Today I was so surprised to get Think ASEAN! in Korean version. I really never imagine my fourth book with Kotler will be a bestseller book in Asia. I think the signing of ASEAN Charter by the head of state of each ASEAN countries brings big impact to the sales of this book. After the signing of ASEAN Charter, many companies conceive ASEAN market as an option to invest in Asia. Considering this fact, I would like to ask McGraw Hill to publish the Chinese version of this book.
Metro TV has a new weekly English-language international news program named "Indonesia Now". Program which hosted by Kania Sutisnawinata and Dalton Takonata was very prestigious since it was broadcasted also in NHK, the biggest TV station in Japan, and this is the first Indonesian regular television program which is broadcasted in Japan.
I was so excited when Metro TV wants to interview me about my newest book, Think ASEAN! What surprising me is they already interview Mr. Joseph Angkasa (from Extra Joss) and Mr. Kiki (from Martha Thilaar Spa) since I put their case in my book as a lesson that can be learn from local brand that going regional. Yes. Both of them make us very proud as Indonesian. They bring Indonesian brand into ASEAN market.
In the interview, I explained that companies that planning to expand their business to overseas, they shall expand their brand to ASEAN countries first instead of going to China or India, or even going globally. Why? It’s true that China and India are a promising market for business expansion, but the competition is very stiff also. Many multinational companies expand their business to China, and it will be very hard to compete directly with them. So, for me, it would be easier for us to go to ASEAN countries regarding our basic socio-cultural similarities. At the end, there are three things you should know in creating ASEAN brand, which are: 1) Watch out for the local champions, 2) Learn from the locals going regional, and 3) Be inspired from multinationals focusing on ASEAN.
I and Kania Sutisnawinata, one of the host of Indonesia Now
CIRES (Centre for International Relations Studies) Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia invited me to speak in its national seminar entitled “ASEAN Single Market 2015: Indonesian Corporations Strategy and Opportunities” on 31st May. I was invited to give my opinion about the ASEAN single market since I am the author of Think ASEAN! book which was launched in Indonesian Embassy in Singapore. As we know, the Head of Governance from all ASEAN countries plan to create an ASEAN community, which will lead to the creation of the ASEAN single market. This single market will become a great opportunity for companies (big, small, local, multinational, NGO, state-owned, etc) to expand their business as there are 500 million peoples over these countries. It is really a huge market. The question now is, how do we as Indonesian corporation face this competitive challenge?
In this session, I explored the content of my book. I analyzed the ASEAN market with business landscape analysis model. Three main drivers of change: digitalization, globalization, and futurization will give a significant impact to the ASEAN landscape, and will change customers and competitors. As I mentioned in my book, there are three ways to keep our competitiveness: become the local champion, learn from local companies that go regional, and learn from multinational companies that go regional. At the end, I said to the participants that we shouldn’t just enough to pursue to be a champion in local country. Instead, we must become regional champion.
The presentation was going very well. Either me or Mr. Andrew White (director of Sampoerna) as the other speaker was pleased and participants very enthusiasm following the whole session. They asked me a lot of questions regards of the ASEAN opportunities, especially for Indonesia opportunities. I told them that we, the Indonesian has a great opportunities due to greatest number of population, the biggest economic scale, and many other things that support us. With being ASEAN countries, the opportunity for Indonesian become more greater, as the creation of ASEAN single market in 2015
My newest book that I wrote together with Philip Kotler and Hooi Den Huan, Think ASEAN! had been launched in Singapore. The book launched at the Indonesian embassy in Singapore, and I see, this event become very special for ASEAN since the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Ong Keng Yong attended as our guest-of-honor. Mr. Wardana, the Indonesian ambassador giving his welcoming remark, and to top it all is Philip Kotler, the Maha Guru of marketing conducted a live teleconference in the event. Participants who come at this book launching event achieved 250 peoples. What a spectacular numbers of peoples. This book itself was the first publication of Philip Kotler Center of ASEAN Marketing (PKCAM). The mission of PKCAM is to promote the marketing of the ASEAN region and to create ASEAN marketers capable of supporting the development of the ASEAN Community in 2015 and the enhancement of ASEAN Brand. So, with this center, we would like to invite all of the business to shift its brand into ASEAN brand, to go regional. Indonesian embassy chosen to be the placed for the launch was to symbolize the strong relation that will occur between Indonesia and Singapore. Indonesia is a rich country in term of its natural resources. Meanwhile, Singapore is rich in term of its economic scale. Through this book, I gave my opinion that the ASEAN countries must become “one region country”, change competitors as our friends, and companies creates ASEAN brand to face the coming globalization paradox, Regionalization. MarkPlus itself, which I founded 17 years ago, turned the ship to go to regional, without forgotten to always become local champion. And I am very proud of that, to become Indonesian that moved this local company into regional company, along with my mission, creates new Silk Road, and market-ing Indonesia to global world.
The Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) together with the ASEAN Secretariat invited me to the 4th ASEAN Leadership Forum as one of the panel speakers. Held on 18th April 2007, the forum was officially launched by our Vice President, Mr. Jusuf Kalla, and was attended by more than a hundred participants. The topic of the forum is “Shaping ASEAN’s Future”, which meant to create a common understanding in creating an ASEAN Community - built by ASEAN citizens. A united ASEAN region is good for regional business opportunities, stability, and prosperity.
Together with Mr. Ng Gek-Boo, Regional Director of International Labour Organization, Bangkok, Mr. Joseph Tan, Regional Economist from Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore, Dr. Raymond Atje, Head of Economics of Centre for Strategist and International Studies (CSIS), we were asked to give a short presentation about “ASEAN Regional Economic & Political Trends: Strengths, Weaknesses and Prospects for the Future”. In my session, I taught them the hidden opportunities laid behind ASEAN. In these days, being local isn’t enough anymore, we must think regional, THINK ASEAN! I taught them that the regional market is a big market, a new market orientation for corporation to expand. I also presented several examples of companies that are going regional. At the end, I closed my presentation with what marketing was about and how marketing plays an important role in going regional. The participants seemed very enthusiast judging from their active participation…
- HK on 4th Asean Leadership Forum -
Alstom Power Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd invited me to lead its Asia Regional Annual Strategic Marketing Plan Workshop. The workshop was held in Kuala Lumpur on 8 and 9 February 2007 at the Crown Plaza Mutiara Hotel. They had around 17 participants from 9 countries : Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. During the two days of interactive planning sessions with ALSTOM’s Power Business country sales directors and country sales managers, I proposed customizing Alstom's positioning in Asia. Its global positioning is "Clean Power Today". However, to fit to the region's perspective, I proposed "Affordable Clean Power Today". They were very happy because they think that the "affordable" word is the missing link that will make a big difference in its offerings acceptance. Affordability can be achieved through better sourcing policies and better value pricing strategies. The discussion was very productive and beneficial for both Alstom and MarkPlus!
The Alstom's participants and I
Every Wednesday, on Page 11, bottom right hand corner, you will find an article by me. The column is especially for issues and lessons regarding ASEAN Marketing. It is presented by me for the Philip Kotler Center for ASEAN Marketing.
The article for last Wednesday is on Regional Marketing for MNCs. In the article, I gave a formula for success for MNCs planning or are already operating in ASEAN. It is called Glorecalization.
Check it out!
Click here to view all my articles in The Point, in both doc. and jpeg. formats
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