Jersey Feud: Erspo x Makna vs. Indonesian Fans

A heated feud erupted between Erspo x Makna and Indonesian football fans after the brand was chosen to create jerseys for Indonesian football players. Criticism from netizens was met with a controversial response from the brand, fueling the conflict. The conversation grew more tense on social media, especially on Twitter, where the Makna founder sarcastically confronted one of Indonesia’s futsal coaches. The tensions peaked when famous futsal coach, Coach Justin, joined the conversation and expressed his offense.

What’s the insight?

• Indonesian netizens still adhere to the importance of mutual respect. They love to be heard by the brand, and they are offended when the brand can't handle their criticism openly.

How can brands tap in?

Brands have to be understanding of their audiences and acknowledge them through communication.

This can be done by engaging with the audience transparently, authentically, and through non-judgmental responses.

Makeup Trend Sparks Gender War 

A conflict broke out between female netizens and two male influencers, Cipray and Oza Rangkuti, over girls and their makeup, sparked by a trend from Instagram's 'Add Yours' template. It became an endless barrage of satire, with many girls coming together to defend themselves. From well-known influencers to regular users, many spoke up due to the controversy. 

Although it started on Instagram, the conversation grew much larger on TikTok, where many girls posted their opinions and annoyance. They also unintentionally mentioned many makeup brands they used, giving hype to those brands. Some makeup brands joined the hype of these moments to subtly promote their products.

What’s the insight?

• Girls supporting girls remains a significant trend among female netizens, especially regarding cherished topics like makeup. 

• They don’t mind if the response comes from nano or mega influencers; authenticity and relevance is what matters, and they engage regardless.

How can brands tap in?

If a brand has great respect and a positive brand image, the audience will organically create user-generated content (UGC) for the brand. In turn, the brand should embrace and support their audience's interests.

Siksa Kubur Conspiracy Buzz

One horror movie that has stirred up hype among Indonesians was promoted at the end of Ramadan and released a day after Eid al-Fitr. 'Siksa Kubur,' directed by Joko Anwar, brought excitement, especially among his die-hard fans. 

The conversation didn't stop there; after people watched the movie, discussions arose due to the conspiracy elements it contained. It became a huge topic on TikTok and Twitter, where people speculated about the movie's conspiracy theories. They discussed how the movie might be connected to previous films and tried to decipher the seemingly unclear plot, turning it into a puzzle to solve.

What’s the insight?

• The perfect timing of the movie's release during Ramadan aligns with the religious atmosphere, further hyping up the movie’s released. 

• Netizens love to indulge their curiosity, especially with a sense of mysteriousness, which sparks conversations and drives them to explore further.

How can brands tap in?

Brands have to identify the perfect timing when releasing a campaign. Brands should engage with the audience through an approach that makes them curious, allowing them to be part of the campaign by guessing and determining the direction.