Changes in media consumption patterns in Indonesian society surely affect the existing media trends and creates new challenges for Media Agencies. Ahmad Bahtiar Rifai, Associate Strategic Planning Director of Fortune Indonesia, believes that change is inevitable. He thinks that the quality of human resources is the core that needs strengthening in the internals. Lots of learning and reading can be the key to conquering every challenge. Here are excerpts from an interview with Ahmad.
When did you join Fortune?
I joined Fortune in February 2012.
How did you start joining Fortune?
Previously, I had worked at a multinational agency for 12 years. Then, I received an offer from Mr. Rochim to join the big family of Fortune Indonesia. I was intrigued and curious about the difference between a multinational agency and a local agency. I also wanted to learn something new and different from a local agency, so I decided to join Fortune Indonesia.
What makes you enjoy working at Fortune?
I found notable differences between local and multinational agencies. At the multinational agency where I used to work, I just worked for the sake of work. On the other hand, at Fortune, business is something to share with all Fortuners so that the company’s existence and future depend on Fortuners. As a result, everybody feels the need for one another. Moreover, the working environment is very different. At the multinational agency, there is only vertical and horizontal communication while at Fortune, the relationship pattern is relatively more flexible and has a very strong kinship. I sum up that when working at a multinational agency, “you learn to become a professional” whereas at Fortune “you learn to become an entrepreneur.” This attracts me and makes me stay at Fortune Indonesia.
What is the unforgettable experience during your work at Fortune?
In my opinion, the precious moment at Fortune is when we succeed in winning the business for the team and the company. Because, as I mentioned before, I have the experience of working at a multinational agency for 12 years and I know the quality of their sources very well so winning over a multinational agency in a pitching session is, I think, a remarkable achievement. The sense of satisfaction is like catching a huge fish or defeating a great enemy.
Targets in 2017 to be achieved together with Fortune?
From the business side, I want Fortune to be more developed and greater. In addition, I also have goals on the business success support, i.e. the human resources. I want my team to be more modern, in a sense that it does not compartmentalize the digital media and conventional media. Indeed, digital media are new platforms that have their own advantages, but I think digital media and conventional media are similar since both are communication media to deliver messages. So I want all the teams in Touchpoint to have the same viewpoint and when talking about media, any kind of media, they have the expertise. It is surely Fortune that will reap the benefits if the clients see Fortune as the expert marketing consultant and the agency that is always ready to provide the best advice to the clients.
What do you think of advertising media industry trends in 2017?
Changes in media consumption patterns of Indonesian people do affect other media. The way I see it, digital media may be more developed but other media will survive as long as the media can maintain their nature. For example, radio has once experienced a dormant period but when radio began to return to its business nature, radio will stay afloat. To return to its business nature means to reassess its true function. For radio, the nature of its business is to provide listeners with music coupled with interactive and up-to-date broadcasters. So, it is necessary to understand the business nature of each medium type.
 
The challenges of Advertising media industry in 2017?
Media are dynamic and will continue to grow. When there is a new media pattern sometimes clients doubt its effectiveness and tend to compare it with the way they are used to use. As an agency, the biggest challenge is how to educate and convince the clients that what we recommend has been made based on the consumers and media insights. Moreover, another challenge that also arises due to the changes in media consumption pattern is that the public is increasingly segmented. Therefore, we should be able to understand the insights of each target audience through a very different psychographics so that the recommendations offered reach the target set by the client. My suggestion is to conquer the challenges of the media trends by lots of learning, for instance by reading books to expand the horizon.
Personal goals in 2017?
I happen to have a business engaged in the culinary field. Initially, I just love to taste foods and then try to cook them. Then, my wife suggested me to start a culinary business.Finally, Alhamdulillah, August last year I began to open the business. I hope my business will keep growing in 2017.
Principles in Life?
In my opinion, we should live our life according to sunatullah. It can be said that my principle is “Man Jadda Wa Jadda“, whoever strives shall succeed or in other words, we will reap maximum results for whatever we do seriously.
Hobbies aside from work?
I am not a person who has a hobby and seriously work on it, but I do love doing something to spend my leisure time. Lately, I like to make and assemble furniture. It is still the simple kind of furnitures such as shelves and tables, but I find it great to be a free time activity and healing time. Besides, I think such activity is also great for relieving stress.
How do you manage your time for work, hobby, and business?
I have the formula to manage the time, so I just follow it. The formula is 1/3 resting, 1/3 worshiping and 1/3 doing other activities.
Favorite weekend activity with family?
On weekends, I actually prefer to have a rest at home but sometimes I spend time with my children doing physical activities because I do not want my children to spend too much time on gadgets. So, every Sunday morning I usually take my kids to the park to do some exercise.
Expectations and suggestions for Fortune Indonesia?
I hope that Fortune Indonesia will be better in terms of business achievement, quality of the people and quality of its benefits. My advice to Fortune is to never stop learning because learning is never completed. Technology and audience behavior will continue to grow, just as the clients will also evolve. I hope Fortune as a company engaged in the field of communication should also be able to continue to develop themselves by always learning.