Deasy Elsara – Page 2 – Nevertheless, she persisted.

Ramadan is Coming, Get Yourself (and Your Content) Ready

It’s officially 30 days until Ramadan. The holy month celebrated by millions where everything feels sacred and festive at the same time.

It’s when the time you spend alone feels as rewarding as the time you spend with the others. How could it not when even taking a nap during Ramadan is considered as a good deed?

From the religious perspective, I see Ramadan as a special moment to bond with the Creator, personally and spiritually. While from other perspective, we have to admit that nothing beats Ramadan vibe. It has that special kind of warmth where everything feels calculated and predictable. For eleven months, we have been clutching onto this feeling, longing for the moment to come. And when it finally comes, the familiar feeling surge inside and rushing like a wave.

Ramadan is magical. It brings family back together. To be practicing prayer together five times a day is the goal. But for some, spending time together as a family for two times a day, suhoor (eating before dawn to start the fasting) and iftar (breakfasting) is a rare moment they will cherish.

Like in most Indonesian household, I grew up watching television during both times with my family. For a late millennial like me, television was the main and only source of entertainment during Ramadan at that time.

Ramadan is THE prime time of the year.

Television was packed with various programs, from lecture (‘kultum’), Quran study (Tafsir Al Misbah with Quraish Shihab), documentaries (Jejak Rasul), or even tv series. If you’re a mid 80s born like me, you would’ve been familiar with Lorong Waktu, Kiamat Sudah Dekat, and Para Pencari Tuhan. All produced by the same production house, helmed by senior actor turned politician, Deddy Mizwar.

Apart from all of that, Ramadan commercials also hit different, just like Super Bowl to Americans. Brands are splurging money and creative team are racking their brain to produce the best Ramadan commercials, trying to beat each other’s last year achievement. Check out YouTube Ads Leaderboard Ramadan, an annual showcase by Google of the most popular ads screened during the Ramadan period.

If one must name a genre of Ramadan ad, what do you think it will be? For me, it’s a musical family drama. You have the music (I bet money some particular religious songs will be on heavy rotation again just like Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas is You during Christmas!), the touching story, and of course family as the center.

Besides television, radio was also the go-to source of entertainment during Ramadan for many people in early 2000. I remember there was a radio drama by Prambors titled BOMP (Bikin Orang Mikirin Puasa) which aired daily at 5PM. It quickly became a hit! Radio drama is not a new format, it was already popular since the 80s (remember Saur Sepuh?). But, we have to admit that Prambors made the right decision to make it as a Ramadan series. Clever strategy!

When I said earlier that Ramadan feels sacred and festive at the same time, I’m not exaggerating. It really feels that way. In between practicing Islam (fasting, daily prayers, reciting Quran, and other good deeds), you’re also exposed to curated contents from literally everywhere.

It makes me wonder, how do Gen Z or the younger generation experience Ramadan? Do they have the same excitement and collective memory about the holy month? Do they feel that Ramadan is ‘sacred and festive’, or it is more festive to them considering everything is just a tap away? Do they cling on to specific Ramadan content to accompany them in between rituals?

Do Ramadan themed content even exist or still relevant to them?

Let’s shift our focus to digital contents for a while. Looking at the Google Ramadan Playbook 2022, Gen Z or the younger generations are consuming Ramadan contents differently, but ‘watching’ still become our favourite activity. YouTube internal data shows that Indonesians are watching online videos more to accompany their celebrations, with some keywords showing a spike in search (up to 4x) during Ramadan. So rather than consuming what is provided by the channel (television, radio, social media), the digital natives took initiative by curating their own Ramadan content.

As for me, I can’t remember if there’s specific Ramadan content(s) that I have consumed in the past several years. I remembered listening to BKR Brothers podcast. They have a confession series called BKR Ngaku wherethey invited listeners and their celebrity friends to send a voice memo and confess about anything. But I don’t remember if I was deliberately search and listen to it.

I also remember watching several episodes of Pemuda Tersesat, a Youtube content series by Majelis Lucu Indonesia where they invited an ustadz to answer questions from the viewers. However ridiculous the questions were—”Is it considered riya (show off) to be breathing next to a corpse?” is just one of the example—the ustadz would still give a serious answer from the religious perspective. The program was amusing, but I’m not sure if it’s specially produced for Ramadan or just another MLI regular content.

All of this boils down to one question from me: What’s your favorite Ramadan program/ content/ commercial from last year? They can be on any platform, from TV, radio, podcast, Youtube, OTT (Netflix, etc), or even articles. If you have it, please comment below, especially if you’re a Gen Z.

As a closing, please also allow me to give a friendly reminder that it’s officially 30 days until Ramadan. So brands, creative team, and writer peeps, we’re running out of time fill up our Ramadan content bank. Produce the new ones (more is always better), update the old articles with new and relevant informations, optimise your SEO, and don’t stop social listening. If you need some additional (basic) insights, you can rely on Google Ramadan Playbook.

Ramadan kareem.

***

F(l)ight

How does your body respond to stress? Mine will be ‘eating’ as I find it very comforting. But for the sake of it, let’s make this post ✨professional✨ by sharing a work-related stress story.

I tend to have this ‘toxic’ trait where my way of combating stress is by adding more ‘stress’. Q4 was and will always be the most hectic working period, I know many of you will agree. I was swamped with work while at the same time also still juggling with situation at home, my son’s hybrid school schedule (2 days offline, 3 days online) and house chores (we decided to stop hire a part-time housekeeper as the second wave of Covid hit last July). So there’s only me, my husband, and my toddler. The stress level skyrocketed, and I needed a safe space to ‘escape’.

That’s when I ended up enrolling myself into some online professional certificate programs. The four weeks subjects, quizzes, and deadlines surely gave me additional pressure and adrenaline. But also joy and satisfaction as I gained new knowledge and hone my skills.

It’s a new thing for me. I know I’m always a visual (spatial) and verbal (linguistic) learner, but during the pandemic, I guess I’ve evolved into an aural (audio) learner as well. I started to enjoy podcast and audiobook a lot, maybe partly because I still can do other thing including my work while listening to it. I remember I chuckled on Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapien audiobook, the ‘Gossip’ part, while I was stirring my boiling pot.

Fast forward to few months later, I find myself in a similar situation. The ‘stress’ I’m currently facing is no longer a mountain of rocks I’ve to carry, but a mere long and boring wood log.

Also known as a creative block.

The feeling is familiar, almost like a pattern or a cycle, where every few years of long driving, I hit a dead end.

Can I turn back? Should I leave the car and started walking to find another way? Do I crave for more or this is it?

Knowing how I can be overthinking sometimes (Gemini, *shrug*), I’ll let my body ‘hijack’ me one more time by doing something she’s best at combating stress: adding more (beneficial) ‘stress’.

At the time I’m writing this post, I have finished another online course. This time I even chose subject that is outside my typical choice: business. But it turns out I’m still craving for something familiar, a sense of security I can hold on to. That’s when I decided to take an offer to be involved in a project with ruangrupa, a Jakarta-based artist collective. It’s been years since my last project with them. I used to manage their video/media arts division (OK. Video) for several years. They are currently preparing for Documenta fifteen, a 100 days exhibition of contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany.

I am currently involved as an editor for one of their publications. It feels refreshing because I am back to my element. I get to read a lot and make sense of it before making a meticulous edit. It’s an ongoing project I have yet to finished.

Here I am again with my newly added ‘stress’. I have to work over-hours because this project can only start after my official working hour ended. So I have a new deadline to finish, less time to sleep, more expectations to meet, but also a joy from reading all this amazing writings from the writers/researchers and high caliber contributors (one of them is a female professor at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences whom I adore for so long!).

For now I’ll just let my ‘toxic trait’ into action. This is the only way I know to productively combating stress; to make use of a ‘long and boring wood log’. Who knows I might make a beautiful sculpture out of it, instead of just dragging it in an agonizingly long and straight line.

***

P.S. This is my personal way of combating stress and I am not advertising it for anyone else. Our body can give different reaction when exposed to stress. If you are struggling with stress, I suggest you to seek help. The symptoms may be physical or emotional and can include chain of negative reactions that can be harmful to yourself. Several sources I find useful for coping with stress: CDC, NHS, Mentalhealth.org.uk, and Mind.

The Rise of (Digital) Couch Potatoes

I was halfway through watching the new vlog of Stray Kids member, Han Jisung, last Sunday when he showed off his new neck phone holder proudly. It looks quite gigantic compared to his relatively tiny body. He then proceeded explaining why this other worldly looking thing is the best thing for a homebody. “It turns your place to a movie theater,” he convinced us.

You might wonder what kind of cinephile this rapper (don’t let his quokka-looking face fool you) is. At this specific vlog, he shared his current interest is a Harry Potter series on Youtube.

I can relate to him, not as a Potterhead, but as someone who digs deep about certain topic on Youtube and even frequently got lost in the ‘rabbit hole’. I once watched an interview video and ended up finishing a 10 minutes-long tutorial video about mini pool water filter.

Back to Jisung, after he finished his meal, he went straight to his bedroom to continue watching. Using the neck phone holder, he comfortably laid on top of his shared bunkbed just enjoying his personal time.

Until he dozed off and woke up near lunchtime.

(Screenshot from Stray Kids Youtube channel.)

I chuckled. Not because his gesture is comical, but several things tickled me. He is the perfect representation of Gen-Z and their digital behaviour.

Gen-Z Domination

First of all, Jisung is the Gen-Z as he was born in 2000. Internet is undeniably a part of his daily intake and use it as the main source of information and entertainment apart from “developing and maintaining connections, building self-image, and expressing thoughts and emotions”.

Jisung may lives in South Korea, but recent data from We Are Social and Hootsuite shows similar behaviour in Indonesia. We have more than 202.6 million internet users and 170 million active social media users in Indonesia. Although the study didn’t have specific data for Gen-Z, other report by the Indonesian Internet Providers Association (APJII) shows the accumulation of internet users between 10- 24 years old were up to >25%. In short, we can safely assume that Gen-Z dominates the use of digital media with Youtube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as the five primary platforms.

Online video and Chill

With a landscape this massive, digital is no longer viewed as a niche in Indonesia, especially during the pandemic when everyone is homebound and everything mostly done virtually. Google Trends Data shows online video keeps gaining popularity in Indonesia and over 93 million unique users online visit YouTube every month. Time spent for personal use was also increasing from 3.6 hours to 4.3 hours per day.

It’s only natural for us at the Shopee Brand Content team at the beginning of pandemic to quickly adapt to the situation and pivoted our strategy by creating Shopee Anti Mati Gaya Club, bitesize video series of things people can do at home. From a simple make-up tutorial, 15 minutes workout, mini kitchen makeover, baking tutorial, to fun ideas for working parents to play with their toddlers at home. Once staying at home has become the new norm, we swiftly back our strategy to keep people entertained, hence welcoming back our signature content series.

It seems what we did was the right move. Another Google data shows similar trends about Youtube users in Indonesia. They were turning to online videos to satiate their curiosity or keep themselves entertained.

(Data visualisation from Thinkwithgoogle.)

Looking at the trends, most users spent their time online to gain new knowledge, while other major part of the users were ‘traveling without moving’ during this pandemic. Other interesting and obvious part of trends is the increase of searches for Korean drama. Or in our case, all things K-Pop have shown spike during the same period of time in our channel.

The Rise of Couch Potatoes

Here comes the interesting part. When I mentioned that Han Jisung was perfectly captured Gen-Z with his watching habit, there’s a completely different trend has been happening amongst internet users worldwide.

Now we have entered the streaming era, which has, ironically, landed us back in the living room. (Brian Albert, Gautam Ramdurai, 2021)

People still watch a lot of mobile video, but they tend to find more comfort in watching them in a much bigger screen; a smart tv or also known as connected television. Although there’s no specific data about Gen-Z viewers, this ‘new’ trend is actually makes sense. Less people are watching television for channel surfing. Instead, they have full authority to stream their favourite and more personalised contents through OTT (Over the Top) services. In Indonesia alone, there are currently ten locals OTT along other popular giants from abroad like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Viu, etc.

If you’re privileged enough to have a full WFH option during this hard times, you somehow also grew a higher level of comfort and quality to spend you personal time. If before the pandemic you’re coming home from work exhausted and need a little refreshment, most of the time, the only option left is taking your mobile phone to your bed and do whatever you want to do online. It’s hassle free and you can straightly dozed off after because you’re already in bed.

The More The Merrier

Today’s viewers are moving from “me” to “we” in the living rom. So once again, watching considered as a communal activity. People who watch together tend to watch longer videos and for a longer period of time. Group viewers are also more engaged, and when an ad comes, they experience a stronger emotional response than the solo viewers.

(Data visualisation from Thinkwithgoogle.)

Conversations and interactions are obviously the biggest factor that determine this emotional response. For us Indonesians, a ‘nobar’ (nonton bareng) almost become the tradition to ‘celebrate’ certain moments, from watching the new or finale episode of our favourite series, big sports match, to the quick count of presidential election.

For writing purpose, let’s pretend Han Jisung and seven other Stray Kids members are Indonesians and living in the same ‘kost’ (rented house/ apartment). Today is their movie night and it’s Jisung’s turn to choose what they’re going to watch and everyone has to agree. If you guessed it’s going to be a Harry Potter series, you’re right.

(Picture from Allkpop.)

Now let’s also pretend they are just eight broke kids who can’t afford Youtube premium. Several ads will appear while they’re watching, and hypothetically, one of them is from Shopee.

Shopee is currently in the beginning of 10.10 Brands Festival campaign. This time, one lucky shopper will bring home a Tesla car. If Shopee ad appeared while Han Jisung was watching it alone, there’s only 37% chance of him giving a response. That’s not the case when he has co-viewers. Now that they are watching together, whenever Shopee ad appeared, there’s a chance it will get noticed by other members. It will lead to a conversation, an interaction, then the ultimate goal is turn into an action.

What is the action? Shopping.

***

Meanwhile in a living room where all eight members are gathered and ready to stream a Youtube series from their connected TV, suddenly a Shopee ad appears.

I.N: Cool t-shirt! What was the brand? I missed it!

Felix: It’s ERIGO. You want me to search it for you at Shopee?

I.N: That would be wonderful, thanks Lixie!

Hyunjin: Oh, Scarlett body lotion? Interesting.. Wait a minute, why did i run out of body lotion so quickly? YAH.. who use it without MY permission??

Chan: Changbin look, they have a good deal for Xiaomi.

Lee Know: If you still insist to be an Android user!

Changbin: OF COURSE. WDYM?

Han: I’m hungry…

Seungmin: We run out of ramyeon. Do you want to try Mie Sedap?

Han: Yeah, sure. Let’s bu- OOOH.. WHAT, A TESLA??? GUYS, GUYS, WE CAN WIN A TESLA! SEUNGMIN, LET’S BUY A LOT OF MIE SEDAP!!!

***

Endah N Rhesa – Pulang ke Pamulang: Hunian Bernama Rasa Nyaman

Sempatkan menonton video musik “Pulang ke Pamulang”, niscaya kita akan merasa sedang berada dalam sebuah tur virtual menuju suatu daerah suburban di selatan Tangerang bernama Pamulang.

Endah N Rhesa seakan memandu kita dalam perjalanan mereka pulang lengkap dengan visualisasi lirik lagu yang presisi. Melewati satu per satu penanda kota sebagai pengingat bahwa kita sudah berada di Pamulang:

Merayap di jalan layang / Danau yang tenang / Rindang pepohonan / Terlihat kuda berkawan / Langit berawan / Tiba di bundaran…

Endah N Rhesa merilis lagu “Pulang ke Pamulang” pada awal Oktober 2020—sekitar 9 bulan sejak pandemi merebak. Orang-orang mulai terbiasa berkegiatan dari rumah dan membatasi frekuensi bepergian. Ada sedikit perasaan getir saat pertama kali mendengar lagu ini dan meresapi liriknya. Betapa makna ‘pulang’ semakin terasa sentimental dalam situasi yang penuh keterbatasan dan kewaspadaan.

Seperti Pamulang yang lebih dari sekadar rumah bagi Endah N Rhesa, ‘pulang’ juga memiliki makna yang lebih luas dari kembali ke hunian. Bagi keduanya, pulang juga berarti kembali ke seseorang atau perasaan yang membangkitkan nostalgia dan rasa nyaman dalam diri.

Simak penampilan kedua Endah N Rhesa di Shopee Tunes yang kali ini membawakan lagu “Pulang ke Pamulang”. Teriring doa dan harapan-harapan baik untuk Sobat Shopee yang saat ini terdampak bencana banjir. Semoga semuanya dikuatkan, senantiasa diberikan kesehatan dan perlindungan, serta bisa segera kembali pulang—baik itu ke hunian, seseorang, ataupun rasa nyaman yang familiar.

Selamat menikmati.

——
🔗 Tonton penampilan Endah N Rhesa – When You Love Someone: shopee.co.id/tuneswhenyoulove

🔗 Tonton penampilan musisi lainnya di Shopee Tunes: shopee.co.id/shopeetunes.

Producers: Abdillah Subarkah, Kartini Bohang, Pricila Putri

Art Director: Malinda Hapsari, Narasty Amalia

Director: Fikri Barzqi

Videographers: Almitoshima Anggas, Vascal Sapta

Editor: Almitoshima Anggas

Photographer: Galih Dirza

Content Lead: Deasy Elsara

Endah N Rhesa – When You Love Someone: Berani Ungkapkan Rasa

Berbicara tentang musisi tanah air dalam formasi duo, tidak banyak yang bertahan lama, apalagi dengan tetap menghasilkan karya yang relevan tanpa kehilangan karakter. Endah N Rhesa adalah salah satu yang tak hanya mampu bertahan selama hampir dua dekade, tapi juga tetap produktif menelurkan karya-karya baru yang sigap mengikuti perkembangan zaman.

Agak sulit mengategorikan musik Endah N Rhesa ke dalam satu genre. Mengutip dari situs resminya, pasangan musisi ini ingin menghadirkan nuansa folk, ballad, blues, jazz, serta rock and roll dalam setiap karya mereka.

Di Shopee Tunes kali ini Shopee mengundang Endah N Rhesa untuk menampilkan salah satu hit single-nya yang berjudul “When You Love Someone”. Endah, sang vokalis, menciptakan lagu ini pada tahun 2004. Saat itu ia masih bersolo karier setelah hengkang dari band lamanya. Sementara Rhesa hanya tampil sebagai pendukung ketika Endah manggung membawakan lagu ini. Tak lama setelahnya, keduanya memutuskan untuk berkarya bersama. Bisa dibilang lagu “When You Love Someone” inilah cikal bakal terbentuknya Endah N Rhesa.

Mungkin tidak banyak yang tahu kalau lagu ini nyaris tidak dimasukkan ke dalam album debut Nowhere to Go (2009). Siapa sangka, justru lagu “When You Love Someone” menjadi salah satu lagu Endah N Rhesa yang paling populer. Nuansa folk dan ballad terdengar kental dalam lagu bertemakan cinta ini. Liriknya sederhana, mengajak kita untuk berani menyatakan perasaan cinta. Jangan ada kata malu dan takut dalam perwujudan cinta dan cita.

Hampir dua dekade setelah diciptakan, lagu “When You Love Someone” masih terdengar relevan, bahkan mampu bertransformasi dalam semesta makna yang lebih luas lagi. Bukan tanpa alasan jika akhirnya Shopee Indonesia memilih lagu ini sebagai musik latar video “Rayakan Hari Ibu dengan #SambutHarapan” pada 2020 silam.

Simak penampilan Endah N Rhesa membawakan lagu “When You Love Someone”. Semoga di Hari Kasih Sayang ini, kita semua dapat merasakan hangatnya dekapan cinta orang-orang terkasih, baik dalam wujud fisik, virtual, maupun dalam lintasan doa.