How many direct cover is enough?
The answer is probably never enough 
. When talking about distribution and availability, the issue how many are directly 
and indirectly covered by manufacturer is always comes up. This become a sticky point between sales and marketing department when they are meeting on the same table.
The problem is it is not a black and white situation. To be fair, with millions of retail store in Indonesia, we can not expect sales people or our distributor to directly cover all of the retailers. But they should cover the important one.
A decent FMCG distributor should have about 150 thousand or more retailers under their direct cover plan. Usually those are big retailer, wholesaler or semi wholesaler. This is the minimum level of distribution you will expect from a good FMCG distributor (More if you are cigarette company).
However distributing alone is not enough to make to product to “trickled down” to the smaller retailer. These “big” retailer need to be encouraged to “moved” the product to the smaller retailer. This is when marketing department play a very important role. They should advertised the product to create the consumer demand, or give a trade promo to encourage a smaller retailer to carry the product.
But it is difficult to verify the number of retailer directly covered by distributor, even if they part of the organization. I encourage the marketing team to go often to the market to check the availability from time to time.
NPD: Mie Sedaap Kari Special
Mie Sedaap just launched a new variant called: Mie Sedaap Kari (curry) special . To tell you the truth, when it first launch, I was 
thinking.. “What…? curry variant..?”. I was a bit taken a back by this move because:
- They already have curry variant
- Many tried in this segment without having a good success (i.e Kare and some other curry variant both from Indomie and Mie Sedaap)
To me it is very daring move and it seems they very serious about it, they support it heavily on the communication. I am now start finding the product in some retailers already, means they also support the distribution quite strongly.
Will they succeed or this product will be another failed new launch? I do not know, but with this new launch, I think what Mie Sedaap trying to do is to excite the market. If it later it proof to be not so successful product, it is still good for the umbrella brand, so it is not a total lost for them.
Will keep an eye on this product …
IPad revisited
I think I am not really fair in my previous post about iPad, its funny, but I think I am not fair. Let me offer you a different perspective.
Think about who will benefit most of this iPad,
- I think a professional (and not so Pro) photographer could be one of them, not for manipulating the picture of course, but to show their portfolio. They can also check the result of photo shoot immediately. The laptop can stay at home.
- Fulltime blogger also could be one of them, they only need internet connection and web browser to do the work, why bother to bring heavier laptop
- You and me, who just want to surf internet, read book, mail and watch video. This is an awesome tool for us.
In short, it built for specific task and it work beautifully for specific task and it looks disgustingly beautiful too. It is not all around tool, so comparing it with notebook is not fair, different usage. Comparing it with Kindle it will shine, comparing it with other windows tablets you will see why Windows tablet never really took off.
BCA Flazz Parking test
I am bit curious with BCA flazz advertising which said it faster than cash when we paid the parking ticket.. is it true..? Especially they use Rp 2.000 as the bench mark.
And then I decided to check it myself… , I know the ad is exaggerated, most of the ad are, but it will be nice to see how many second actually Flazz competed the transaction compare to hard cash. First here is the advertisement :
Yesterday I did a small “parking” test, somewhere in SCBD to measure “time to complete parking ticket transaction” using Flazz card, Rp.2.000 and Rp. 20.000 denominator. Same location, same car, same driver, same parking gate, same parking cost (Rp. 2.000).
For each denominator, I did it only once so it is far from perfect study and it just for fun only. The timing is measured from the cashier receive the money or card to the gate fully open. and the result is as follows (rounded to the closest second):
- The Flazz Card: Time needed to complete the transaction : 14 second
- The Rp. 2.000 denominator : Time needed to complete the transaction : 4 second
- The Rp. 20.000 Denominator : Time needed to complete the transaction : 13 second
With this scenario, I think Flazz Card will not beat the “uang pas” and it may need same timing to complete the transaction if the cashier have to give you exchange money. However Flazz will always give you peace of mind knowing that you always have just enough money for most of the things, more to convenience rather than faster transaction I suppose.
IPad the new toy from Apple
I am sure you have read many websites about this new shiny product form Apple called IPad, I know the name resemble a brand of Sanitary Napkins. Some fans are swearing at it, but the diehard Apple fan swear by it.
Ok let me summarize what they talking about.. first the Cons:
- It just IPod on steroid, can’t do much more than IPod
- No Flash, No USB, No Camera, No connection for cable
- Can not use other browser like firefox, or read ebooks purchased from other than Apple store
- Named like Sanitary napkins
Now lets see the Pros;
- It shiny and cool
- It shiny and cool
- It shiny and cool
- Named like sanitary napkins
So if you asked me will buy it or not… I will say “not now” the book reading feature will not work for Indonesian. Can’t buy anything from Apple store. Personally I will wait for Second or third generation (they may launch new variant like IPad Maxi or IPad night or wings…), my MacBook serve me better for now.
BTW for Indonesian, You will have a chance to buy this product around March at the price of Rp. 7 million or 20-40% above the retail suggested price.
BrandLift, Facebok-Nielsen colaboration
BrandLift is a hot topic in Marketing research circle is the new initiative from Facebook and Nielsen Co. A Research method to measure consumer attitude and purchase intent among Facebook’s 300 million audience.
Why is it important for Facebook? Because the industry is still reluctant to advertise in Facebook due to the unmeasured performance of the ad. With this research method, they hope that it will increase confidence among its (potential) client to advertise in Facebook.
For Nielsen, Facebook so far is a black box that need to be opened. It has 300 million audience or about 15 percent of all U.S. display ad views, this is a quite big coverage hole for Nielsen or anybody else in the Industry. Having access to study facebookers will give Nielsen a major advantage in competition.
Some pre-preliminary studies is actually conducted before the press release to day. One of the client is Sony Pictures who use the tool to asses consumer reaction towards some of its movies.
Sony said that Facebook campaigns for “District 9,” “The Ugly Truth,” and “Julie & Julia” performed well, by Nielsen’s measure. In the case of “The Ugly Truth,” after seeing an ad on Facebook, women 34 and over were more than 80 percent more likely to see the movie…
This is equally important in Indonesia as 16 million of Indonesian is now registered in Facebook compare to last year which is about 600.000 or so… a huge-huge jump, I will not surprised if the service will be rolled out to Indonesia very soon.
Tory advert, really tore my eyes and ears
At first when I saw this ad, It really annoy me, is Garuda Food losing their touch? or do they have other tricks in their sleeve. But now I think I know where it lead to… Annoying at first and later can be turn into funny ad as you see in this series of ads, which I am sure they copy the concept.
I am not really agree with copying, but who cares…! This series of ads will give you a hint what are they going to do next… So bear with me…
First, I am sure they got the idea from this ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDnOlcBZxH4)
Brand new noodle : Indosedap? :)
I was having wild thought…
Indomie is a great brand in instant noodle, and so is Mie Sedaap, why not combine it together…? It will be easier for the consumers as most of them know these two brands right…?
To my disbelieve, someone else is actually thinking exactly the same, and they come up with this product…
look at the cue, The word “mie Goreng” its using Indomie font, the upper right is Indomie ribbon, at the bottom there is Mie Sedap word using Mie Sedaap font (small word kriyuk-kriyuk added). The actual brand is actually Spix and it is a snack noodle not instant noodle.
And who come up with the idea…? some one from PT. Siantar Top is… but.. Shame on you Sir or Mam…!
- because you stole my idea
- Is that the best you can do..?
- You should call it Indosedaap..!
just Kidding.. 
Indonesia Socio Economic Status 2010
There are a lot of controversy in this SES (Socio Economic Status) profiling by Nielsen Indonesia. Some suggest other alternative, some are conveniently using it , some use it like there is no alternatives and few are hate it to the bone.
Before you read further… I remind you that this is my personal views not in anyway trying to be a spoke person of Nielsen or anybody else.
