customs.

Moving beyond the confines of the ‘Java mindset,’ brands are now reaching out to the aspirations of smaller towns and cities. They’re crafting customized creatives and leveraging technology to offer personalized experiences. For example, during the launch of the revamped Nestle Lactogrow brand, we tailored our creatives to each region’s language while introducing a gamified AR experience to showcase the product’s new attributes.

Cultural nuances influence how advertising is perceived and embraced, with a preference for straightforward and demonstrative messages over complex ones. Emotions need clear direction, leaving little room for ambiguity or mixed messages. Ultimately, we serve as architects, building bridges between brands and consumers. While the designs of these bridges may vary, the foundation remains steadfast, connecting diverse landscapes and cultures.

Technology is developing at a rapid pace, and so is its adaption in the digital and advertising medium. What are your thoughts on some technological shifts like AI and metaverse? How do you envision them impacting the advertising business in the Indonesian market?

While the foundation of creativity and strategy remains constant, the landscape of platforms and channels has expanded, offering new and innovative ways to engage with our audience. The advertising industry is undergoing significant transformation, with brands and agencies striving to adapt, innovate, and execute amidst these changes.

Indonesia is no exception to this shift. With widespread social media usage and high penetration rates, there’s ample opportunity to explore new frontiers of brand interaction. While social media is already saturated with filters and AR experiences, the emergence of AI promises to push the boundaries even further. Agencies are embracing experimentation and arming themselves with advanced tools to enhance consumer experiences and efficiency.

The impact of these changes is evident, driving the need for upskilling and development across all agency functions – from strategy and creative to account management, media, production, and digital. The key is to remain open, flexible, and adaptive in the face of evolving trends, fostering new avenues for productivity, capability enhancement, skill development, and resource optimization to prepare for the challenges ahead.

Can you name a few successful campaigns that you executed? What different strategies did you apply to make them successful and ensure that they aligned with the marketing objective?

While all our work holds significance, there are a few standout campaigns that have truly captured the hearts and minds of our audience.

ABC Dapur Bersama Ibu – Ramadan remains a power period for the iconic brand, ABC in Indonesia. In a season cluttered with ‘togetherness’, ABC believed in the power of story-doing – bringing the value of ‘Togetherness’ to life for everyone beyond just storytelling. 

However, for the 2023 Ramadan campaign, the attempt was to walk the talk, not merely talk about values but provide opportunities for people to experience and contribute. 

Born out of the insight that moms always cook a little extra during Ramadan, ABC Dapur Bersama Ibu was a unique, one-of-a-kind community kitchen launched with the mission of providing delicious, hot mom-cooked meals for those far away from home during the festivities. We collaborated with 1026 moms working at 134 community kitchens and the Food Bank of Indonesia, distributing meals to 27 cities across the region. To strengthen our reach, we partnered with Alfamart, AlfaGift, Grab, and Danone Aqua – each playing distinctive roles to make the campaign more accessible. WAZE helped to pinpoint the locations of ABC Dapur Bersama Ibu kitchens, ensuring the ease of locating our campaign areas.

The campaign received a lot of love and accolades – Kantar’s Best Ramadan Ad 2023 and MMA APAC’s ‘Social Impact Marketing’ (Silver). 

Taste of Japan (McDonald’s) : Every year, McDonald’s ‘Taste of Japan’ menu offers local flavors with a unique twist. However, the challenge lies in showcasing Japanese credentials authentically, yet in a non-typical manner.

While the annual offering has already gained significant attention, our aim was to attract a wider audience of Japanese enthusiasts beyond the loyalists. For this year’s approach, we targeted fast-food lovers keen on experimenting, especially with Japanese and fusion cuisine. These individuals are fans of Japanese culture and seek experiences that resonate with them, including food, music, Cosplay, Anime, and Manga.

Our relaunch strategy for the annual Limited Edition ‘Taste of Japan’ menu aimed to seamlessly integrate into the world of Japanese culture and lifestyle. Collaborating with Indonesian-Japanese singer and content creator Icha Zahara, we orchestrated an iconic pop music moment in our marketing calendar. A Japanese song cleverly disguised as a McDonald’s ad captivated audiences, immersing them into the experience without even realizing it.

This catchy McDonald’s ad for the ‘Taste of Japan’ menu successfully connected with young people who are passionate about Japanese culture, food, and lifestyle.

This campaign earned accolades such as  MMA Product Launch (Silver), Social Media Marketing (Bronze), and MEA Excellence in Launch Marketing (Gold). 

Can you elaborate on any unconventional sources of inspiration or insights that have influenced your strategic thinking in the Indonesian context?

To truly understand consumers, immerse yourself in their culture, lifestyle, and mindset. While data analysis is helpful, exploring social media (like “finstagram”), gaming reports (for gender identities), lifestyle trends (such as anime or weeboo), and food exploration (for cultural immersion) provides deeper insights into Gen Z’s preferences. Since Gen Z is known for being selective, in-person interactions are invaluable for uncovering their preferences.

During consumer immersions, we delved into Gen Z’s life choices in rural and small towns. We discovered that while rural youth explore their identity digitally, they still feel the influence of their community in physical spaces. Entertainment options are limited, keeping them engaged in societal norms and expectations. Conversely, small-town Gen Z finds pockets of self-expression within smaller clusters. 

The concept of ‘space’ both physical and emotional remains distinctive for the same segment in the rural and small-town context. This distinction highlights the unique dynamics of how Gen Z navigates their environment, shaping their behaviours and preferences.

Last but not least, what exciting campaigns are you working on with Publicis Indonesia and when can we expect to see them?

It’s never a dull moment in the office!

The year ahead promises excitement, with a flurry of projects and campaigns lined up. Despite facing inflationary pressures and fluctuating consumer sentiments, our focus remains on accelerating business and brand core deliveries while fostering creativity to drive growth.

Spanning diverse categories like food, beverages, and QSR, our approach involves closely listening to clients’ current challenges and devising responsive, agile solutions. And if our efforts earn us some recognition, it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!