Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine June 2016 | Page 148

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Garuda Indonesia

GARUDA INDONESIA IS FRIENDLY,
CONVENIENT, INNOVATIVE AND
OUTSTANDING
By Hermawan Kartajaya,
Founder and Chairman of MarkPlus, Inc.

Akira Sugawara is a
senior consultant in the
Brand Communication
department of Nikkei BP
Consulting, Inc.’s Consulting
Group division. He also plays
the role of ‘Brand Asia’
project manager.
Nikkei is Japan’s largest media group
and has become even more famous since
acquiring the Financial Times in 2015.
In mid-May 2016, Mr Sugawara flew in
Garuda Indonesia’s business class from
Tokyo to Jakarta, Indonesia. The purpose
of his visit was to represent Nikkei at the
announcement of the winners of the
Brand Asia Award – Indonesia.
At the awards ceremony, I introduced
him to M. Arif Wibowo, CEO of Garuda
Indonesia. Akira Sugawara was all praise
for Garuda Indonesia! “I was quite surprised
because this was the first time I had flown
with Garuda Indonesia,” he quipped.
He was impressed with his experience of
Garuda Indonesia’s Business Class service
during the flight. “Not just good, but very
good,” he added.
When asked about the one thing he really
admired, the answer was “the cabin crew”.

In Japan people always keep a serious
demeanor, while in Indonesia people are
always smiling. “And that smile is natural,
not artificial.”
“WOW!”
When Garuda Indonesia was announced
as the local brand that had won first place
in Indonesia, he could understand why.
On May 17, at the closing session of the
4th Annual Jakarta Marketing Week 2016,
the company was also named one of the
Top 5 Most Powerful Brands in Asia.
There, too, Garuda Indonesia won
by a landslide against other brands
in the aviation industry in Asia.
Starting last year, MarkPlus Insight,
the research division of MarkPlus Inc.,
was appointed as the local partner of
Nikkei Consulting for the Brand Asia
Project. Friendly, convenient, innovative,
and outstanding are the four main
elements of a powerful brand.
My friend, Prof. Hotaka Katahira,
is one of the experts who designed these
criteria. Consider them as the essential
elements that a brand should adopt to
‘behave’ in a more ‘human’ way.
If a brand can behave like a human
who is friendly and convenient, it sets the
stage for further brand development.

Furthermore, if it can also become
innovative and outstanding, th