Depok-Low brand awareness for MSMEs products causes problems in marketing the goods produced, even though they are categorized as superior. Students of the Universitas Indonesia (UI) were moved to provide solutions to these problems, and offered concrete steps to help MSMEs. As a reward, they won second place in the 2024 Management Festival competition organized by the Management Student Association, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Nasional.
The competition, themed “Enhancing Digital Marketing Optimization for MSMEs Through Data Personalization,” tested the participants’ ability to develop digital marketing strategies to overcome problems faced by MSMEs. Three UI students, namely Futihat Nurul Karimah from the Vocational Education Program, Karin Ardelia Latifah Pranowo from the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, and Ranu Panamkarana from the Faculty of Economics and Business, raised the name of UI through a team called Blackpink Pasming.
“Despite their products being known for their delicious taste and quality, Starpresso struggled to attract consumers and increase sales amidst the intense competition in the coffee industry. They found that the lack of a strong brand identity and minimal digital marketing were the main causes of low awareness among coffee consumers,” Futihat said.
Through SWOT and STP analysis, as well as TAM, SAM, and SOM approaches, the team successfully formulated a creative marketing strategy. The INTIM strategy, specifically designed for Starpresso, focuses on a personal approach and digital marketing to increase interaction between Starpresso and consumers. To strengthen their identity, they introduced Starpresso as “Kopi Anak Pasming”, targeting young consumers in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.
“This intimacy strategy is very relevant to Starpresso because we want to highlight the personal side of their brand, while still maximizing digital marketing to increase awareness among consumers,” said Futihat.
(Photo: Blackpink Pasming Team during a presentation of innovative marketing strategies)
The first step the team took in the competition was to draft a proposal and then present it to a panel of judges. The competition ran throughout August, with presentations culminating at the end of the month.
Futihat added that their educational backgrounds were very supportive in formulating the strategy. “We want to explore our potential and unite the various scientific backgrounds that we have had while studying at the University of Indonesia. Different experiences and majors are one of our challenges, but we managed to collaborate the knowledge we have and hope to have a positive impact on the MSMEs that we help,” she said.
UI Vocational Education Program Director, Padang Wicaksono, S.E., Ph.D, expressed his pride in the achievements of UI students. “The achievements of Futihat and the Blackpink Pasming team are certainly a source of pride for UI and are expected to inspire other students to continue to innovate and develop themselves in various fields,” said Padang.
With this success, the Blackpink Pasming team plans to continue their participation in various other competitions. They hope to continue to make positive contributions to MSMEs in Indonesia, as well as encourage more UI students to be actively involved in activities that have a real impact on society.
