3G euphoria, where to from here?

How is 3G faring in Indonesia? While it is still being promoted, this third-generation cellular telephone service seems to be losing its sheen. The presence of this latest technology in the mobile phone industry, advertisements of which feature a number of celebrities ranging from Gigi and Krisdayanti to Muslim religious teacher Jefry, it appears to be a wilting flower.

It is true that when 3G technology was first introduced in Indonesia, users lacked proficiency in this technology. It calls for a change in the habit of making a telephone call, namely from merely speaking and listening to speaking, listening and viewing.

However, it is not the lack of proficiency in this latest technology that is responsible for the very slow development of 3G in Indonesia. According to several observers, 3G operators seem to pay more attention to video calling services while in fact subscribers need speedy data access.

Obviously, GSM operators in Indonesia have invested hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars to develop 3G service. A year after its introduction here, however, the number of 3G subscribers stands at fewer than 3.5 million people. Telkomsel, who had 3.2 million subscribers up to July 2007, claims to be among the 10 biggest operators in the world. Meanwhile, XL claims to have 100,000 subscribers making video calls every day (HandPhone magazine, October 2007).

These figures, however, are far from the estimate by International Data Corporation, a leading data institution, which has predicted that Indonesia will have 300,000 3G subscribers using video call-up by late 2008. The 3G euphoria in Indonesia, which operators have plugged since September last year, has failed to gain a proper response. GSM operators initially set a minimum target of 15 to 20 percent of their subscribers being users of 3G mobile phone technology. This means by 2008, there would be a potential for 10 to 12 million 3G subscribers.

The question is, how willing are these subscribers to spend money using 3G technology, which is certainly more expensive than using the ordinary mobile telephone? The number of subscribers may be real but they are not active users as they have simply registered. "My cell phone is 3G equipped, but I very rarely use it for video calls. I use this technology only when it is really necessary," said A. Baihaqi, director of Tactic Communications.

Baihaqi is just one example. In fact, over the past year, the average revenue per user rate has continued to drop. It therefore comes as no surprise that some people question the future of 3G in Indonesia. Will it fizzle?

In 2003, the director of Pyramid Research, Ross O'Brian, predicted that 3G in the Asia-Pacific region would sell well only in Japan, South Korea and Australia. As for countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, he said it was not time to implement 3G serviced because the markets in these countries were not ready for 3G technology, plus the income level of Asians was still relatively low.

Perhaps the promotion period needs to be longer so that 3G investments in Asia will increase. In addition, in most Asian countries teledensity is still below 50 percent, while there is more concern about augmenting the capacity of the network for voice rather than building a new service based on 3G technology. Operators may claim that they are on the right track in developing 3G services, but facts illustrate the opposite, if not indicate that they have used the wrong tactic.

At the initial stage, operators prioritize the video calling service to lure the public. In fact, what subscribers need is not a video calling or video streaming service but high-speed data access, or an Internet service using HSDPA technology.

In countries where 3G has been successful, such as Japan and South Korea, video calling service is not overly popular. Most subscribers use this service for music downloading and Internet access. In addition, what's more important is that the Japanese government, for example, fully supports 3G technology and imposes an upfront fee on the use of the 3G spectrum, while South Korea, which also imposes an upfront fee, offers incentives and assistance in the development of the broadband wireless network.

It is true that to operators providing 3G services in Indonesia, video calling -- the rate of which is the same as that of ordinary phone conversations during this one-year popularization period -- is merely a gimmick to lure subscribers to use other services. They are now beginning to sell a data package of high-speed Internet modem.

In addition, a number of operators have also begun to seriously set up communities of mobile Internet users. They have begun to popularize what is called Web 2.0 or Mobile 2.0, which enables subscribers to do mobile blogging, video sharing and avail of other content-sharing applications. Unfortunately, those most intensively involved in this campaign are mostly cell phone vendors, not operators.

Nokia, for example, has forged a strategic cooperation deal with three broadband wireless Internet providers, namely PT Telkom, PT Indosat Mega Media (IM2) and PT Cyberindo Aditama (CBN), while one content aggregator, PT Mobile Lifestyle Indonesia (MLI), is offering free Wi-Fi services.

This cooperation will allow all users of Nokia N series handsets, which have a Wi-Fi feature, to access high-speed Internet free of charge at 1,000 hot spots owned by these three operators in more than 20 cities in Indonesia. However, to access free Internet services, N series users must first register through www.cooldesak.com, built by MLI. According to the general manager of Nokia Indonesia, Hasan Aula, cell phones have become an inseparable part of modern life. A cell phone is not simply a device for making a phone call as it now has many other functions. Once the cell phone started enjoying its heyday as a device for talking and sending SMSes, more functions started to be included in the cell phone following increased capability to use various technologies, including making cell phones compatible with 3G technology, or even with 3.5 G, 4G or WiMAX technology.

What's obvious is that GSM operators are hedging their bets with 3G service. This is not only because they have invested a lot of money in establishing this service but also because this service is a stepping stone for the operators to eventually enter the data service arena. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, October 30, 2007

Expected low Internet rate to lure more users

There appears to be an opportunity for Indonesians to enjoy cheap Internet connections, with the entry of PT First Media Tbk. into the high-speed broadband Internet network access business. PT First Media Tbk, a subsidiary of the Lippo Group, has advertised its relatively cheap product, FastNet 384, at Rp 99,000 per month. For just Rp 99,000, a subscriber gets unlimited access to the Internet at a speed of 384 kilobits per second.

First Media provides cheap Internet services through what is called Triple Play. Triple Play consists of FastNet, which is a high-speed broadband Internet service, home cable and digital TV cable as well as datacomm, which is a communication data service for corporations.

First Media gives real broadband service because it is no longer based on shared network access, which is common practice and is purportedly called a broadband service. The low Internet connection rate is expected to lure more Internet subscribers, not only corporations but also students and housewives.

However, it may be some time before anyone can enjoy this particular service as the network infrastructure has yet to be established. According to First Media, the company will invest US$650 million in this service over the next four years.

First Media's low Internet subscription rate is indeed good news for prospective subscribers but it also poses a threat for other Internet providers, such as PT Telkom's Speedy, because they will have to reassess their position if they wish to continue engaging in the broadband business. The presence of FastNet will certainly spur massive price competition, which will have an impact on all other broadband businesses, including wireless services through the use of 3G technology.

Indications that Internet rates would drop became apparent in early February following the issuance of Communication and Information Ministry Regulation No. 3/2007 on network leases, which may lower the network lease rate by up to 50 percent. According to Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers (APJII) chairperson Sylvia W. Sumarlin, the component of leased circuit in the form of bandwidth from abroad represents 50 percent of the total operational cost of an Internet service provider. "Other big costs are backhaul, access network to subscribers and taxes, the rate of which has yet to be fixed," she said.

According to her, following the lowering of the network lease rate as a result of the new regulation, it is expected that rates will decrease by up to 30 percent. Sylvia stressed that the reduced rate would have a significant impact on Internet usage, namely a 30 percent increase, although this would not mean a rise in Internet users. However, APJII has separately estimated that the number of Internet users would rise by 30 percent once the regulation on leased circuits was applied. At present there are about 20 million Internet users in Indonesia.

Indonesia still lags behind neighboring countries, such as Singapore, in providing cheap Internet access. Since January of this year, Singapore has provided free Wi-Fi access in many public places. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that in 2007 the broadband Internet infrastructure network will reach all parts of Singapore. The public will enjoy 512 kbps wireless access for free at public Wi-Fi spots across the city through local telecommunications operators SingTel, iCell and QMax.

While ICell and QMax will provide free Wi-Fi services for two years, SingTel will offer free services for three years. Through a hot spot wireless Internet service program, called Wireless@SG, the Singaporean government will also raise the number of hot spots from 900 to 5,000, concentrated in town centers, business districts and shopping belts. To ensure a more equitable Internet penetration, Lee said, the government will, besides expanding the scope of the hot spots, also provide 10,000 subsidized computers to needy households with school-going children.

The Singapore government's initiative is intended to ensure that all Singaporeans can enjoy the same digital experience. "We must create digital opportunities for all Singaporeans, and never allow a digital divide in our society," Lee said.

Internet penetration is said to be a yardstick for the level of progress achieved by a nation. Indonesia has only 20 million Internet users or a penetration of 8.9 percent of the total population (See http://www.internetworldstats.com/). Viewed from the number of Internet Protocols (IP) in circulation or allocated, which stands at over 2.8 million, they can be estimated that the maximum number of subscribers is somewhere in the vicinity of two million.

Compare this with Malaysia, which has an Internet penetration of close to 38 percent and 2.8 million allocated IP numbers, or with Singapore, where 68 percent of the population has Internet access and the IP numbers stand at 2.6 million. As the need for bandwidth should be viewed not from penetration but from the number of users and IP numbers, it is strange that allocated IP numbers in Indonesia are greater than in neighboring countries. As the IP numbers are comparable with those in neighboring countries, Indonesia should therefore have Internet rates comparable with those in neighboring countries. Unfortunately, many countries have no intention of introducing low rates and broad bandwidth.

In terms of economic calculation and needs, the Internet is indeed a necessity. The biggest constraint for Internet users is the rate. If the government is aware of this condition, it must introduce policies to ensure that the Internet is cheap.

Indonesia is a country with a host of anomalies. Creativity has become increasingly challenged with so many constraints being faced. Once a company expressed an intention to provide free Internet access, other companies boycotted this in a variety of ways. What is worth asking now is, given the fact that First Media can set a rate of Rp 99,000 per month, what is the actual rate of gateway access abroad, something that has until now been used as an excuse for high Internet rates in Indonesia. (Arif T. Syam)

The Jakarta Post, October 30, 2007

The Internet revolution

The term "information technology, or IT, applies to the invention of the Internet and its release into the market. The Internet is a worldwide computer database that is technically available to anyone with a computer and a telephone. With the help of the Internet, and its attendant facility, the e-mail, communication can be made over vast distances without one seeing, knowing or physically talking to the other party. This feature has helped to stimulate business dealings and easy acquisition of contacts.

The Internet became the vehicle in which ideas may be spread around easily and research into a particular key issue done easily and conveniently. Online search engines allow access to websites yielding information from all parts of the world on a particular subject within seconds. Along with the cell phone, the Internet is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century and one of the mainstays of globalization.

The Internet was originally designed for intended use by the U.S. military. Alongside its satellite technology or global positioning system (GPS), which gives situational up-to-date information on the battlefield, the U.S. system of waging war was revolutionized and demonstrated its awesome capability during the Gulf War. Commanders may communicate with each other easily and with the central command, assuring that the highest decision makers have a relatively clear idea about what is going on. This phenomenon of removing essentially the "fog of war", where commanders in the past had to make instant decisions based on ignorance or only partial information on the battlefield, which led to an astonishing low number of casualties in the U.S. Army and its allies in the Gulf War, while inflicting devastating defeats on the enemy forces.

After the Gulf War, the Internet eventually was released slowly on the market, alongside improvements in computer technology. Immediately, the civilian world saw the potential for its use in the commercial, administrative and mass media context. The Internet provides the following benefits:
* A cost effective billboard for advertising products in reaching out to the world market.
* The gradual removal of middlemen and agencies in matching product service providers with purchasers, leading to direct buying and selling.
* Storage of important financial data for banks and other commercial enterprises.
* Wire transfers of funds, such as PayPal accounts.
* A better and more convenient information provider and therefore less ignorance on the part of individuals.
* A reduced need to engage in physical travel, such as the mailing of certain type-written documents.
* As an easier and more convenient vehicle for research and development, and a more convenient and efficient way to search for information.
* As a convenient form of administration and record keeping for bureaucracies and ministries, making redundant the need to keep cabinets of paper records and files, thus freeing office space as well as increasing efficiency.
* News dispersion through media coverage on online news websites.

The Internet is undoubtedly an important part of the process of globalization. An innovation originally designed for military use, it has led to even greater inter reliance of states with each other, and also brought forth and crystallized the idea that a free market economy presided over by a capitalist type of democracy is the key to creating and distributing wealth.

The writer has a M.Sc in Strategic Studies and is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London. (Eric Koo Peng Kuan, Singapore -- can be reached at erickoopk@yahoo.com)

The Jakarta Post, October 30, 2007

Titik Nol

Seorang teman protes, gara-gara membaca Appetite Journey ia bertandang ke sebuah restoran ala Timur Tengah. “Gambar-gambar makanan di majalah yang bikin ngiler, lengkap dengan atmosfer restoran yang menawan, ternyata tidak seindah dengan warna aslinya,” ujarnya bersungut-sungut.

Tidak bisa dimungkiri, ada review yang kadang-kadang berlebihan. Tapi percayalah, tidak ada unsur ‘penipuan’ apalagi pembohongan publik. Yang terjadi mungkin adalah perbedaan angle. Bagi orang tertentu, candle light dinner akan menerbitkan efek yang romantis. Tapi bagi yang lain, makan yang hanya ditemani dengan nyala lilin tersebut tidak hanya temaram, tapi tidak memunculkan ‘kilau’ makanan tersebut. Tergantung sudut pandang masing-masing, dari mana melihatnya.

Soto betawi pinggir jalan yang sering kita temui sehari-hari di Jakarta, mungkin terasa biasa-biasa saja. Tapi di lidah Bondan Winarno yang jago mengapresiasi makanan menjadi luar biasa. Mak nyuss…

Memang, bagi sebagian orang, sebutlah orang-orang Surabaya, lebih suka soto ambengan ketimbang soto betawi, misalnya. Tapi ini adalah masalah selera dan kebiasaan. Teman saya dalam cerita di atas, selidik punya selidik, ternyata memang tidak atau belum akrab dengan makanan Timur Tengah. Sementara seleranya, yang terbentuk sejak kecil di Yogyakarta dan sekitarnya, setengah menolak ‘makanan asing’, termasuk makanan dari Negeri Sheik itu.

Pengalaman teman saya tersebut mirip dengan pengalaman saya pada awal 1990-an (jadul banget ya). Ketika itu saya berkesempatan untuk meliput launching seri baru sebuah mobil bergengsi yang dipusatkan di Australia. Acaranya sih sangat exciting, tapi yang bikin sebel adalah makanannya. Maklum, lidah saya yang ‘ndeso’ ini setiap hari harus berhadapan dengan makanan Negeri Kangguru yang notabene jarang memakai bahan nasi. Padahal kalau belum makan nasi kan belum makan, kata orang Melalyu.

Alhasil, selama di Aussie – yang tidak lebih dari dua minggu, ada sedikit perjuangan kalau ingin makan selayaknya. Kalau ingin makanan ala Indonesia, terpaksa saya pergi ke restoran chinese food yang jumlahnya bisa dihitung dengan jari, kecuali di China Town. Lumayan, kerinduan terhadap nasi dan sejenisnya bisa terpenuhi.

Tapi itu dulu. Kini, setelah lidah mencecap berbagai makanan – apalagi semuanya tersedia di Jakarta, “gap rasa” sudah tidak ada. Paling tidak, dengan sedikit empati kita pun bisa mencicipi berbagai menu makanan dari mana pun. Makanan Nusantara oke, menu dari negara lain pun, hayo! Tinggal Eskimo pun, ibaratnya, no problemo!

Saya mengikuti tip seorang teman, yang suka berpetualang rasa. Jika ingin menikmati makanan baru, sebaiknya me-reset dulu lidah kita menjadi nol. Jangan mempunyai bayangan rasa dengan mindset yang sudah terbentuk lama. Misalnya mencoba sup tom yam ala Thailad, tapi yang di otak adalah sayur asem. Menikmati nasi bryani tapi yang dibayangkan adalah nasi goreng kambing Kebon Sirih. Gak nyambung, dan mungkin berakhir dengan kekecewaan…. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Appetite Journey, November 2007

Menu Asli Italia di Jakarta

Uno non puo pensar bene, amare bene, dormire bene, se nan ha mangiato bene!

Kalimat berbahasa Italia itu amat mencolok, terletak di salah satu dinding PURO Ristorante e Bar. Artinya kira-kira, “Seorang tidak bisa berpikir dengan baik, mecinta dengan baik, tidur dengan baik, kalau tidak makan dengan baik.”

Ya, makanan adalah kebutuhan dasar manusia, yang kalau tidak dipenuhi niscaya manusia tidak bisa berpikir dengan baik, apalagi melakukan segala aktivitas keseharian dengan normal. Yang dimaksud pomeo di atas tentu bukan sekadar makanan sebagai pengisi perut, tapi jenis makanan apa yang kita makan.

Puro menambah satu lagi restoran ala Italia. Berlokasi di City Plaza, Wisma Mulia, Jakarta, bersebelahan dengan Blowfish yang memang satu manajemen dalam Grup Ismaya, kreator sejumlah restoran dan venue-venue gaya hidup di Jakarta. Bedanya Puro dengan restoran Italia yang lain adalah terletak pada keasliannya – tanpa embel-embel “disesuaikan dengan lidah orang Indonesia”, misalnya. Puro sendiri dalam bahasa Italia berarti “Pure” alias asli, bo!

Puro adalah restoran yang menawarkan otentisitas makanan Italia. “Serving regional Italian specialties with emphasis on pure rustic Italian flavors featuring simple, yet creative, tasty dishes,” ujar Executive Chef Marco Medaglia.

Memang, di antara ragam makanan mancanegara, makanan Italia adalah salah satunya yang digemari masyarakat Indonesia. Restoran atau gerai yang menyajikan makanan Italia memang gampang ditemui. Orang pun menjadi akrab dengan pizza, spagheti, risotto, lasagna, atau bruchetta. Namun Puro, restoran yang dilengkapi dengan bar yang berkonsep “classic-meets-modern Roman” ini seakan menjanjikan sesuatu yang istimewa, pengalaman berwisata kuliner yang berbeda.

Puro bernuansa romantic, warna putih mendominasi, tapi tidak tejebak dalam kepucatan atau membuat bosan. Justru corak baroque menerbitkan keindahan tersendiri, mulai dari langit-langitnya hingga pilihan detil interiornya. I love the ambiance!

Menu makanannya, apa saja yang ditawarkan Puro? Pasti banyak, selain berbagai makanan Italia yang populer seperti yang ada dalam daftar buku menu, makanan-makanan yang lebih customized pun tersedia. Inilah yang beberapa yang direkomendasikan Chef Marco yang asli Italia itu.

Seperti halnya restoran Italia lainnya, Puro juga menyajikan pizza. Cara membuatya, seperti kata Marco, pizza dipanggang dalam tungku api tradisional ala Italia. Nyala apinya konstan. Kayu bakar yang digunakan untuk memanaskan tungku ini pun tidak sembarangan, sehingga tidak merusak cita rasa. Bahkan aroma yang keluar pun wangi.

Beberapa orang yang telah mencicipi mengatakan, pizza ala Puro ini pas di lidah dan juga dari segi ukurannya. Tidak tebal, lembut digigit, tidak lengket, sementara bagian pinggirnya terasa renyah. Mama Mia! (Abe)

**

Recomended Menu

Antipasti :
Involtini di Melanzane con Asparagi e Ricota
Insalata di Rucola pere e Gorgonzola
Tortino di Polenta Gratinata con Gamberi e Riduzione di Bisque
Vitello Tonnato

Le Nostre Zuppe:
Zuppa di Pesce

I Risotti:
Risotto Frutti di Mare e Broccilini

La Pasta:
Capelli d’Angelo al Nero di Seppia con Aragosta
Pappardelle con il Ragu’ Antico di d’Agnello
Ravioli alla crema di Parmiggiana
Ravioli Gamberi con Vongole e Spinaci

Secondi Platti di Pesce
Filletti di San Pietro con Caponata di Verdure e Pinoli con Salsa al Balsamico in Agrodolce
Snow Fish con Finocchi Stufati con Pomodori al Basilico

Secondi di Carme
Cerre’ d’Agnello alla Erbe con Salsa alla Senape

PURO Ristorante e Bar
City Plaza at WISMA MULIA
Jl Jend Gatot Subroto Kav 42
Jakarta 12710 – Indonesia
Reservation: 62-21-5297-1234
Web: www.blowfish-puro.com

Trendsetter in Fashion Industry

Senayan City, Jumat malam, pekan lalu. Para fashionista Jakarta tampak menyerbu gerai Massimo Dutti yang baru dibuka di plaza tersebut. Seru, karena gerai seluas 437,60 meter persegi itu buka hingga tengah malam hingga pukul 23.00 itu diikuti oleh para undangan VIP, public figure serta para relasi.

Bagi penggemar fashion, Massimo Dutti bukan merek asing. Produk yang berasal dari Spanyol ini sudah lama hadir di Singapura – yang pembelinya sebagian datang dari Indonesia. Merek ini kemudian dibawa ke Indonesia tidak lain oleh perusahaan ritel terkemuka saat ini, PT Mitra Adiperkasa (MAP), distributor dan pemegang franchise sejumlah merek internasional di Indonesia.

Ya, bisnis retail boleh melesu, tapi MAP agaknya tetap berjaya. Paling tidak, penjualan perusahaan publik ini pada kuartal pertama 2006 mencapai Rp 752 miliar atau naik 16 persen dibanding periode yang sama tahun lalu yang sebesar Rp 650 miliar.

Menurut Group Head of Investor Relation Mitra Adi Perkasa Tbk, Ratih D. Gianda, tingkat penjualan tertinggi diperoleh dari gerai-gerai khusus. Kontribusi terbesar omzet MAP diperoleh dari pengelolaan department store yang menyumbang 46,3 persen dari total pendapatan. Kontribusi terbesar kedua diperoleh dari pengelolaan usaha divisi specialty stores yang menyumbangkan penjualan sebesar 44,1 persen. “Kedua divisi itu merupakan penyumbang terbesar dari usaha kami,” ujarnya.

MAP tidak hanya dikenal di pasar modal, perusahaan ini juga identik dengan life style untuk kalangan menengah ke atas. Jaringan retailnya telah berekspansi hingga lebih dari 40 konsep bisnis, yang meliputi semua aspek, mulai dari sports ke fashion and lifestyle; dari department stores hingga ke trendy cafes.

Saat ini, MAP mengoperasikan lebih dari 500 toko dengan total area penjualan lebih dari 250.000 meter persegi di 22 kota besar di Indonesia. MAP merupakan perusahaan yang mengelola departemen store seperti Sogo, Debenhams dan JAVA, dan gerai-gerai khusus seperti Planets Sport, The Athlete’s Foot dan Mark & Spencer, sementara untuk gerai makanan minuman perusahaan ini mengelola gerai Starbucks Coffee Shop.

Selain sukses mengusung produk fesyen untuk kalangan atas melalui department store Debenhams, MAP juga mengambil mengusung tiga merek baru yang laris di Inggris kepada warga Jakarta. Ketiga produk fesyen yang dapat dilihat di pertokoan baru Senayan City, Jakarta itu adalah Topshop, Topman dan Miss Selfridge. “Sejak kita initial public offering November 2004 pertumbuhan usaha kami terus meningkat dengan pesat,” jelasnya.

Menurut Ratih, produk itu ditujukan untuk mereka yang ingin senantiasa memenuhi keinginannya memiliki koleksi busana, aksesori dan alas kaki yang inovatif. Di Inggris, ketiga merek itu di bawah payung perusahaan ritel Inggris Arcadia Group. Produk fesyen itu ditujukan untuk segmen pasar pria muda dan wanita muda usia 20-an tahun-30 tahunan. Selebritis dunia, seperti Madonna, Liz Jagger, Kelly Osbourne dan Claudia Schiffer disebut-sebut menjadi pelanggan produk tersebut.

Produk yang dikelola oleh perusahaan itu terdiri dari sepatu, pakaian, aksesoris, makanan, minuman hingga buku. Tidak ada perusahaan yang se-fashionable MAP, karena merek-merek fashion top ada dalam genggamannya. Sebutlah Calvin Klein, Energie, FCUK, Kipling, Lacoste, MEXX, Marks & Spencer, Miss Sixty, Morgan, NEXT, Nautica, Nine West, Liz Claiborne, Principles, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sole Effect, Women'Secret, dan ZARA.

Bukan sembarang merek, karena setiap langkah mengakusisi merek MAP selalu mempertimbangkan dari segala sisi. Keputusan mengambil Zara, misalnya, ternyata melalui serangkaian riset dan pertimbangan. Zara adalah merek fashion dari Spanyol, tapi namanya tidak asing di kalangan pecinta mode di Indonesia. Sebelumnya ia ada di Singapura dan Kuala Lumpur, yang pembelinya tak lain adalah orang-orang Indonesia. Maka, begitu masuk Jakarta (tepatnya di Plaza Indonesia dan Mal Pondok Indah 2) Agustus 2005, tak ayal, sambutan konsumen pun luar biasa. Tahun ini sudah mempunyai enam gerai, lima di Jakarta dan satu di Surabaya.

Zara, yang didirikan Amancia Ortega Gaona pada 1975, mampu meraih hati konsumen lantaran memiliki cara kerja yang berbeda dari kebanyakan merek lainnya. Majalah The Economist edisi 18 Juni 2005, menulis bahwa Zara bukannya menciptakan permintaan untuk tren baru pada musim semi atau musim dingin dengan membuat pergelaran busana, melainkan justru mempelajari permintaan para pelanggannya di seluruh jaringan tokonya dan memproduksi desain yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan tersebut dalam waktu yang relatif cepat.

Ada 200 desainer yang bekerja di pusat produksi Zara di Spanyol. Ke-200 orang ini kerap melakukan perjalanan keliling dunia untuk melihat perkembangan tren fashion di negara-negara lain. Upaya ini dilakukan agar bisa bergerak cepat dan lebih dulu menangkap perubahan pasar. Tak mengherankan, Zara menjadi trend setter bagi industri fashion.

Zara di bawah Inditex Group, yang juga membawahi delapan merek lainnya, serta mengelola hampir seratus perusahaan di berbagai negara di seluruh dunia. Selain Zara ada Massimo Dutti yang diceritakan di atas. Kedua merek itu mempunyai perbedaan yang cukup signifikan, jika Zara yang konsep bisnisnya sering disebut freshly baked clothes, maka Massimo tampil lebih klasik. Koleksi Massimo kebanyakan berwarna hitam, coklat, dan biru. Sedikit lebih mahal, tapi masih jauh di bawah Hugo Boss atau Armani, misalnya. “Kami sengaja mengambil segmen yang tidak terlalu tinggi, disesuaikan dengan konsumen Indonesia,” tutur Ratih.

Langkah-langkah MAP mengambil berbagai merek terkenal internasional ini merupakan bagian dari strategi perusahaan ini dalam mempertahankan positioningnya sebagai peritel kelas atas terdepan. “MAP selalu menjadi yang terdepan dalam bisnis retail kelas atas di Indonesia. Menciptakan standar-standar baru dalam industri ini dan menelurkan konsep retail secara revolusioner,” kata Ratih.

Rahasia suksesnya? “Our unwavering commitment to each brand, marketing acumen, and sheer professionalism!” katanya (Burhanuddin Abe).

Jakarta, Juni 2006

Welcome to the Show!

A hotel is not merely a place where you can spend the night but is also a place to enjoy some entertainment. That's why nearly all star-rated hotels provide entertainment, both for people staying the night and for outsiders seeking some merriment. These facilities may range from a music lounge, a cafe to a karaoke hall and even a club.

There are hotels that offer serenity, mostly those adopting the resort concept, and also those that sell entertainment. Hard Rock Hotel Bali, for example, has made itself a center for activities linked with entertainment. This is indeed a positioning that this hotel, whose name is borrowed from that of a famous cafe established in London on June 14, 1971, wishes to feature. "The name Hard Rock itself is associated with a place of entertainment. We want to check out the most Rockin' Hotels around," said Dewi Endah Banowati, marketing communications manager of Hard Rock Hotel Bali.

Hard Rock Hotel Bali is not only located next to Hard Rock Cafe, which presents live music shows every night, but also has its own music stage, which is located in the lobby above the bar and is called Centerstage. It rocks from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

In addition, nearly every space of the hotel is named after something to do with music and connotes entertainment. Each type of room is named on the basis of a music genre, as is Lil' Rock Kids Club, a playground for children. The area of the main swimming pool, for example, presents music and has a bar that serves Tequila, Reggae and Limbo.

This hotel, which is filled with decorative memorabilia of the world's top musicians, treats guests like music superstars. Guests staying at Hard Rock Hotel are called "stars" while hotel staffers are "band members". Children are nicknamed "lil' rockers". Every guest is given a room key that they can wear around their necks just like a stage pass. Welcome to the Show!

Hard Rock Hotel, which uses "rest, relax and rock" as its motto for service, is a top example of how a hotel treats entertainment as the most important part in the concept of a hotel.

Other star-rated hotels also make an effort to make entertainment a major part of their services. If you have ever stayed at Hotel Mulia, Jakarta, for example, you are surely familiar with CJ's. The bar, which was renovated in December 2006, opens from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays and is open until 3 a.m. on weekends.

What better way to end the day than with a well-deserved cocktail and rocking live music? A hit among guests and locals alike, CJ's is the place to see and be seen. "So let your hair down, hit the dance floor and get set for a wild night of non-stop partying!" said Romy Herlambang, director of communications of Hotel Mulia Jakarta.

According to Romy, entertainment is indeed an important part of a hotel. Many people visit the hotel not to stay but to eat at one of its restaurants or to hang out with friends. That's why The Kafe has enjoyed particular attention from the management, as is evident from the expansion of its space so that it can now accommodate 361 people instead of the original 298.

There are five main elements at the hotel that will kick off in mid November 2007. These five elements are the lounge, the Japanese food area, the Middle East area, the Italian area and the international area. "All this is intended to accommodate the needs of hotel guests and is in response to requests by customers who do not necessarily stay at the hotel," he said.

The same strategy is also employed by Ambhara Hotel Jakarta. Located in Kebayoran, this hotel is situated opposite a major shopping center and is near the central business district. It has the Arios Music Lounge and is in the process of establishing a music lounge with a new concept called The One.

If you are familiar with Hotel Sari Pan Pacifik Jakarta, you would have heard of its Pitstop Bar & Lounge. This place has indeed undergone a change of name. Originally called Pitstop, it was later renamed Avenue but has since assumed the new name of Pitstop Butterfly.

Pitstop's concept leans toward live entertainment. The music genres on the menu include classic disco, acid jazz, R&B and Unplugged. The new Pitstop has two VIP rooms with karaoke. In addition, Pitstop also has one VIP room called Butterfly Lounge. This room is twice as large as the other two karaoke rooms. Besides the karaoke facility, Butterfly Lounge is a suitable venue for private parties. Visitors can also enjoy the aromatic Sisha. Spirits and wine tend to be the dominant beverages. The lounge has tables to accommodate 200 people and standing room for about 350 people.

Meanwhile, newcomer Grandkemang Hotel, which is located on Jl. Kemang Raya, South Jakarta, realized from the start that entertainment is an inseparable part of a hotel's facilities. This hotel boasts its d'lounge, which is a posh lounge suitable for private events with business partners or family members.

Located on the ground floor opposite the Sperta all day dining venue, this is a VIP lounge with a minimalist modern design. It has a sound system and a lighting system that can be adjusted to your wishes while you enjoy high tea or a glass of wine with cheese platter. d'lounge has a capacity for 20 to 25 people.

As a more sensational choice, B.A.T.S., located in Hotel Shangri-La Jakarta, is also a good option for a night out. This is a legendary music lounge, which was operational well before it became trendy here for people to hang out in a bar or a pub.

With a stylish interior design, which depicts a bar in a subway station in New York City, B.A.T.S. reflects the lifestyle of urbanites. It is here that urbanites spend their time socializing, chatting or just hanging out. Don't forget to order Urban BATS, a blue soft cocktail with a refreshing, sweet taste, which represents the dynamic and passionate spirit of urbanites. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
September 23, 2007

Simple, Unique, Friendly

Dengan konsep modern, muda, dan trendy, Harris Resort Kuta menawarkan cara unik menikmati liburan. Bergaya minimalis, tapi tidak mengurangi fasilitasnya yang maksimalis. Spacious bedroom, spa, gym, kid’s club, dan cozy cafe. Aha, meski tidak menginap di hotel, Anda pun bisa menikmati sarapan ala Harris. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Banyak tempat penginapan betebaran di Bali, tapi Harris Resorts, yang berlokasi di Kuta menawarkan keunikan tersendiri. Resor ini mempunyai konsep yang berbeda dengan yang lain, yakni modern, muda dan trendy. Yang menarik, harganya pun cukup terjangkau, karena ditargetkan kepada pasar menengah ke atas, khususnya pasar Asia. Saat ini sedang berlangsung program "Harris Simple Deal" dengan harga cuma Rp 488.000 nett per malam.

Tinggal di Harris adalah pengalamanan yang paling menyenangkan. Terletak di kawasan pantai paling populer -- surganya para peselancar dan "dugemania" di pulau Bali, hotel yang mempunyai color image orange dan hijau ini dapat ditempuh hanya dalam waktu 10 menit dari bandara internasional Ngurah Rai. Hotel dari kelompok usaha Tauzia Hotel Management, ini adalah tempat yang sangat tepat untuk menghabiskan masa liburan.

Harris Resort Kuta yang beroperasi sejak 2004 ini mempunyai motto ‘simple – unique – friendly’. Simpel diwakili oleh desain bangunan dan interior yang sederhana dan minimalis. Unik dengan menjadi inovatif dalam bentuk komunikasi (pemasaran), pendekatan pelayanan kepada tamu serta desain. Friendly (ramah) yang ditunjukkan dengan penggunaan warna, suasana hotel yang hangat, serta sikap karyawannya.

Keramahan itu bahkan sudah dimulai dari pintu masuk hotel. Tidak hanya welcome drink berupa teh hangat, tapi juga kehadiran Harris Clown yang mewakili keramahan, keunikan, serta kegembiraan di hotel ini. Sementara itu Harris Man/Girl yang bertindak sebagai concierge, doorman, dan guest relation officer, selalu siap membantu tamu hotel dan relasinya.

Harris Resort Kuta memiliki 191 kamar dan suite, terbagi atas beberapa kategori, yaitu Harris Room (Standard Room), Harris Room Pool Access, Family Room, serta Suite Room. Sambungan akses internet dengan kecepatan tinggi broadband tersedia di semua tipe kamar serta sambungan jaringan internet Wi Fi di seluruh areal lingkungan hotel, tak terkecuali lobi, restoran, dan area umum lainnya.

Pada Januari 2007, bersama Surfer Girl, Harris meluncurkan tipe kamar terbaru yaitu Surfer Grl Room, yang merupakan hasil penggabungan desain sederhana kamar dengan pernak-pernik dekoratif dari Surfer Girl.

Dengan teras pribadi dan sundeck yang menghadap langsung ke kolam renang, kamar yang unik ini ditargetkan secara khusus kepada kaum remaja putri, meski tidak menutup kemungkinan kelak untuk keluarga atau pasangan muda. Seperti halnya ciri khas kamar Harris dengan dekoratif hitam putih di setiap kamarnya, kamar ini dilengkapi juga dengan poster koleksi Surfer Girl yang berbeda di setiap kamarnya, menampilkan tiga karakter utama dalam bentuk komik yang sering didapati dalam setiap iklan ataupun materi promosi merek ini.

Giri Loka Spa, pusat perawatan kebugaran dan kecantikan yang ada Harris Resort Kuta, menyediakan perawatan tubuh dan terapi relaksasi lainnya yang eksklusif dengan menggunakan produk perawatan khusus. Perawatan tradisional ala Bali dan Jawa pun juga disediakan untuk memenuhi kepuasan para tamu yang ingin memperoleh perawatan tubuh secara penuh.

Jika Anda membawa keluarga, khususnya anak-anak, tidak perlu khawatir karena di Harris tersedia Kid’s Club. Tidak hanya fasilitas arena bermain untuk balita – serta pelayanan baby sitter jika diperlukan, anak-anak yang lebih besar pun bisa mengikuti kelas tari Bali.

Untuk urusan pengisian perut tersedia Harris Café. Kafe ini menyediakan hidangan internasional, oriental, serta beberapa hidangan khas Indonesia dari juru masak dengan pengalaman kuliner kelas dunia. Sementara Juice Bar menyajikan pilihan minuman segar menyehatkan.

Makan pagi adalah kegiatan yang paling menyenangkan bagi para tamu sebelum memulai kegiatan yang padat. Tidak hanya suasananya yang mengasyikkan, tapi pilihan menunya (prasmanan) sangat beragam. Yang menarik, tidak hanya para tamu hotel saja yang bisa sarapan, orang luar pun bisa ikut makan pagi di Harris Café hanya dengan membayar Rp 45.000 per orang. So, tunggu apa lagi. Segera temukan pesona kesederhanaan, keunikan, dan keramahan Harris Resort Kuta, tempat berlibur paling menyenangkan di Pulau Bali.

Harris Resort Kuta

Jalan Pantai Kuta, Kuta – Bali 80361

t. +62 361 753 868

f. +62 361 753 875

http://www.harris-kuta-bali.com/

Hatten Wines, The Indonesian Wine

Wine adalah minuman dunia. Produsennya tidak terbatas pada negara-negara tetentu saja, Indonesia pun ternyata juga memproduksi wine. Merek yang paling dikenal adalah Hatten. Wine asal Bali ini berdiri sejak 1994. Semula adalah sebuah perusahaan penghasil “brem”, atau yang juga dikenal sebagai “arak beras” di Sanur, tapi kemudian merambah ke wine.

Hatten Wines dikelola dan dimiliki oleh Ida Bagus Rai Budarsa, seorang sarjana agrikultural yang terlibat sepenuhnya pada seluruh aspek operasional perusahaan. Sementara spesialis pembuat wine dipegang oleh Vincent Desplat, seorang pria berkebangsaan Prancis. Lulusan salah satu pembuat wine bergengsi di Montpellier Prancis ini sempat meniti kariernya di Perth Australia selama 12 tahun sebelum akhirnya bergabung dan ikut mendirikan Hatten.

Hatten yang memiliki arti “progress” dalam bahasa Jepang, sampai saat ini telah memiliki 40-an karyawan, yang bekerja tersebar di tiga lokasi, yakni di perkebunan anggur di Singaraja, Bali Utara, dengan areal seluas 14,5 hektar, pabarik di Sanur, serta kantor distribusi dan tasting shop di areal Simpang Siur, Kuta, yang diberi nama“Celladoor”.

Buah anggur yang dipakai Hatten adalah jenis Alphonse-Lavallee yang merupakan anggur merah dan Musacat, serta Probolinggo Biru – eit, jangan salah, meski bernama “biru”, ini sebenarnya anggur putih. Yang menarik, anggur yang dipakai Hatten adalah table grapes, seperti umumnya buah angur di Indonesia, yang bisa dimakan langsung, bukan anggur yang khusus untuk pembuatan wine yang umumnya tidak bisa dimakan.

Pabrik Hatten yang berlokasi di areal Sanur, juga merupakan saah satu areal pusat bisnis, di mana telah dilengkapi dengan peralatan baja tahan karat untuk memelihara kebersihan. Pabrik anggurnya mempunyai mesin tekan horisontal, 16 tangki angur besar, fermenters, ruang pebotolan, dan sebuah laboratorium. Pabrik Hatten berkapasitas pembotolan 3.000 per hari.

Proses pembuatan Hatten memang tidak main-main. Seluruh mata rantai pembuatan winenya tidak berbeda dengan yang ada di negara-negara penghasil lainnya. Yang membedakan dengan wine negara lain adalah jenis anggurnya saja. Karakter anggur yang dipakai Hatten cenderung fruity dan kadar tanin-nya rendah, sehingga cocok untuk paduan makanan Indonesia.

Hatten mempunyai beberapa jenis wine, yakni rose, sparkling rose, spakling white, fry red wine, semi sweet, dry white wine, dan fortified wine. Produk Hatten tidak kalah dengan wine-wine dunia lainnya, terbukti salah satu produknya, semi sweet wine, pernah mendapat medali perunggu di International Wine & Spirit Competition di London tahun 2003. Sementara sparkling wine-nya memenangkan berbagai penghargaan – di antaranya Winner of 2002 “Best of Bali” oleh ex-sommelier La Tour D’Argent, Paris. Salut!

(Burhanuddin Abe/Source: http://www.hattenwines.com/)

New cultural icon for Jakarta

After a sluggish opening, the second installment of Java Jazz (JJ) Festival ended on Sunday night on a high note, with artists turning in some of the event's most memorable performances before entertainment-hungry crowds.

The absence of a noteworthy music festival in the capital prompted music fans to swarm the JJ venue, Jakarta Hilton Convention Center, helping to cement the festival's reputation as a must-see live event for years to come.

During the three-day festival, concertgoers enjoyed a rare delight that comes only once a year, in the form of numerous shows mounted by top-notch local and international artists, such as Bubi Chen, Indra Lesmana, Tower of Power and Patti Austin. Not a single show was left unattended, with even filler shows staged by little-known performers enjoying a huge turnout.

Shows from headlining acts such as Patti Austin, Bob James, and Kool & the Gang -- aside from one staged by Tower of Power on the opening day -- were unquestionably a full house, given the performers' marketable names. One notable, if heartwarming instance from the festival is that almost all shows by Indonesian performers were not only sold out but were also met with the warmest of receptions from the crowd, indicating that homegrown music has finally found a home in the country.

Collaborations between local musicians like Harvey Malaiholo, heartthrob Marcello Tahitoe or Ello, and international performers such as American saxophonist Michael Lington and jazz guitar guru Lee Ritenour bore evidence of the abundance of promising talent from local artists. One of the most promising locals is Berklee Music School graduate Nial Djuliarso. Jazz purists and cognoscenti made a beeline for the icy-cold Femina Lounge in the depths of the festival venue Sunday evening.

One of the last acts on, the Nial Djuliarso piano trio, with Donny Sunjoyo (double-bass) and Zulham (drums) was a real treat that cast away the katabatic gloom with musical warmth and light. Playing a mix of jazz standards and his own compositions on a piano that was slightly out of tune (despite the frantic efforts of a hapless tuner immediately beforehand) Nial and the boys showed a highly appreciative audience what the essence of jazz was all about: intelligent ensemble playing, exquisite solos (especially some extended drum work by Zulham) and genuinely creative improvisation.

A highlight of the gig was some revelatory improvisations on melodies from Indonesian composer Ismail Marzuki. The up-tempo numbers were notably exhilarating, with superb musicianship displayed by all concerned.

JJ organizers deserve kudos for going that extra mile to turn the event into what it became, including the provision of superb sound systems, but the jazz audience must surely deserve the most praise for refusing to let anything come between themselves and a good show. They booed Governor Sutiyoso when he delivered a speech after a Daniel Sahuleka show, appearing to reject any possibility of the heavy hand of bureaucracy spoiling their fun.

Taking a cue from the crowd's warm reception, festival director Paul Dankmeyer considered JJ 2006 a success and promised to stage another one next year. "We hope that from the experience we have gained from two festivals we can stage an even better event next year," told Dankmeyer optimistically. (M. Taufiqurrahman)

The Jakarta Post, March 07, 2006

Sonia Wibisono: Starting with curiosity

One afternoon in a cafe, Sonia Wibisono heard the indistinct crooning of a female singer. Sipping a cup of tea, Sonia, a celebrity doctor, was mesmerized and found it was a cure for the boredom she felt waiting for a client. After inquiring, she was told that the singer was Norah Jones, a jazz singer who has gained popularity around the world.

After that, Sonia, who as a university student loved disco music, became interested in jazz as she found it pleasant to the ear and enjoyable. "People say this music is difficult to enjoy, but some songs are sentimental and easy to listen to," said Sonia, who loves the wind instrument music played by Dave Koz. She was already familiar with the music of romantic tenor saxophonist Kenny G and the late Embong Rahardjo.

Indeed, it is not jazz of the early periods that Sonia, the presenter of O Clinic, a program on O Channel, likes listening to but jazzy pop. Among the jazz singers she likes are Ermy Kulit, Iga Mawarni, Ruth Sahanaya, Harvey Malaiholo and Glenn Fedly. Although they are all well-known in the pop music world, they are all rooted in jazz.

As for instrumental music, she prefers the easy listening type such as GRP albums, ranging from Lee Ritenour, Dave Valentine, David Benoit, etc. "I'm married, so perhaps my choice of music is the slow type. I believe this kind of music can give you peace of mind and is suitable for relaxation," said Sonia, a mother of two.

Although she is fond of slow music, Sonia, formerly a finalist of "Abang and None Jakarta", does not mind other jazz genres as long there is harmony. Al Jarreau, she said, is one of her favorite singers. When this African-American singer came to Jakarta, she excitedly attended his concert. She likes not only energetic songs like Spain and Take Five but also Jarreau's slow and melodious songs. "His voice is excellent. He is all heart and soul when he sings. Who could resist that?" said Sonia, who also does the "Kuku Bima" commercial.

She is not that into the musicians performing at this year's Java Jazz, but hopes she can see the performance of Sergio Mendez, who reminds her of one of Indonesia's leading jazz musicians, Elfa Seciora. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
February 26, 2007

Nungki Soetrisno: Complementary improvisation

Some people say they can't live without music, but Nungki Soetrisno goes one step farther and says he can't live without jazz! It may sound extreme, but just take a look at what Nungki, born in Yogyakarta on Sept. 18, 1963, does every day of his life.

When he gets up in the morning, he listens to one or two jazz pieces. On his way to the office, he again listens to a few jazz numbers in his car. In his comfortable office, Nungki, managing partner of Neo Indonesia advertising company, also listens to this "black music". When he is in a good mood, he enjoys mainstream jazz, ranging from Bebop to Swing. He prefers pieces played by Big Bands, such as the Count Basie Orchestra, Charli Parker and Duke Ellington. When he is stressed out because he can't think of a spiel that he can offer to a client, for example, he prefers to listen to Fusion Jazz.

"After listening to one or two songs, my head clears and I get fresh ideas," said Nungki, a graduate of the School of Economics, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), with over 15 years' experience in the advertising world.

Before he goes to bed, at about 10 p.m., he still finds time to enjoy some jazz, either on CD or DVD. "My wife knows not to disturb me if I'm listening to jazz," he chuckled.

Nungki has hardly missed a single jazz concert in Jakarta. He has attended, for example, JakJazz, Java Jazz, concerts by George Benson, Al Jarreau, Tania Maria, Diana Schuur, Lee Ritenour and David Benoit. And he plans to catch the performances of jazz musicians at this year's Java Jazz, for instance those of Chaka Kahn and Sergio Mendez. "Neither of them must be missed," he said.

Nungki's love of jazz began when he attended senior high school in Yogyakarta. Back then a friend from Jakarta gave him a cassette of jazz songs. "I found the songs nice to listen to," he said, reminiscing, adding that Autumn Leaves, one of the songs on the cassette, appealed to him the most. After that he always kept an eye out for jazz cassettes, which could easily be found in Yogyakarta. Ever since then he has got pleasure out of listening to jazz of various genres and generations.

When he was a student at UGM, he joined a marching band and played the trumpet. Playing the trumpet deepened his love for music, particularly jazz. Knowing how difficult it is to play the trumpet, he greatly admires Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and a number of jazz musicians who play the trumpet or other wind instruments. "Jazz is highly inspiring. It helps me in my work. I set up an office with two friends of mine. We are free to create anything that is compatible with our own capabilities and areas and we all complement each other. It is like jazz, where there is a lot of improvisation, but all the musicians complement one another," said Nungki, who has over 100 cassettes/CDs/VCDs/DVDs, with 90 percent of this collection being jazz. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
February 26, 2007

Naratama: Mesmerizing jazz

"Improvisation, that is the soul of jazz that permeates deep in our hearts," says Naratama, producer/director of Voice of America (VOA), Indonesian Service, Washington DC, the U.S.

It seems that jazz is inseparable from the life of Naratama, formerly a lecturer at the Jakarta Arts Institute's (IKJ) Film and TV Department. Jazz is part of his daily diet.

He listens to the strains of jazz every chance he gets, either at home or in his car, from his collections of CDs or on a jazz radio station. He likes mainstream jazz as well as jazz fusion, which has a heavier beat. He feels mesmerized by the tinkling sound of the piano played by Ahmad Djamal and the unexpected guitar chords played by Lee Ritenour. This is one of the genres to have developed after the jazz rock era was spearheaded by Yellow Jacket, Level 42 and AL Di Meola.

Naratama is not just a jazz lover as he can also talk eloquently about the genres of jazz and the musicians that play them. It would be more appropriate to call him a jazz fanatic. When the Jakarta Jazz Festival, or JakJazz, was held in 1996, he was very happy to be given the opportunity to be a producer/director for a special JakJazz television production for four stages. "I had to stay awake for three days as I had to stay in our OB van to record the live shows," he said.

Indeed, during the three days he could enjoy the live shows to his heart's content. In 1998, braving everything, he made a TV program called Jazzy in SCTV together with Chico Hindarto and Eri Prabowo, two figures who deserve mention for their efforts in trying to popularize jazz in Indonesia.

Unfortunately, this program did not last long as it is difficult to make a TV jazz program that attracts advertisers. A lot of people did seem to be interested in this program, and people still ask Naratama when he will produce a TV jazz program.

Naratama handled various music programs on TV before he went to work for VOA in Washington. Many things make him long for Indonesia, including Java Jazz. "It's a pity I can't attend this great event in Jakarta. News about this event has even spread to Washington, DC," he said. Many Indonesians living in the U.S., particularly jazz lovers, talk about Java Jazz, he said. Some have decided to return to Indonesia just to attend this international event.

However, there is some consolation for Naratama with a Norah Jones & the Handsome Band concert being held on April 23 at the Constitution Hall, Washington. "Hopefully, I can still get tickets," he said, while also hoping that he can keep abreast of the progress of Java Jazz through Youtube, a video website. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
February 26, 2007

Sensualitas Jazz Sergio Mendes

Sergio Mendes, seniman jazz Brasil itu, tampil di Dji Sam Soe Super Premium Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2007. Ia membawakan Mas Que Nada lagu "wajib" yang ia ramu dalam jazz samba. "Samba Brasil itu sensual," kata Mendes.

Mas que nada
Sai da minha frente
Eu quero passar
Pois o samba está animado

Itu lirik awal lagu Mas Que Nada yang berbicara tentang asyiknya bergoyang samba. Arti lirik kurang lebih seperti ini: Mas que nada, oh come on, ayolah/ beri aku jalan/ aku mau lewat/ karena samba sangat mengasyikkan/ yang kumau hanyalah bergoyang, bergoyang.

"Mas Que Nada itu lagu yang magis. Lagu itu populer tahun 1966, dan tahun lalu (2006) meledak lagi bersama Black Eyed Peas," ujar Sergio Mendes (66) yang ditemui sesaat setelah acara jumpa pers di Lagoon Tower, Hotel Soultan, 28 Februari 2007 siang.

Mas Que Nada termuat dalam album Mendes, Brazil 66. Angka 66 itu menunjuk pada tahun pembuatan album 1966. "Kekuatan lagu itu ada pada melodi. Lagu itu dibawakan Jorge Ben (tahun 1963). Saya merekam dan menggarap musiknya tahun 1966. Wonderful melody, dan rhythm yang mengasyikkan," tutur Mendes yang siang itu tampil santai dengan celana pendek dan kaus warna hijau.

Mendes, pria kelahiran Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 11 Februari 1941 itu adalah anak seorang dokter. Ia masuk Konservatori Musik Brasil dengan harapan akan menjadi pianis klasik. Telinganya lebih tertarik untuk menyerap realitas musik di Brasil yang menurut dia begitu beragam dan menggairahkan. Kontributor dari keragaman musik itu, kata Mendes, adalah orang-orang dari Afrika yang dipekerjakan di perkebunan- perkebunan di Brasil. "Mereka membawa rhythm yang indah dan mengasyikkan, dan juga instrumen musik," papar Mendes.

Era akhir 1950-an, seniman Brasil Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, dan João Gilberto bereksplorasi dengan samba dan elemen musik yang tumbuh di Brasil lainnya. Mereka meramunya dengan cool jazz. Lahirlah kemudian bossanova, artinya gaya (rasa) baru. Saat bossanova populer itulah Mendes mulai menapak pentas musik. Ia bermain jazz di kafe-kafe. Ia tumbuh dalam lingkungan musik Brasil dengan mentor para eksponen bossanova, khususnya Jobim.

Awal 1960-an, Mendes hijrah ke New York. Bersama grupnya, ia bermain di pentas jazz berwibawa, termasuk di Birdland, klub jazz tempat mangkal jazzer top. Pertengahan era 1960-an ia teken kontrak dengan perusahaan rekaman A&M Records. Saat itu tergagas olehnya untuk menggali musik dari kampung halamannya, Brasil.

Hasilnya memang bisa disebut sejarah. Mas Que Nada versi Mendes meledak di Amerika. Itu merupakan lagu berbahasa Portugis pertama yang menduduki puncak tangga American Billboard. "Kami di Brasil mempunyai jenis musik yang beragam. Samba, bossanova, hanyalah bagian dari lanskap musik di Brasil. Seperti halnya jazz, akar dari musik Brasil adalah musik dari Afrika. Itulah akar kami," katanya.

Keragaman samba itu disebut dalam lirik Mas Que Nada: Este samba/ Que é misto de maracatu. Ini samba/ campuran dengan maracatu. Maracatu adalah bentuk seni pertunjukan yang berkembang di Brasil dan berakar dari tradisi Afrika.

Mendes menangkap rhythm samba yang di telinganya terasa sensual itu. Dengan cerdas, ia mengolah elemen musik tersebut lalu meramunya dengan jazz dan pop. Hasilnya antara lain terdengar pada garapan Mendes untuk Mas Que Nada. "Musik Brasil itu tidak hanya rhythm, tapi juga melodi yang indah dan sensual. Musik yang sensual itulah yang saya kira membuat orang yang mendengar dan menghayatinya seperti bermimpi dan bergoyang."

Mas Que Nada versi Mendes terbukti menjadi lagu awet. Nyatanya, lagu itu populer pada setiap era. Ia bahkan menjadi lagu "wajib" di kafe-kafe Jakarta.

Tahun 2006, Mendes didatangi musisi muda yang mengaku sebagai penggemar beratnya. Musisi muda itu adalah William alias William James Adams (31), personel, penulis lagu, dan produser grup hip-hop Black Eyed Peas. Ia menyebut Mendes sebagai inspirasi terbesarnya.

Mereka membuat kolaborasi kreatif. Mendes membawa lagu- lagu bossanova, samba Brasil, sedangkan Will mengalirkan semangat hip-hop yang tengah meluap-luap di belantika musik hari ini. Kerja sama mereka terekam dalam album Sergio Mendes: Timeless, yang antara lain memuat Mas Que Nada versi ramuan samba-hip-hop-R&B dan diterima kaum muda hari ini. Mendes menyebut musisi muda itu sebagai darah baru yang selalu mengalir di setiap zaman.

Musik Mendes terbukti mampu menembus era berikut generasi penghuni zaman. Ia juga melewati batas-batas kultural. Kemampuan itu, menurut Mendes, terletak pada semangat musik yang lahir dari kehidupan. Termasuk kehidupan para seniman alam Afrika yang diperbudak peradaban kapitalis. Daya hidup mereka membekaskan keindahan auditif. Itu yang ditangkap Mendes dan akan disebarkannya di Java Jazz. "Itu adalah semangat suka cita, gembira, penuh senyum, dan pesta ria. Semua orang diundang, ayo!" Mas Que Nada! (Frans Sartono)

Kompas, 02 Maret 2007

Pampering visitors, fostering interest in reading

There was a big sale at QB (Quality Buyer's) World Books some time ago. The news about this big sale, circulated through various mailing lists, was quite surprising. On the one hand, avid readers could go on a shopping spree and obtain good books at greatly discounted prices. On the other hand, however, the closing down sale offering discounts of up to 70 percent was also a big blow to true book lovers.

This big sale was a big blow because, amid the difficulty to foster a reading habit among Indonesians, it was the death knell of the bookstore, which Richard Oh established with great enthusiasm. In fact, from the very beginning of its establishment, QB was intended to be one of the few providers of quality foreign books in Indonesia. QB offered books that would introduce us to foreign cultures, literature and thoughts.

What exactly led to the bookstore's closure is not clear. Perhaps one reason was that QB did not offer a wide selection of books so that people got the impression that it offered mostly literary and art works. Another possible reason was that in Indonesia buying books, especially imported ones, is not a priority. In fact, QB targeted the well-heeled as it customers.

Richard Oh is a known book aficionado, good writer and businessman. His passion for books prompted him to set up QB. How did he mix hobby and business?

"That's the trouble. Personally, it is better just to have a small business if you want to be an entrepreneur. If the financial scale is big, it is no longer a hobby and goes beyond idealism," said Oh, who is a fan of Pramoedya Ananta Toer and founder of NuvoCom Advertising.

As it happens, when a hobby is mixed with business, it must adhere to good business practices. A manager of a foreign bookstore said: "QB closed down not because of an unfavorable macro condition, but rather because of managerial problems."

Of course, no one wants to see other bookstores close down, especially since books are windows to the world and reading leads to knowledge.

When thinking of bookstores, several names come to mind. Long-established ones include Gramedia, Djambatan, Gunung Agung and Walisongo. Newer ones include Maruzen, Kinokuniya, Periplus and Aksara, which all sell imported books. The latter bookstores are quite expansive, especially their outlets in malls, plazas and shopping centers. All have attractive interior designs. Some even have coffee shops on the premises. "We sell not only books but also a lifestyle," said Judo Suwidji of Periplus.

That's why Periplus, which is part of The Periplus Publishing Group, whose network includes outlets in Singapore, Japan and the United States, always provides personal services with a modern taste to customers. Its 36 outlets in Indonesia have a simple contemporary Indonesian design concept. At its outlet in Kemang, South Jakarta, for example, Periplus, besides offering some 30,000 titles to choose from, also operates a cafe. Here a visitor can look for books to buy and at the same time relax.

Aksara in Kemang not only has rows of bookshelves but also rows of chairs, where visitors can read the books they want to buy. Further inside there is a leather lounge set and a children's corner, which has a wooden floor and cushions for children to recline on. The bookstore manager says that all these facilities are intended to pamper visitors, even though some may spend hours there reading instead of buying. "This is part of our business risk. We only want to show people that go to a bookstore are a very pleasant experience," he noted.

Obviously, almost all businesspeople agree that besides trying to instill in people a love for reading, bookstores must be seriously handled. Paulus A. Tandagi, company head of PT Kinokuniya Bukindo, said that readers of imported books in Indonesia grew by 10-15 percent a year. The demand for imported books is increasing not only because there is an increasing number of foreign graduates looking for books in foreign languages but also because more and more international schools have been set up in Indonesia.

That's why Kinokuniya, a licensed bookstore from Japan whose name means "a house in the Kinokuni area", is expanding its outlets to malls and plazas and has set a target of being Indonesia's largest and most complete store for imported books.

It is true that there are no soft sofas in Kinokuniya that may persuade customers to linger longer. However, this does not mean that this bookstore, which first opened its doors in Jakarta 15 years ago, neglects its interior design, the theme of which is the traditional Indonesian market. Kay Ngee Tan, interior designer for this bookstore, designed its interior with a combination of Japanese and Indonesian cultural elements, such as those found in Sogo Department Store, Plaza Senayan Jakarta.

To give prominence to Indonesian culture, there are hints of Indonesian handicrafts with interplay of lighting on the ceiling. The lighting effect in pictures and symbols is also intended to indicate zones in the bookstores.

Kinokuniya offers a vast selection of books. There are at least 32 categories of English books, 18 categories of Japanese books and 30 categories of Chinese books. The selection offers a wide array of subjects such as management, accounting, hobbies, handicrafts, lifestyle, literature, etc. It also stocks several categories of books that are usually unavailable at other bookstores, for example, Japanese comic strips, often referred to as Manga.

Kinokuniya Company Ltd was first set up in 1927 in Japan with its first bookstore in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The fact that Kinokuniya has outlets in the United States, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia facilitates the management of Kinokuniya in Indonesia.

This wide network is very important in the management of a bookstore, particularly because it enables it to obtain quality books. The availability of books and comfortable facilities are two things that bookstore customers want. Interestingly, Kinokuniya is often found next to a Starbucks cafe, which also belongs to Mitra Adiperkasa, the business group that owns Kinokuniya. When a bookstore is adjacent to a cafe, a customer may take the book they just bought into the cafe to read while sipping a cup of coffee. In this way a bookstore may also serve as a meeting point just like a trendy cafe does.

Nevertheless, books are not a commodity that enjoyed rapid and considerable growth in Indonesia. Every month, international publishers publish hundreds of titles. In a global world, this will eventually spill over into Indonesia. Indeed, for developing countries like Indonesia, books are still considered luxury goods. However, as people's purchasing power strengthens, it is not unlikely that books, which improve the intelligence level of a nation, will become highly lucrative business commodities. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, November 28, 2006

Book marketing: Friendlier, more comfortable

Over the past decade, Indonesia has witnessed a rapid progress in its book publishing industry, not only in terms of the number of books published but also the number of new bookstores.

Many new bookshops have sprung up in addition to the ubiquitous Gramedia and Gunung Agung, two institutional players in the nation's book business. These new bookshops can be found not only in imposing shopping centers downtown, but also hidden away in backstreets.

The emergence of these new players has made competition in the book business much tougher. With a novel concept of turning the bookstore into a recreational place, new players have been successful in luring bookworms into their outlets.

In the past, it would never have occurred to many Indonesians that a bookshop could be combined with a restaurant or cafe. When you get tired from all that book browsing, you can drop into the restaurant or cafe to eat and drink while chatting with friends and enjoying the ambience. If you are a member of the bookshop's club, you may also browse the Internet for as long as you wish.

One book shops that has developed this concept is QB World Bookstore. With a network consisting six outlets, QB has been deliberately designed to provide comfort to their customers. Aside from a cafe, QB also provides Internet facilities.

"We want to be different. Here you can not only buy books but also get involved in other activities such as book discussions, film screenings, art exhibitions, and photo exhibitions," said Richard Oh, owner and manager of QB network.

Richard would like to establish an emotional relationship between buyers and QB that is not confined to a business transaction. Therefore, QB adopts a membership system. A customer buying Rp 1 million worth of goods is entitled to a QB membership card.

Another advantage for QB members is that he or she receives weekly reports about new books and upcoming QB events and activities. If you have a QB membership card, you can use it as a discount card at 30 places around town including restaurants, cafes, hotels and other places. The annual membership fee is a mere Rp 50,000 (about US$5).

Winfred Hutabarat established a similar network of bookshops under the name of Aksara. Aksara also accommodates non-bookworms and that's why you can also find non-book products like audio CDs, design objects, gift items and souvenirs in their bookstore. With its browser-friendly concept, you are free to read without any obligation to buy anything.

Besides Aksara, there are several other bookshops that have adopted a similar marketing approach, such as Kinokuniya, Maruzen and Times. This new concept has certainly worried the old players. Friendly service and the comfort that new players offer to customers may easily encourage book lovers to frequent these bookshops rather than the old ones.

Besides, these new bookshops also offer competitive prices. QB, for example, can give a discount of up to 20 percent for best-seller books, twice the amount of conventional bookshops.

With growing competition from the new players, established bookstore operators like Gramedia and Gunung Agung cannot afford to relax. In a way, Gramedia has also adopted a one-stop shopping concept in several of its spacious outlets such as in Matraman, East Jakarta. The only difference lies in the management pattern.

In the new bookstores, the restaurants or cafes are usually owned by the bookshop owners, but in the case of Gramedia, the restaurants or cafes are provided by other companies. Gramedia leases out the space.

Gramedia, like the new bookshops, also sells non-book items. Just go to the first floor of the Gramedia bookshop in Matraman. There you can find many wares including sports equipment, bags, souvenirs, computer printers and even musical instruments. So, if you come to this bookshop, you don't necessarily come to buy books. Perhaps you want to buy a badminton racket or a guitar.

What about Gunung Agung? Established over half a century ago, Gunung Agung also keeps rejuvenating itself. One of the strategies that this chain has adopted is to reposition its target market.

Gunung Agung has 32 outlets in Java and Bali. These bookshops can be found in shopping malls or as stand-alone stores with different demographic and target markets.

Every bookshop operated by the bookstore chain has a different target market. Gunung Agung in Pondok Indah Mall is quite different from the one in Arion Plaza in terms of the shop and merchandising concept. Both are located in Jakarta but their target markets are quite different.

Gunung Agung in Pondok Indah Mall targets children, teenagers and young professionals as its main buyers while Gunung Agung in Arion Plaza targets office workers.

Once these people have a good image about Gunung Agung, they will frequent the bookshop even when they become adolescents and have their own children later. Once an emotional tie is established between Gunung Agung and people, the hope is that they will also take their family members to shop there.

Gunung Agung has worked hard to change its image as a serious bookstore and tries to make itself appear welcoming for their target market. That's why this bookshop has carried out various attractive promotional programs such as book discussions, author book signings, story-telling, and product demos. It also offers competitive prices.

In addition, Gunung Agung has also improved its service to its customers. The bookstore not only shows hospitality to its visitors but it also sells quality goods and provides comfort inside. Other things that this bookstore has done is to display its wares correctly, arranging merchandising in such a way that they create an attractive visual effect.

All these different marketing models are but competitive efforts to pamper consumers. It is the only way that bookshops can stay relevant and thus survive. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, March 15, 2005

Learning online book retailing from the success of Amazon.com

If you like reading books but have no time to drop into a bookshop, not even the one closest to your office or house, don't worry. These days the bookshop is just a click away and you can shop from your desk at the office or at home.

Just connect to the internet and find book-selling website. You can order all the books you want to buy and also read a brief synopsis of each. Most virtual bookshops have a good selection of stock.

Online book retailing is an emerging trend in Indonesia. Following the success of global book-selling giant Amazon.com, virtual book stores are setting up shop here.

Amazon, which was set up in the summer of 1995 by MSNBC Online, owned by Microsoft and NBC, is now an Internet legend. The company has a remarkable story of success, failure and redemption. Within a year of its establishment, the turnover of Amazon.com increased 31-fold. In 1995, its sales volume was only around US$511,000 a year, but in 1996 the amount had jumped to $15.7 million. Up to late 1996, it served about 180,000 buyers from 100 countries and 33 percent of its transactions were conducted with buyers from outside the US.

Today Amazon.com has developed to be not only an online bookshop but also a shop that sells video cassettes and children's toys. The success of Amazon.com has become an icon for the success of a virtual book business. Just by selling books through the Internet, Amazon.com with a turnover of US$5.2 billion in 2003, has put itself on a par with Wall Mart, a US retail giant.

However, the price of Amazon shares is not much higher than those of Barnes and Nobel shares, the largest physical bookshop chain in the U.S. with a turnover of only US$25 million. This reflects the fact that despite the initial investment and high business turnover, the company did not break even until 2003.

At present, Amazon.com offers over 2.5 million titles of books from its database. About 1.5 million titles refer to books still found in bookshops and another 1 million titles are those of out-of-print books.

A search engine can help you find the book you want. Just put in the name of the author, the subject or the book's title and the engine will find it for you. You can also ask this website to notify you by e-mail when there are new titles about certain subjects or by certain authors. Another advantage is that many books are offered at substantial discounts. Even books on the best-seller lists are often discounted by up to 40 percent.

What about the virtual book business in Indonesia? As was touched upon earlier, virtual bookshops have also emerged in this country. Large bookshops, like Gramedia, have an on-line sales division -- gramediaonline.com. Another publisher, Mizan, has set up a subsidiary, Ekuator, which used to take virtual orders, and there are also BearBooks.com, ClickBookShop.com and ketoko.com among others.

None have the success of Amazon.com, however, and many are struggling to survive in a market where access to the internet is limited and people still prefer to shop physically as a means of recreation. Data compiled by the Indonesian Association of Internet Providers (APJII) shows that up to the first half of 2004 there were only 10 million Internet users in Indonesia. It is not known how many of them like to surf online bookshop websites and buy books there.

That life is tough for online book retailers is born out by Ekuator.com. After five years of operations, Ekuator.com stopped taking book orders through the internet last year. For Indonesia, Ekuator.com could be said to have had the most complete and most up-to-date website as it used to offer 5,000 tiles from more than 25 domestic publishers.

Most conventional bookshops, use online marketing services to complement their conventional marketing systems. When bookshop assistants are asleep at home, the shop can still take orders. Online shops can also be a useful promotional means for buyers who usually go to bookshops. As internet use increases many people now window shop first on the internet, which is becoming a kind of virtual yellow pages.

It is expected that bookselling in the virtual world will increase in frequency the coming years, following an increase in the number of internet users in Indonesia. This year, a local internet research institute estimates the number of internet users in Indonesia will increase by 100 percent to 20 million for 2005. If 5 percent of them are book-lovers that will buy books online, this means there would be one million loyal buyers. Not a bad number. It might be time again for online book sellers to start studying the sucesses of Amazon.com. (Hartono Iggi Putro)

The Jakarta Post, March 15, 2005

Between popular teen novels and religious topics

As a commodity, books have been gaining popularity. Don't be surprised, therefore, to see the emergence of new publishers in Indonesia. Some new publishers have published best-sellers, such as Gagas Media, which successfully launched teenage novels and other popular reading material generally considered part of pop culture.

Gagas Media has also adapted film scripts into novels, such as Jomblo, Tentang Dia, Heart, Mendadak Dangdut and many others. Successful films are expected to be followed by successful novels written on the basis of the scripts. Heart is a good case in point. Written by Ninit Yunita, this book has been printed eight times.

Interestingly, Gagas Media, developed by Moammar Emka, a popular writer whose first book was Jakarta Undercover (published by Galang Press), never hesitates to publish the works of very young writers. "These writers can depict their world accurately," he noted. Neither does Gramedia hesitate to publish the works of new writers. To obtain manuscripts for its "metropop novels", this publisher staged a writing contest with a prize that exceeded the regular fee paid for a story.

Indeed, teen novels are selling like hot cakes, especially because the reading community for novels in this category is developing. At least, this is the tendency that Gagas Media has captured with its establishment of a book club called Philobiblic on Sept. 13.

Philobiblic is a book club that caters to the community's reading and writing interests. Members of this book club are entitled to a 15-50 percent discount on all books published by Gagas Media. In addition, member are regularly sent the latest information about new titles. The publisher also invites writers to hold a discussion with readers.

Religious books have also gained popularity. Over the past four years, data compiled by the research and development division of Kompas daily shows that the sales of religious books have jumped to the upper position, following comics and children's storybooks.

Since religious books, particularly those on Islam, have gained greater popularity, bookstores now have special display areas for these books. Books giving practical tips such as a guide to Islamic prayers, for example, and "spiritual psychology" are topics that are in great demand. These books sell well not only during the fasting month of Ramadhan but in other months as well. A book by Aidh Al Qarni, La Tahzan Jangan Bersedih (La Tahzan Don't Be Sad), for example, has been a top seller for the past two years. Indeed, this book, which has been translated into 29 languages, is also a top seller in other parts of the world.

Other top sellers include Menjadi Wanita Paling Bahagia (To be the Happiest Woman), 7 Step Spiritual Quotients (7 Steps to Spiritual Quotients), Mukjizat Gerakan Sholat (Miracle of the Sholat Movement), Terapi Salat Tahajud (Therapy of Salat Tahajud) and Misteri Sholat Subuh (Mystery of Sholat at Dawn).

The same can be said in the case of books written in English. "In view of the great number of acts of terror in several parts of the world allegedly masterminded by hard-line Muslims and owing to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, many people are interested in learning about Islam," said Judo Suwidji, managing director of Java Books, distributor of imported books and also manager of Periplus.

Indeed, topics covered in religious books cover a broad spectrum. Books written by Karen Armstrong about Islam, in their original or translated version, for example, have enjoyed high demand. Meanwhile, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (in its translated version) has, since October 2004, enjoyed an upper position on the list of "Best-Sellers of Pustakaloka". More than 100,000 copies of this controversial novel in translation, which is published by Serambi, have been sold.

Interestingly, also selling well are books written in response to the controversy produced by The Da Vinci Code such as Menjawab The Da Vinci Code (In Response to The Da Vinci Code), Mematahkan Teori-teori Spekulatif dalam The Da Vinci Code (Dispelling Speculative Theories in The Da Vinci Code), Fakta dan Fiksi dalam The Da Vinci Code (Fact and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code), Menguak Kebenaran di Balik The Da Vinci Code (Exposing the Truth Behind The Da Vinci Code) and Pengakuan Maria Magdalena (Confessions of Mary Magdalene).

Religious books have attracted a lot of attention because more open ideas are being published. In the Gramedia bookstore in Matraman, Jakarta, for example, religious books have enjoyed second position on the list of best-selling books, following books for children and teenagers (including comics) in the last three months.

Publishers that usually publish books on social and religious subjects are represented by Mizan (including Mizania and Hikmah, its subsidiaries), LKiS and Gema Insani Press. Indeed, not all the books they have published have enjoyed good sales because serious books about critical ideas do not sell as well as practical books and books on practical Islamic psychology.

Today, light reading material with a pop culture content are what readers seem to want. A publisher must think twice before publishing serious books containing critical and profound thoughts. That's why publishers must find alternative themes and easily digestible popular writing styles if they want to survive. (B. Gunawan)

The Jakarta Post, November 28, 2006

Miliader Asia Meningkat

Indikator "Individu dengan Nilai Kekayaan Bersih yang Tinggi" atau High Net Worth Individuals, Rabu (17/10/07), menunjukkan jumlah orang yang tergolong super kaya di Asia meningkat hingga 8,6 persen. Peningkatan yang tertinggi ada di Jepang, di mana ada lebih dari 1,47 juta HNWI.

Laporan tahunan "Tingkat Kekayaan Asia Pasifik" yang dipublikasikan Merrill Lynch dan Capgemini menemukan bahwa di wilayah Asia terdapat 2,6 juta orang yang kaya dan super kaya. Khusus di Jepang ada 43,7 persen, dari semua High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) Asia, yang mempunyai kekayaan bersih lebih dari satu juta dollar AS (tidak termasuk rumah utama). Sementara itu, jumlah orang yang super kaya Asia (memiliki kekayaan bersih lebih dari 30 juta dollar AS) juga meningkat tajam hingga menjadi sebesar 12,2 persen atau 17.500 orang.

Setelah Jepang, China berada pada urutan kedua jumlah HNWI terbanyak dengan 345.000 orang (meningkat menjadi 7,8 persen). Menyusul di belakang China ada Australia dengan jumlah 161.000 orang (10,3 persen) dan Korea Selatan dengan 99.000 orang (14,1 persen).

Laporan itu juga menyebutkan Singapura menyumbang 21,2 persen, India 29,5 persen, dan Indonesia 16,0 persen terhadap total HNWI Asia. Tiga negara itu termasuk wilayah dengan tingkat pertambahan orang kaya dan super kaya yang paling cepat di Asia. Peningkatan jumlah dan kekayaan milik HNWI Asia lebih tinggi jika dibandingkan dengan peningkatan HNWI secara global yang hanya 8,3 persen.

Hongkong merupakan tempat tinggal warga dengan rata-rata kekayaan bersih termasuk dalam kategori paling tinggi di Asia dengan jumlah 5,4 juta dollar AS. Jumlah warga Hongkong yang memiliki kekayaan bersih lebih dari satu juta dollar AS mencapai 1,44 persen. "Dilihat dari laporan ini, secara keseluruhan jumlah HNWI bertambah dan jumlahnya merata di semua negara di Asia. Sementara ketertarikan minat untuk investasi HNWI berbeda satu sama lain. Setiap HNWI tertarik untuk investasi di sektor yang berbeda. Kami harap Asia bisa tetap melebihi tingkat pertambahan kekayaan HNWI global," kata Rahul Malhotra, Kepala Manajemen Kekayaan Global di Merrill Lynch Asia Pasifik.

Laporan mengenai kekayaan di Asia itu juga menemukan bahwa pertambahan jumlah orang kaya dan super kaya itu adalah hasil dari pertumbuhan produksi domestik bruto (PDB) dan kenaikan harga saham di bursa. PDB China meningkat 10,5 persen pada tahun 2006 dan PDB India tumbuh 8,8 persen. Laporan itu juga menemukan ada peningkatan luar biasa pada investasi di real estat. Khusus untuk investasi di sektor real estat, investor Korea Selatan mengalokasikan 42 persen dari total kekayaan di sektor perumahan itu.

Kompas, 18 Oktober 2007

Travel for Food

Travel for food? Culinary traveling has always been an interesting activity to do. We can go to restaurants or cafes with unique decorations, pleasant atmosphere, and, of course, excellent taste of food. Sometimes, it would be great just to go out of the city to visit new places to eat and hang out. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Peak, December 2007

Sate Buntel with Tengkleng Soup

People said that your trip to Solo would never complete without going to restaurants that serve timlo and tengkleng, the authentic cuisines of Solo. Tengkleng, especially, has become a favourite menu in Solo. At Andawina Restaurant, the exotic tengkleng is later combined with sate buntel and, voila…the restaurant has just created a new menu called sate buntel with tengkleng soup.

Sate buntel and tengkleng soup is a very scrumptious type of cuisine, yet many people avoid the menu for health reason. The strategy is how we can control the portion of the food and, perhaps, we need to combine the food with other vegetables menu.

Opens for 24 hours, Andawina Restaurant also serves other menu ranging from international, Chinese and Indonesian, such as all-time favourite fried rice, timlo Solo, Monster Burger, or a 20cm-diameter burger which will be on the house if the guests can finish eating it in less than 30 minutes, Cappucino de Homard au Cognas (Flame), Pizza Mafioso, and its signature dessert, Novotel Chocolate Melted. The restaurant offers family dining concept with Solo-Javanese cultural architectural design with capacity of 120 persons.

Andawina Restaurant
Novotel Hotel Solo
Jl Slamet Riyadi 272
Solo 57 131
Phone: 62 271 724 555
Fax: 62 271 724 666
Site: www.accorhotels.com/asia

Pizza ala Jogjakarta

Who says that Jogjakarta is the town famous only for gudeg? If you were in the city, please visit Casa Mia Pizza & Pasta Restaurant and you will find excellent and original taste of Italian cuisines.

Cozy and relaxing, that would be the first atmosphere we get as soon as we enter the place which is located at Novotel Hotel, Jogjakarta. Situated near the lobby on the pool side area completed with coconut trees, the restaurant is really a good place for hanging out and refresh yourself.

Only with capacity of 30 people, you can enjoy the privacy of enjoying the fresh and delicious pizza and pasta, pure Italian style. The pizzas are made in traditional way namely cooked with fire-wood oven whereas guests can also enjoy the way of the chef processed, cooked and served the food.

Your relaxing time cannot be more perfect with the jazz music softly playing in the background while you and your family or colleagues are enjoying delicious Italian foods. Here, you will also find pizza with local taste, such as Pizza Gudeg Calzone, which offers exotic taste of the sweet gudeg Jogjakarta and international taste. Don’t forget also the most-wanted pizzas of Della Casa Pizza, which contains smoke chicken, beef pepperoni, Porcini mushrooms, together with mozzarella cheese and black olive. For seafood lovers, the must-try is the restaurant’s best Fruity di Mare Pizza. Yummy!

Casa Mia Pizza & Pasta Restaurant
Novotel Yogyakarta
Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 89
Yogyakarta 55223
Phone: 62 274 580 930
Fax: 62 274 580 931
Site: www.accorhotels.com/asia

Fine Dinning Restaurant in Surabaya

This is the only French fine dinning restaurant in Surabaya. Elegant yet comfortable atmosphere sets the stage for a truly exquisite dining experience. The warmth and professional service complemented by our award winning culinary team.

Vis A Vis French Dining is in JW Marriott® Hotel Surabaya, located in the business district of the city centre adjacent to the largest shopping mall and only 20 km from the international airport.

Although ambience is important in this place, food seems to find its position. The hotel highly appreciated the satisfaction of all guests, including the food. It is represented by the establishment of four restaurants, including Vis A Vis. With the romantic atmosphere, you can have the privacy of enjoying the French fine food. Try the entrees froides, like Foie Gras, which is pan seared foie grass on a fresh strawberry conserve in red wine and vinegar sauce. If you want to taste the French favorite entrees, try Escargot menu; half dozen burgundy snail baked in garlic sauce.
For the main course there’re some choices. One of the favorites is Sirloin Meltique Beef, grilled meltique sirloin topped with sautéed wild mushroom laced with red wine and Madeira sauce. If you love the fish from the sea try one of the selection of “Poison et Fruits de Mers”, like Barramundi, Dory, Salmon, Cod, and Lobster.

Don’t forget to try the Vanilla Parfait (vanilla parfait with poached pear in chocolate sauce) or Baked Alaska (strawberry ice cream served with orange cointreau cream topped with fresh strawberry) for your dessert, together with its wide range selection of fresh juice or cocktail. The wine list is extensive but not expensive.

Vis a Vis French Restaurant
JW Marriott® Hotel Surabaya
Jl Embong Malang 85-89
Surabaya 60261
Phone: 62 31 545 8888
Fax: 62 31 546 8888

The Combination of Hot and Cool

If the Nusa Dua area is classified as a setlled and private area, Kuta, on the other hand, offers crammed full atmosphere. Hard Rock Hotel is one of the most well-known icon here, presenting entertainment concept strongly appears on the architectural and interior designs as well as other supporting functions – from the restaurant to the music stage.

Althouugh entertainment is undeniably the game in this place, food seems to find its position. The hotel highly appreciate the satisfaction of all guests, including the food. It is representated by the establishment of two restaurants, Splash Bistro and Starz Dinner. Splash Bistro, as we can easily predict from the name, is located on the pool side of the hotel, creating comfortable atmosphere for guests to eat while swimming.

Splash Bistro offers many favourite menus, including Seafood Pizza with topping consisting of prawns, squids and fish. Just imagining how the food looks like has made us starving. The reality is far from dissapointing. The soft dough of the pizza combined with the tasty seafood topping and the melting cheese create a unique and succulent flavor. Of course, there are others menu to enjoy, such as Fisherman Basket or a unique salad combining hot and cool flavor.

Splash Bistro
Hard Rock Hotel
Pantai Street, Banjar, Pande Mas,
Kuta, Bali
Phone: 62 361 761 869
Fax: 62 361 762 114
Site: http://www.hardrockhotels.net/

Healthy Food for Romantic Dinner

Bali is indeed a center for amazing and interesting places spread all over the island. If Nusa Dua happens to be in your favorite list of place, maybe you should go to The Faces, a new restaurant located at The Bale Resort offering simple and modern architecture.

The Faces is applying the concept of healthy food with open kitchen, ready to satisfy your appetite. The place offers great variety of European as well as Indonesian food served in most romantic atmosphere. For the reason, this place is meant only for singles and couples, whereas children are prohibited.

One of the most favorite menus in The Faces is Pan Seared Sea Bass with Lombok Clams and Bedugul Asparagus. Hmmm… the fresh aroma of tomato and bass fish erupts as soon as the food is served on the table, guaranteed to immediately arouse your desire. The taste of bass fish, shell fish, mashed potatoes, green asparagus covered with tomato sauce and a small aroma of dry chardonnay, all seem to melt in your mouth. The brilliant combination of all ingredients would stimulate all of your senses, creating wonderful feeling and driving your mouth to say hmmm…it was delicious!

The Faces
PO Box 76 Nusa Dua 80363 Bali
Phone: 62 361 775 111
Fax: 62 361 775 222
Site: http://www.thebale.com/

Heaven for Seafood Lovers

If you happen to be in Bali, don’t forget to visit Ocean Terrace. Located just near the beach, the restaurant is among the facilities of the Laguna Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua, offering a breathtaking view of the sea.

The restaurant offers variety of fresh seafood menu where guests can pick their own type of live fish or other edible water animal from the aquarium like Bali bamboo lobsters, sweet water jumbo prawns, and groups. Apart from the aquarium, the restaurant also has displays of fresh lobsters, prawns, shell fish and squids, all reserve for guests of Ocean Terrace. The place also offers wide variety of fresh salad, such as vegetables, fruits until seafood salad. All scrumptious cuisines in the restaurants are processed in the good hands of Executive Chef I Made Putra and his team who have long-term experiences in culinary, especially seafood.

Ocean Terrace Restaurant offers the best seafood cuisines in town including Fisherman’s Platter for Two offering mouthwatering grilled Bali lobsters, padi-padi fish, fried squids, tuna fish, variation of grilled fish meat stick on wooden and crabs with different sauce. There is also Laguna Hot Pot, a type of menu with squids, prawns, crabs, reef fish and mussels cooked with celery, onion leaves and tomato served with rice and alternatives of salads. The food is not stopped there. The restaurants also offer other interesting seafood culinaries such as steamed mahi-mahi fish, Papua Bay prawns and giant seafood sword.

With seating capacity up to 116 people, guests can have not only a la carte menu, but also dinner buffet with price Rp 350,000++ per person every night. Pampering your tongue with excellent savor from the wide variety of seafood while enjoying the wonderful scenery and sea breeze of Nusa Dua seem to be the best idea of a escaping the hustling bustling city.

Ocean Terrace Beachfront Dining
The Laguna Resort & Spa
Nusa Dua, Bali
Nusa Dua Tourist Resorts Lot. N.2
P.O. Box 77, Nusa Dua, Bali 80363, Indonesia
Phone: 62 361 771 327
Fax: 62 361 771849
Site: www.luxurycollection.com/bali

Preferred Wine Bars in Jakarta

Wine can be described in thousand words...

Wine bars are the popular place for people to meet business acquaintance or someone special. An oasis where people can indulge themselves with the best beverages in the world.

Five years ago, wine’s biggest drinkers in Indonesia were 35-to-45-year olds. It was hip because of the health craze. Nowadays, young people aged between 30-35 years old make wine drinking become even more popular. They think not only wine has snob appeal, but also health tied together with self-image would make them a trend.

New wine bars are available in Jakarta. They are here to accommodate the trend and the life style, wrapped up in various looks so people can enjoy themselves in a music lounge with DJs, sit somewhere quiet in modern comfy sofas and share bottles with friends or just take them home. The following are the ones described above (Burhanuddin Abe).

The Peak, November 2007

Cheese & Caviar

Cheese and caviar are true match for wine delight. That’s just the whole concept of the bar.

In this outlet located at Galleria Grand Hyatt Jakarta established December 2005, you’ll find a wide range selection of gourmet cheeses from all famous cheese countries such as France (Morbier AOC, Raclette, Ossau Iraty and etc), Italy (Parmiglano (Parmesan)-Reggiano, Ricotta, Gorgonzola, to Provolone), Swiss (Gruyere, Appenseller, etc) and England.

Caviar, it’s another main feature is clearly a rare commodity which is difficult to find even in Jakarta. The products are imported from the two best caviar countries; Russia and Iran, includes the Beluga, Sevruga, and an Ossetra variant. Caviar has been the best combination for champagne since the era of Russian Tsar. Cheese & Caviar offers you a premium selection of champagne including Perrier Jouet, Billecart Salmon, and Taittinger. Not much different with its premium collection of wines, the bar that also opens another outlet at Hotel Grand Kemang Jakarta imports wines from France, Australia and Italy.

Besides French champagne, the finest collection from this country includes Grand Crus, Henri Bourgeous, Paul Jaboulet, and Domain Laroche. While from Australia, we’ll find Clarendon Hills Astralis, Three Rivers, Jim Barry The Amagh, Henschke Hill of Grace, Bass Phillip, Penfolds Grange, Giaconda and Grosset in its wine list.

From Italy, Cheese & Caviar presents you with some Super Tuscan such as Carpineto and world class wines from various regions like Umberto Cesari from Emilia Romagna, Villa Girardi from Veronica, Michele Chiarlo from Piedmont, and Pighin from Friuli.

Cheese & Caviar provides you with a comfortable tasting area and long operation hours from 10 – 22. The service is excelent with its team who knows exactly what it offers to us. Cheers! (Burhan Abe)

Fine Selections of Wine
Romanee – Conti (1999). Red wine, Burgundy. Price Rp 100 millions.
Montrachet (2000). White wine, Chardonnay, Burgundy. Price Rp 50 millions.
Bollinger 1829. Champagne, Blanc de Nairs. Price Rp 16 millions.

Hot Items
Marquis Phillips (2004), South Eastern, Australia: Shiraz, Sarah’s Blend, Cabernet, Shiraz 9, and S2 Cabernet – McLaren Vale. The price is Rp 350,000.

Cheese & Caviar
Galleria Grand Hyatt
Plaza Indonesia
Jalan M.H. Thamrin, Kav. 28 – 30
Jakarta 10350
021-310 7577
021-310 7652 (fax)
Email: jasukamto@dnet.co.id

The Wine Centre

Though a little bit concealed, the wine center located behind Park Royale Apartment, across the MPR/DPR RI building, is truly a paradise for wine lovers.

The place offers you more than 200 wine selections from various countries including Gancia, Di Lucco Domenico (Italy). Canata (Chile), Juve Y Camps, Bodegas Garvey (Spain), Forest Estate (New Zealand), Strewn, Inniskillin (Canada), Castel, Dourthe (French), Robert Estate, Goundrey, Mount Langi Ghiran (Australia), and Medrano Estate (Argentina).

The comfy atmosphere lets you enjoy the wine cellar and air-conditioned chateau like the ones we typically find in the wine producer countries.

This is the first wine centre in the heart of Jakarta, facilitated with a wine showroom for receiving guests in daily basis, a wine tasting room, a class room where the professionals can share their knowledge of wine with their customers in every month, a magnificent wine cellar where all the grand cru wines are stored and a 24 hour air conditioned warehouse.

Unfortunately, Danisa Textindo doesn’t sell retail for it holds rights as wine importer and distributor in the country. To enjoy its collections, you can find them at wine bars such as at the Four Seasons Hotel, Gran Melia Jakarta, Mandarin Hotel, Nikko Hotel, and almost every wine retail stores in Indonesia.

Danisa Textindo was established since 1977 and started as a wine shop and retail stores which opened its outlets in some hotels and apartments in Jakarta. At the booming era of wine consumption in the country, the company became one of the leading wine retailers including opening the first wine boutique in Indonesia. The principal wine stores were located at Kempinski Hotel, Four Seasons Apartment, Grand Hyatt, Jakarta and Radin in Bali.

In 2004, the company was granted a government license and became one of the eight official importers and distributors of alcohol beverages in Indonesia. With the new status, Danisa Textindo had to close all its retail stores, and could only operate a wine centre. (Burhan Abe)

Hot Items
Juve & Camps (2003), Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), Reserva, Espana.
Juv’e y Camps (2002), Brut Nature, Reserva, Espana.
Juv’e y Camps (2005), Blanctor, Ermita, Espana.
Juv’e y Camps (1999), Casa Vella, Cabernet Sauvignon, Espana.
The price is between Rp 750,000 to Rp 1 million.
Camino del Sur (2003), Chardonnay, Chile.
Kinel (2003), Sauvignon Blanc, Chile.
Abor Mist, exotic fruits, white zinfandel, US fancy sparkling wine.
Price Rp 200-250 thousand.

Danisa Textindo, The Wine Centre
Jalan Taman Bendungan Asahan II/8
Jakarta Pusat
021-570 1909
021-573 2384 (fax)
Email: mitoku@indosat.net.id

burgundy

The name Burgundy, a wine bar located in the fourth floor at Grand Hyatt Hotel Jakarta is truly familiar for wine aficionado. There’s also C’s which offers you wine and fine dine, however Burgundy is still a favorite choice for people. The venue launched on September 2002 presents you a more casual and funky atmosphere in enjoying wine.

Spelt with a lower case ‘b’, burgundy is the color theme of the entire interior, combining chic with contemporary look and feel. Though the name is so France-burgundy is a famous wine producer district in the country-at least, that’s another impression the place wants to create.

The concept of burgundy is that of spacious living room, where people can enjoy wine and good live music, especially jazz almost everyday from the cozy couches or in the bar. Besides wine, people can enjoy spirit and cocktail drinks.

If you feel the mood, do not be doubtful to test its collections. The bar offers French selections as well as others (100 list) including Grand Crus from Bordeaux, Paul Jaboulet from Rhone Valley to cult wine from Australia, including Three Rivers, Clarendon Hills of Grace, Penfold Grange. There are also selections from other countries including Argentina, Canada, South Africa, Hungary, Spain, New Zaeland, US, and Italy.

It has house wine premium like Voyager estate sauvignon blanc (Australia), Geoff merill chardonnay (Australia), Michelle chiarlo cortese, gavi (Italy), dan Chablis louis latour, burgundy (France). White wine like Geoff merill, mc laren vale (Australia), Penfolds yattarna (Australia), Blended Henscke pinot gris, little hampton (Australia).

Also red wine like Chassagne-montrachet (France), Opus one, robert mondavi napa valley (California), dessert wine like Inniskilin icewine vidal oak aged riesling niagara peninsula (Canada) and Sauternes Chateau lafon (France).

The bar is not only a heaven for grape lovers, but also for cigars enthusiasts. One corner of the bar is dedicated for cigars fanatics. There are fine selections of Cuban and Dominican cigars well-reserved in special storage. burgundy is a lounge, a wine bar, a cigar room, a live music room but most of all it’s everyone’s living room. (Burhan Abe)

Fine Selections of Wine
Chateau Margaux (1993), Premiere Grand Cru Classe. Price Rp 8.5 millions.
Perrier Jouet, Champagne, belle epoque. Price Rp 4 millions.
Moet & Chandon, Champagne, dom perignon. Price Rp 1.2 millions.

Hot Items
Penfolds BIN 407 (2004), Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia. Price Rp 805,000.
Robert Mondari (2005), Chardonnay, California. Price Rp 420,000.
burgundy
Grand Hyatt Jakarta
Jalan M.H. Thamrin, Kav. 28 – 30
Jakarta 10350
021-390 1234
021-310 7400
021-3193 4321 (fax)
http://www.hyatt.com/

Vino Embassy, Wine & Lounge

Located in Kemang area, Vino Embassy is a new comer in town. Entering the venue, you’ll find a calm ambiance in its lounge and the wine cellar. The place is dominated with mature and soft colors like brick red and brown deliberately reflecting a modern natural minimalist interior design and its original collections. The color choice is intentionally meant to create an elegant, relaxing and comfortable feeling. To add more, you’ll notice some artificial vine and oak barrel trees scattered inside.

This Wine lounge started its operation on 9 April 2007 and can hold up to 60 guests. Applying the platinum membership, you can enjoy more privacy sipping your wine in its platinum lounge which has the capacity of 50–70 seats. The lounge is well-decorated with waterfall view, glass bottom floor with the fish pond underneath and furnished with comfy couches.

Platinum membership offers you two class of membership; Special Lounge which with Rp 25 millions, this class provides you with Wine Chiller worth Rp 12 millions and wine spending up to Rp 25 millions while Platinum requires you to pay Rp 5 millions annual fee. Membership both offers you the use of the Platinum Lounge facilities. “Though we’re just open, we already have tens of new members,” said Rosalinda Pangestu, General Manager Vino Embassy.

To complete the facilities, the lounge is equipped with wireless internet service. There is also wide selections of cigars ranging from Cuban to Dominican and other countries cigars.

Vino presents you with not less than 1,800 wine selections from all the famous wine countries including France, Australia, Jerman, Italia, Spain, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal, Canada and USA proven its name as the real vino embassy means wine representative.

Are you a new wine drinker? Don’t worry, Vino Embassy provides you with a wine expert who’s ready to give you suggestions. The bar also holds a wine course for anyone who’d like to know more about wine. (Burhan Abe)

Fine Selections of Wine
Chateau Beychevelle (2000), France. Price Rp 2.350 millions.
Angelus (2001), Premier Grand Cru Classe. Price Rp 4 millions.
Petrus Pomerol (1985), France. Price Rp 22.5 millions.
Chateau Margaux (1993), Premier Grand Cru Classe. Harga Rp 7.5 millions.
Chateau Prieure Lichine (1996), Grand Cru Classe. Price Rp 1.8 millions.

Hot Items
Pinot Grigo (2006), Cabernet Sauvignon, Italia.
Chateau Moulin de Prayere (2004), Bordeaux, France.
Penfolds BIN 407 (2003), Chardonnay Sauvignon, South Australia.
Ventiquero (2002), Chardonnay, Reserva, Casablanca Valley.
Price Rp 100–300 thousand.
Vino Embassy
Jl. Kemang Raya No. 67,
Jakarta 12730
021-7191 333
021-7193 782 (fax)
http://www.vinoembassy.com/

A Boutique Bookshop with Style

Bagi para pecinta buku, terutama buku impor, Periplus bukanlah tempat yang asing. Bukan hanya koleksinya yang mencapai 30.000 judul, toko buku ini didesain sebagai tempat cozy, bahkan untuk beberapa gerai – sebutlah di bilangan Kemang Jakarta dan Bali Galeria Mall – dilengkapi dengan coffee shop.

Periplus yang merupakan bagian dari The Periplus Publishing Goup, yang mempunyai alamat di Singapura, Tokyo, dan Nort Clarendon (AS), menjadi pilihan yang berburu buku yang menyenangkan. Meski tidak dirancang sebagai superstore yang luas, kehadiran Periplus yang sekitar 100 – 150 meter persegi yang tersebar di berbagai tempat di Indonesia terlihat cukup menonjol. Desain Periplus, yang digagas Jaya Ibrahim, memakai konsep semi minimalis. Pemakaian bahan kayu yang sangat dominan membuat tempat ini terasa hangat dan homy. Desainnya yang menonjolkan unsur keindonesiaan, yang diperlihatkan dengan sentuhan arsitektur lokal – sesuai dengan lokasi toko buku, itu terlihat sangat catchy.

Toko buku internasional di Indonesia boleh dibilang tumbuh subur, tapi dengan kekhasan tertentu, Periplus yang berdiri sejak enam lalu itu selalu mendapat tempat di hati para pecinta buku. “Kalau dulu pengunjungnya kebanyakan para ekspatriat, kini justru sebaliknya. Orang lokal bahkan mencapai 70 persen,” ujar Judo Suwidji, General Manager Periplus.

Ia menyebutkan, dengan banyaknya para lulusan luar negeri, serta sekolah-sekoah internasional di Indonesia, membuat kegemaran akan membaca buku asing (berbahasa Inggris) di Indonesia meningkat.

Judo Suwidji, yang juga Managing Director Java Books Indonesia, mengaku semula pihaknya adalah impotir buku-buku asing. Tapi seiring dengan berkembangnya waktu, serta minta orang akan bacaan asing makin tinggi, pihaknya pun tertarik untuk mempunyai gerai sendiri. Kini tak kurang dari 36 gerai yang dimilikinya, tersebar di enam kota (Jakarta, Bandung, Semaran, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, dan Bali).

Buku tak sekadar jendela dunia, tentu saja. Untuk mengelola usaha buku tidak cukup hanya berbekal idealisme, tapi dibutuhkan pengetahuan tentang bisnis yang memadai. Salah satunya adalah, Judo tidak percaya bahwa untuk kalangan atas – sesuai dengan positioning buku-buku impor – tidak sensitif terhadap harga. Justru di masa sulit ini, harga kerap menjadi pertimbangan utama seserang dalam memutuskan pembelian buku.

Untunglah, dengan menguasai hulu, Periplus bisa menjual buku dengan harga yang lebih murah dibandingkan dengan toko-toko sejenis. Itulah salah satu rahasia mengapa Periplus bisa bertahan di antara serbuan pesaing-pesaing baru.

Tidak hanya itu, dari segi judul, Periplus mempunyai akses yang baik ke penerbit-penerbit dunia, terutama di Singapura, Tokyo, New York, dan Sydney. Jaringan yang luas ini sangat penting dalam pengelolaan bisnis toko buku, terutama untuk mendapatkan buku-buku berkualitas. Setiap bulan, ada ratusan buku yang diterbitkan oleh para penerbit internasional. “Kami perlu mempunyai hubungan yang baik dengan para penerbit agar mendapatkan informasi buku-buku yang bagus, termasuk buku-buku best seller dunia. The Top 50 New York Time Best Seller Books List, misalnya, selalu tersedia di Periplus,” jelas Judo.

Memang, tidak semua buku laris dunia otomatis laku keras di pasar Indonesia. Itu sebabnya, Periplus pun dituntut untuk mengetahui psikologi pembeli Indonesia, buku-buku apa saja yang mereka sukai. “Itu sebabnya, tidak semua buku yang terbit di dunia akan didatangkan Periplus ke Indonesia,” jelas Judo.

Itulah seni menjual buku-buku impor. Tidak hanya judul, karena sebuah buku untuk sampai ke tangan konsumen, selalu berkaitan dengan distribusi, serta volume yang dianggap optimal jika dikaitkan dengan harga.

Judo mengakui, sejak BBM naik dua tahun lalu, daya beli masyarakat makin turun, dan kebutuhan akan membeli buku pun semakin rendah pula. Hanya saja, ia tetap optimistis bahwa pecinta buku-buku asing tetap tumbuh secara positif. Sehingga, ketika kondisi makronya mulai membaik, bisnis buku pun pasti menggeliat pula. Dan rencana rencana ekspansi Periplus dalam beberapa waktu ke depan tidak ingin diurungkan. “Periplus is an Indonesian contemporary designed shop filled with excellent range of books and magazines. With a cozy atmosphere and helpful staff. In short, it’s a bookshop with style,” katanya. (Abe)

28 November 2006

Sedot Lemak

Ada dua teknik yang paling banyak dilakukan untuk membuang lemak nakal di tubuh. Pertama, teknik liposuction, yang disebut juga lipoplasty/suction lipectomy. Caranya dengan menyuntikkan jarum untuk menyedot timbunan lemak di area tertentu. Misalnya di lengan, paha atau perut. Menurut Dr. Edwin, tindakan liposuction kini sangat aman, karena ditunjang oleh teknik pembiusan (anastesi) lokal tumescent. Teknik liposuction biasa digunakan untuk menyedot kelebihan lemak yang tak terlalu ekstrem, sekitar 2-3 liter. Untuk menyedot lemak dalam jumlah besar – biasanya di sekitar perut – dilakukan mega liposuction, yang bisa menyedot hingga 10 liter lemak.

Teknik kedua adalah tummy tuck, istilah popular abdominoplasty, yang tergolong operasi kosmetik besar (major) untuk membuang kelebihan lemak di kawasan perut bagian bawah dan tengah. Caranya dengan melakukan sayatan kecil di atas daerah kelamin untuk operasi membuang lemak, mirip teknik operasi Caesar. Agar kulit di bagian yang lemaknya diangkat tak menggelambir, dilakukan penarikan dan pembuangan jaringan kulit sehingga kencang kembali, Otot-otot di bagian perut pun dikencangkan sehingga perut tampak lebih ramping dan tak buncit lagi.

Sedot lemak sebenarnya bukan metode baru. Teknik ini dikembangkan sejak dekade 1980-an. Bahkan, sejak 1986 di Indonesia sudah ada dokter yang melakukan sedot lemak. Pada dekade 1990-an, sedot lemak bahkan menjadi tren di kalangan atas. “Kini, seiring dengan tekniknya yang makin aman dan nyaman, permintaan akan sedot lemak terus meningkat,” ujar Dr. Edwin Djuanda, SpK, dari Klinik Jakarta Skin Center (JSC).

Bisa dimaklumi bila peminat kedua teknik ini kebanyakan berasal dari kalangan atas. Pasalnya, biayanya masih terbilang tinggi. Untuk sekali penyedotan di satu area saja biayanya berkisar antara Rp 10 juta-Rp 15 juta, tergantung kliniknya. Padahal, penyedotan biasanya dilakukan pada beberapa titik sekaligus. Misalnya di kedua lengan, di bawah dagu, paha, dan – ini yang biasanya paling banyak lemaknya – di sekitar perut. Total jenderal biayanya bisa mencapai Rp 60 juta-Rp 90 juta. Bila diperlukan tindakan ulang, maka biaya pun bertambah lagi. “Tapi bila diperlukan tindakan untuk penyempurnaan, biasanya dokter membebankan biaya lebih ringan dari operasi pertama,” papar Edwin.

Memang ada klinik-klinik kecil yang menawarkan layanan dengan harga miring, bisa sampai separuhnya. Tapi jangan buru-buru menubruk peluang ini. Pasalnya, tindakan ini harus dilakukan tim dokter ahli yang kompeten dan peralatan yang lengkap. Secara umum, baik liposuction maupun tummy tuck dilakukan dokter spesialis, khususnya spesialis kulit, bedah plastik, THT (telinga, hidung, dan tenggorokan), atau ahli kebidanan (ginekolog). Para dokter spesialis ini juga harus memiliki sertifikat pelatihan khusus. Dr. Edwin, misalnya, mengikuti kursus di Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia, pada 1990.

Selain sertifikasi keahlian, pertimbangan lain adalah reputasi dokter. “Dokter yang dikenal ahli biasanya memiliki reputasi yang dibina sejak bertahun-tahun. Reputasi ini menyiratkan kemampuan dan tanggung jawab dokter yang bersangkutan,” papar Edwin.

Di tangan tim dokter yang kompeten dan berpengalaman, tindakan vermak badan ini aman-aman saja. Apalagi kini dikembangkan teknik bius lokal tumescent. “Risikonya sangat kecil,” kata Edwin. Beberapa hari sebelum operasi, ada serangkaian pemeriksaan intensif yang harus dilakukan, mulai dari tes darah, hemoglobin, leukosit, dan bleedingtime. Dokter juga harus mengetahui apakah pasien yang berpenyakit jantung, hipertensi, asma, keloid dan alergi obat tertentu. Paling sedikit 7 hari praoperasi, pasien juga tak boleh mengonsumsi obat plafiks atau yang mengandung aspirin (di antaranya asetosal, refagan, buferin, dan aspilet).

Pascaoperasi pasien tak perlu bed rest. Segera setelah pulang, pasien disarankan minum banyak cairan atau air mineral untuk mengganti cairan tubuh yang hilang. Setelah beristirahat sehari, pasien sudah boleh beraktivitas normal – meski masih harus mengenakan korset. “Umumnya jahitan dibuka 4-7 hari pascaoperasi,” kata Edwin. Namun dokter harus terus memantau perkembangan pascaoperasi. Aktivitas olahraga berat boleh dilakukan seminggu setelah jahitan dibuka.

Melihat risiko dan ‘siksaan’ yang relative minim, tak heran bila makin banyak saja orang berduit yang memilih cara instan untuk membuang lemak ini. Meski begitu, secanggih apa pun prosedur pembedahan ini, Asosiasi Bedah Plastik Amerika mengingatkan sedot lemak tak dapat dijadikan pengganti pola makan yang sehat dan olahraga teratur. Tindakan ini hanya dapat membantu mengikis lemak liar yang nakal bertarak di bagian tubuh tertentu dan tak kunjung luruh melalui upaya diet dan olahraga. Ini berarti pola makan dan hidup serta berolahraga secara teratur tetap harus dilakukan. (Teguh P.)

Platinum Society No. 14 – Majalah SWA, Maret 2006

Sunglasses: A fad as popular as fashion

What is something that you must have when you plan to do activities outdoors? Aside from sun block, sunglasses must be worn when you are out of your house.

Today sunglasses serve not only to give you proper shade against sunshine but they are also one item fashion as trendy as the dress.

Do you wish to look as stylish as Paris Hilton or Victoria Beckham, both of whom appear stunning while walking along the red carpet? Or, if you are a gentleman, do you wish to look like the cool George Clooney or the dashing Tom Cruise in Top Gun, or like Dennis Rodman, the eccentric Black American athlete? You can be like any of them because various types of sunglasses are available in the market now.

Various types of models and frame variations as well as colors pamper fashionistas to look more stylish. There are a great variety of frames: wide frames, small frames that fit the eyes or even squared and oval ones. The colors are also varied: Neutral colors like black, brown and blue or bright colors like green or red. You only have to adjust the frames and their colors with your own personality, and most importantly, with your pocket.

Pocket? Certainly, as the prices are also varied, ranging from the cheap non-branded sunglasses, commonly called cengdem (an Indonesian acronym meaning that spending just Rp 1000 you can have your sunglasses) to sunglasses that are sold at millions of rupiah as they are branded or made by top fashion designers, such as Burberry D & G, Gucci, Chanel, Alain Mikli, Louis Vuitton, Furla, Zegna, Celine, Givenchy, Loewe, Chopard, Escada, Etro or Oakley.

Fashion changes and sunglasses are also like the changing fashion. Take, for example, sunglasses with broad frames that used to be very popular. Today these sunglasses are trendy again. Their oversize feature gives an impression of glamor. Meanwhile, if you wish to look classic and sophisticated, sunglasses in the style of Jackie O's may be the best choice.

Sunglasses that look like "cat's eyes" are also in great demand today, especially because this model can match nearly all shapes of faces. The retro impression of the shape of these sunglasses matches with a stylish impression, especially with the addition of trendy color play.

In the case of color choice, the dominant colors remain black and brown as these are the most neutral colors. As for colorful colors now trendy, they are pink, green, white and red. "It is wrong to say that it is the color of the skin that determines the color of your sunglasses. It is common practice today to choose the color of your dress for the color of your sunglasses," he said.

One thing to remember, however, is that when you choose your sunglasses, don't pay attention to the fashion factor only as you also take into account the scope of protection against light reflection, the color of lenses and the frames of the sunglasses. Your sunglasses must be functional and give you the greatest benefit.

It is also this commitment that Oakley wishes to demonstrate. "It's a half science, a half art," said Paul Hutson, Technical Advisor of Oakley Indonesia.

The philosophy of Oakley, which is based in California, in the design of sunglasses is to find a solution through science and package it with art. The consequence is that every product they turn out comes from the best materials. The glass material that Oakley uses is made of plutonite, which is polycarbonate generally used for glasses products. In the case of Oakley, however, they use only the purest plutonite so that your glasses will be shock-resistant, lightweight and also resistant against all kinds of ultraviolet and blue light.

The color of Oakley lenses is very strong and permanent so that it does easily fade. The coloring of the lenses is conducted when the plutonite is still in its liquid form. "Oakley lenses with their high-definition optics feature provides pristine sight," Paul said.

The most important thing actually is the XYZ Optics technology used by Oakley. This technology prevents sight distortion. For an athlete, this accuracy is of utmost significance. Paul said Oakley products, which have passed the ANSI (American National Standard Institute) test as sunglasses that are worn by many athletes from all branches of sports in the world such as golfers, tennis players, racers, surfers and rock climbers.

Indeed, Oakley sunglasses, produced since 1984, are not only for sports people only. The design has become trendier now and they are suitable for various outdoor activities. Rudhy B of Optik Seis even admits that sunglasses are now worn not only to provide shade against sunshine but also to look stylish.

Whatever the purpose may be, what must be borne in mind is that sunglasses must be able to give maximum protection to the eyes of those wearing them.

According to the American Optometric Association, to determine good sunglasses, the following criteria must be taken into account:

• The sunglasses can prevent the A or B ultraviolet radiation up to 99 percent - 100 percent. Products of good quality usually provide the label about this UV protection. Sunglasses give as much as 70 percent - 90 percent protection to type eyes against the light that comes directly towards the eyes. Usually sunglasses that can serve only as an accessory to your dress will not have this protective feature.


• The color must be suitable and free from sight deviation and flaw.


• The sunglasses have lenses of various colors such as grey, green or brown. The grey color is better recommended as it can avoid dazzling light but it won't disturb the sight of someone wearing the sunglasses when looking at the objects around him. The sunglasses that cover the entire area of the eyes. It would be better to choose sunglasses that can also frame the cheeks so that the eyes can be completely protected against the UV light radiation.

Sunglasses anybody? (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, April 15, 2007

Integrated Smart Living

Entering 479 years of its age, Jakarta is still occupied by problems. Not much different with world big cities like Moscow, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo, and New York, Jakarta faces land use planning & development dilemma amid the continuous crowded population.

Jakarta is the most dens city in the country. According to the 2003 data, Jakarta is inhabited up to 9 millions people dwelling in 650.40 km2 land (0.03% of the total land in Indonesia). In other words, the land: man ratio is 13.838 people/sq. km square. If Jakarta’s population increases by 500.000 people every year as Jakarta Governor, Sutiyoso said, imagine how crowded is the city?

Like a time bomb, problems of the city need immediate solutions. They are uncontrolled development, lack of infrastructure, transportation, crime, flood, traffic, slums and many others.

Unfortunately, Jakarta and its surrounding cities never have an integrated and definite urban planning since a long time ago. Today, the cities are “well-decorated” with damaged environment; the land, the rivers, the sea and the air. Since 1970 to now, the local government and its leaders have never implemented programs as powerful solutions to end the problems, let alone employing significant environmental rehabilitation programs.

In the early 1990s, Jakarta’s green area has decreased to 17% while the city is supposed to preserve 33% of the total area. Today, the city has lost even more absorption zone.

Up till now, there is none of the Jakarta’s local government programs could answer the flood problem, including the environmental factor. The construction of West Flood Canal for instance seems has not yet to be the long-awaited solution.

The city traffic is another confusing problem. More each day we feel the traffic jam is worsening. The ratio of road: vehicles is awfully unbalanced. There are 350 new cars and 1.000 new motorcycles hit Jakarta roads everyday.

Government tends to answer this crisis by constructing more roads and at the same time constantly jeopardizing thousand hectares of green areas. Bus way as one of Jakarta’s traffic-reducing programs is an inapt solution. Constructed by taking one-third to a half space of the available road spaces, Jakarta local government apparently takes sample from Bogota’s transportation system, a city that doesn’t resemble at all with Jakarta. Bogota, a city in South America which has only 1 million populations could not be a benchmark to implement such solution while crowded cities like Shanghai, Tokyo or New York which are supposed to be our model construct more subways and MRTs as their transportation system.

As a conclusion, the metropolitan city of Jakarta has never been comprehensively planned. The city’s planning and development is only based in ad hoc manners and by corruptive interests.

In housing problem, Jakarta is still the “home” of the homeless. Albeit the government provides public high-rise residences, still there is a problem of wrong inhabitants. The residences supposed to be dwelled in by middle lower population, in many cases are inhabited by the opposite class. Observing this chaos, the local government fails to implement a publicly oriented space politic where it must put priority for public limited land use.

Local government of Jakarta could make cooperation with trusted developers to create more autonomous cities by developing suburb areas around Jakarta. This step could subtract housing problem. While the city housing should be more high-rise oriented which save more spaces and cover more people like constructing apartments or multi-storey residences.

Today, every corner of Jakarta has been fully occupied by trade centers, town houses, apartments and office buildings. It would be more interesting and useful if they are “packaged” as an integrated property complex like the ones we see at Senayan, Sudirman, Thamrin, Gatot Subroto, Pondok Indah, Mega Kuningan, and Permata Hijau area.

One of the projects which recently has been developed by Lippo Group is Kemang Village. This integrated property project is based by global city concept and located in Jalan Pangeran Antasari, South Jakarta, in an area of 12 hectares size. The project is dubbed as the most integrated and biggest new city offering international standard infrastructures and public facilities specially planned for international communities and the elites of Jakarta.

The concept is not that novel in some world big cities. A new modern city is not only overflowed by apartment but also with shopping mall, hotel, schools, and hospital. All in one integrated area. The inhabitants would have everything they need without exiting the village.

What can we say, amid the limited living space and city traffic, it takes something smart to get out of all the problems, isn’t it? (Gordon Benton, Urban Planning & Development Expert)

Degenerative ailments: From heart trouble to early aging

One morning, the lift in an office building had broken down. In Sulistio's mind this was quite a disaster as it meant he had to take the stairs to his office on the third floor. Upon reaching the second floor, Sulistio, a lawyer in his mid-thirties, was struggling for breath and felt pain in his chest. Fortunately, after much effort, this obese young man eventually reached his desk.

Sulistio was suffering from coronary heart trouble, though this was not an acute attack. If he did not take immediate action to lose weight, such as joining an aerobic class and undertaking a weight-reduction program, his illness would certainly have become more serious.

Sulistio is not alone. Angina pectoris or chest pain as a result of coronary heart trouble affects millions of people around the world. In the United States alone, some 12 million people have been diagnosed as having coronary heart problems.

In Indonesia, despite the absence of national data on the prevalence of this illness, its impact is already visible. Cardiovascular diseases are now considered a primary cause of death in the country, registering 18.9 percent in the 1995 household health census. In the 2001 national health census, the figure climbed to 26.4 percent.

Heavy workloads cause stress, said cardiologist A. Fauzi Yahya. Stress, an unhealthy diet such as the regular consumption of fatty but low-fiber foods and infrequent exercise have the potential to cause a number of diseases, including coronary heart trouble.

Heart trouble is only one negative consequence of the above-mentioned lifestyle patterns. Stress and an unhealthy lifestyle can also affect a person's natural stamina and health and may cause various degenerative ailments such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cancer, stroke, hypertension and osteoporosis. Degenerative ailments are illnesses that interact with one another to impact negatively on the overall health of a person.

Degenerative ailments, also known as 'early aging', have been an increasing problem around the world throughout the last few decades. The risk factors associated with these ailments include an unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and smoking. These three risk factors increase if a person consumes food with a high fat or sugar content and has a job that does not require much physical activity.

A report from the World Health Organization claims that some one billion people in the world are obese and it is estimated that this number will increase to over 1.5 billion people by 2015 unless immediate action is taken to overcome this problem. Hospitals offering services related to these "urban" diseases are always full of patients. There are a number of specialized hospitals in the city, such as RS Jantung Harapan Kita (Harapan Kita Cardiac Hospital).

Hospitals that adhere to international standards constantly strive to keep up with advancements in medical technology so as they can respond to illnesses such as coronary artery disease, stroke and diabetes. Such hospitals also continue to improve their service to patients by embracing modern technology, which focuses on prompt responses, efficiency and comfort for patients.

Pondok Indah Hospital in South Jakarta has been using the non-invasive imaging method to detect cardiovascular diseases (CVD), using Multi detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) from one of the world's leading manufacturers. The MDCT method does not only assist cardiologists and radiographers to detect and diagnose CVDs, but also provides greater comfort to patents because the normal scan time of 20 seconds is reduced to less than five seconds.

This is also due to 5-Beat cardiac and Triple Rule Out technology, which means in 5 heart beats time the MDCT will be able to diagnose the three most life-threatening causes of acute chest pain in emergency situations: Coronary disease, pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection. "Using MDCT, diagnosing CVD is no longer a frightening experience for patients. The important thing is that it can provide highly accurate information regarding a patient's health," Dr. Adji L. Saptogino of Pondok Indah Hospital said.

Wide coverage Computed Tomography (CT) or Volume CT scanners use new diagnostic imaging technology called the multi detector CT, which in the case of Pondok Indah Hospital is a 64-detector CT. It enables the visualization of the heart and coronary arteries more clearly and accurately in a three-dimensional view. "It shows not only narrowed areas of blood vessel but also enables to us diagnose diseases at an early stage, hence preventive measures can be taken," he said.

At Pondok Indah Hospital, this non-invasive imaging method to detect CVDs by using MDCT is included in both the general and the special medical check-up packages in line with the hospital's motto of 'Prevention is better than cure.' In response to the growing trend of people in the middle and upper classes suffering from generative diseases, Pondok Indah Hospital offers medical check-up packages to assist in the early diagnosis of generative diseases so that measures can be taken to prevent such diseases from developing, Dr Adji said.

Meanwhile, everybody strives to look their best. Therefore, it is not surprising that clinics offering facial treatments that make people look younger have emerged in many places. There are many other varieties of specialized clinics, ranging from those offering Lasik eye surgery so that people can throw away their glasses to liposuction, skin smoothing, tooth repairs and face lifts.

Plastic surgery and botox injections are now popular in Jakarta. An injection of a liquid called botulinum toxin, or botox, minimizes wrinkles on the face. According to Dr Edwin Djuanda of Jakarta Skin Center, botox treatments are more practical than plastic surgery and the result is smoother facial skin. "Botox is injected in certain places to make the facial muscles more relaxed," he said.

Aside from the Jakarta Skin Center, a number of clinics in Jakarta also provide this service. These clinics include Senopati Skin Center, Birei Skin Clinic, Poppy Skin Care and Erha Clinic. Indeed, the demand for botox treatment is increasing. The treatment is sometimes referred to as the lunch-break face lift due to the short amount of time required for this treatment.

While previously appearance was the business of beauty parlors, today they have been replaced by clinics with sophisticated equipment and doctors specializing in beauty matters. Jakarta Skin Center, for example, provides services not only for skin care but also for beauty matters in general. Staffed with 14 doctors who are specialists in their fields, this clinic also provides dermatology treatments, venereaology facilities for skin problems, laser surgery for pigmentation, freeze surgery to remove warts, electric surgery for skin disorders and liposuction. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
April 23, 2007

From busway system to monorail dream

With a population of about 8.5 million, Jakarta has become intensely crowded and increasingly mired in problems related to traffic congestion.

Flyovers and underpasses have been built but they cannot keep up with increases in the size of the population and the number of vehicles on the roads.

Some people estimate that Jakarta's population surges to some 11 million people during the day because people living in buffer towns come into the city to work. It is not difficult to imagine just how chaotic traffic in Jakarta is!

In addition to a busway system, the Jakarta administration also plans to introduce other means of mass transportation, such as a monorail and water transportation, to cope with the traffic congestion. People living in Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi will hopefully one day be able to travel into the city on an efficient and comfortable mass transportation system.

However, it is true that any mass transportation system for Jakarta is still all talk as of this point. Although the city administration expects an integrated transportation system to be realized by 2015, resident hope to be able to enjoy a modern and comfortable transportation system much sooner.

At present only the busway system has been introduced, but in its present state the system only serves one corridor, namely the Blok M-Kota route. It is hoped that the busway will be able to improve the appearance of the city and boost economic activity. The performance reliability of the busway system, better known internationally as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), plus the effectiveness of the investment costs involved, have made this system the right choice for many developing countries, Indonesia included, in improving their public transportation systems.

Unfortunately, Jakarta has yet to meet all the prerequisites necessary for the success of this system. A highly partial project-style approach has led to misperceptions on the part of the public in viewing the concept of the busway system as the right way to reform Jakarta's public transportation system.

Meanwhile, the monorail as a rapid transportation alternative for heavily congested Jakarta is, at best, just a topic of discussion, with still no real signs that construction has begun on such a system. The government adopted the idea of a monorail system from Malaysia. Actually, the system under discussion here is more suitably called a monotrack because it uses a single track, unlike the railway line used by state railway company PT Kereta Api.

According to Sukmawaty Syukur, director of Indonesia Transit Central (ITC), the company that holds the concession for the construction of the monorail, there will be three primary routes for the monorail system in Jakarta. These will be the 70 kilometer-long East-West corridor (Cikarang-Bekasi-Jakarta-Tangerang), the 25 kilometer-long North-South corridor (Bintaro -Blok M-Kota) and the 20 kilometer-long Jakarta CBD corridor (Golden Triangle-Manggarai). If the monorail does come to operate along these three corridors, traffic congestion in Jakarta would be much reduced, if not removed entirely.

However, ITC, as the partner of Malaysia's Mtrans, has put forward only plans for the first-stage of monorail construction, namely the track along the 22.5 kilometers from Bekasi to Mega Kuningan. If this plan gains approval, the second stage will involve the Jakarta-Tangerang route and the Bekasi-Cikarang route.

The monorail is a modern and traffic-congestion-free urban transportation system. It is cheaper than a light-rail transit (LRT) system, which requires heavy-duty construction. In addition, the monorail would only require 2.5 years to build while an LRT would certainly take more time. "The monorail is the best option for a city like Jakarta," Sukmawaty said.

The monorail is special in that it can readily reach users as it passes through the city. As many as 14 stops would be built along its tracks. At an average speed of 40 km/hour or a maximum speed of 80 km/hour, the monorail could carry 30,000 passengers in an hour. The monorail, which would be built 5.5 meters above the ground or 12 meters above the ground where it passes over a flyover, would be extremely effective for densely populated Jakarta.

The first stage of its construction, which would take 2.5 years to complete, would be expected to require US$400 million, less than the construction of a subway, which would require $1.2 billion for every 13 kilometers.

If the government is consistent with a plan it conceived two years ago, the construction of the monorail along the Bekasi-Mega Kuningan route will be completed by early 2006. According to As'ad Nugroho, a researcher attached to the Public Interest Research and Advocacy Center, the construction of a monorail is a smart idea as rather than clashing with other transportation systems it would complement them.

Bambang Susantono, the secretary-general of the Sustainable Transportation Action Network for Asia and the Pacific and an advisor to the National Development Planning Board, agreed to some extent with As'ad but added that for the monorail to overcome Jakarta's transportation problems the management of the city's transportation needed to be integrated.

He was of the opinion that the most suitable system for Jakarta is the MRT (mass rapid transit).
"The MRT is a must. However, it is still too difficult to apply this system in Jakarta, which is backward compared to other major cities abroad," he said.

In any case, the public is no doubt in for a long wait for a transportation system in which safety, comfort and punctuality are priorities, due to the huge cost. The construction of the Blok M-Kota busway corridor in 2003, for example, required no less than Rp 83.25 billion for the purchase of 60 new buses, the construction of bus stops and the rebuilding of pedestrian overpasses, among other costs.

One thing is for sure, according to Yayat Supriatna, a lecturer of planology engineering at Trisakti University in Jakarta, in principle the monorail system is the best option for Jakarta. As a national and international center for trade, Jakarta requires a comfortable, safe and rapid public transportation means. What must be taken into account in furthering the development of a public transportation system in Jakarta today is how to integrate a transportation network with dynamic growth into rapidly and uncontrollably developing surrounding areas.

The causes of the perennial traffic congestion in Jakarta lie in the failure to anticipate change in the system of land use and also in the late development of a road network and a decent public transportation system. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
October 25, 2005

Air taxi: Solution to traffic congestion

The following data will show how acutely the public transportation system in Jakarta has been damaged today: in the past decade the number of motorized vehicles in Jakarta has grown by 6 percent annually.

It would come as no surprise to someone who is familiar with the city that about 4.95 million motorized vehicles travel across Jakarta every day. Motorcycles make up 53 percent of this number. Next comes private cars with 30 percent, buses with 7 percent and trucks, 10 percent. This condition has been worsened by the additional several million motorized vehicles that come from outside the city. The great number of motorized vehicles has led to serious traffic congestion on many roads across the city.

One of the government's attempts to solve the problem of traffic congestion is to lengthen the roads in Jakarta. In reality, however, this would not have much impact. Lengthening the roads would only increase the mobility of private cars, and that is not part of an effort to build an integrated road network system. Some 85 percent of road space is used by private cars, which actually serve only 9.7 percent of (car) trips. Given the fact that the existing public transportation in the city far from provides comfort and security, it is understandable that so many people opt to use their private cars.

There are not enough air-conditioned buses in Jakarta, nor enough comfortable and safe taxis. That's why, to meet the demands of the "premium" market, several car hire companies have started renting luxury cars.

Several taxi companies have also provided limousines. The largest taxi company in Jakarta, Blue Bird, for example, has long offered premium services. Its Silver Bird taxi service provides luxury sedans. Meanwhile, another taxi company, PT Centris Multipersada Pratama Tbk, is planning to add 500 Toyota Limo sedans to its taxi fleet, a program that will be implemented in stages up to the end of 2005. "This is in response to the market demand," said Omar Dhani Hassa, its president director.

But don't jump to the conclusion that riding in a limo in Jakarta guarantees comfort. Traffic congestion is a problem that affects everyone. One solution is air transportation. Several top executives in Jakarta have resorted to this mode of transportation.

James Riady, the CEO of the Lippo Group, for example, has for the last decade used a helicopter, particularly when he visits the centers of his business activities in Lippo Karawaci, Lippo Cikarang, Bukit Sentul real estate and, also perhaps, Depok Town Square.

For James, and others with the means at their disposal, air travel means avoiding the potentially disastrous scenario of being late for a meeting due to a traffic jam. A chopper is an obstruction-free and quick transportation means. People who can afford to hire a chopper are willing to fork out more money just to save time, and to make sure they will continue to be highly mobile.

Indeed, the use of a helicopter as an air transportation means is a business opportunity. The chopper is the right choice for those who need to travel often and be on time. A chopper, for example, can transport four to 13 passengers at one time. As for landing and take-off sites, there are no fewer than 24 heliports on the roofs of tall buildings, such as hotels, on which helicopters can land.

A heliport is a vital facility for air transportation, particularly in major cities. Outside Jakarta, such as Bekasi, Karawang, Cikarang and Tangerang, particularly in factory areas, there are also landing facilities for helicopters. Of course, air taxi fares are high at between US$750 and 1,000 per hour, given the fact that a helicopter may cost some US$3 million.

Despite this, however, air taxis have regular passengers such as executives wishing to visit their factories or hospitals that need to air-lift patients to other hospitals. During the 1999 general election, there was an increase in the demand for air taxi. Politicians, like former People's Consultative Assembly chairman Amien Rais, used an air taxi to get from one campaign venue to the next.

Despite its great potential, only a small number of aviation business players in Indonesia operate air taxis. There are several reasons for this: the high hourly rent, the tight regulations imposed on this particular business and the lack of regulation of its routes by the central government. One of the air transportation companies is PT Helizona. Another such company is Airpacific, whose base camp is located in Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang. "As a residential settlement area and an office zone, Karawaci needs alternative transportation that links it with Jakarta," said Budhi Achaddian, the director. Starting its operation in 1996, Airpacific now owns three Bell 407 helicopters, each of which can carry six passengers, excluding the pilot.

Every day, Budhi said, there is always a passenger that hires their helicopter. Formerly belonging to the Lippo Group, Airpacific can take passengers for at least four to five trips a day.
When a foreign investor, for example, visits a company in Jakarta and can only stay in this city for a very short time, then hiring a chopper may be the best choice, especially if this guest needs to visit several places.

If you hire a chopper, you can take him or her from the airport to the pick-up point of the Airpacific helicopter. From this pick-up point you can fly to anywhere you wish, going to four or five places before the investor returns home.

While the air taxi business may be a potentially lucrative one, it is quite difficult to operate a helicopter rental company. It must be remembered that maintenance costs can eat up 90 percent of rental fees. That is why air taxi operators in the capital have not booked any significant growth. And with little growth in the number of passengers, the air taxi business has failed to attract many investors.

In addition, it is difficult to obtain an operational license as an air taxi provider. Companies cannot simply start operating helicopters as air taxis; there is a licensing process that must first be completed. Only companies with an Air Operation Certificate (AOC) are allowed to get into the business. The international-standard AOC can be revoked at any time if the helicopter operator fails to fulfill the set standards, for example, if it fails to protect the safety of its passengers.

That is why there are only a few air taxi companies in the country. Besides Helizona and Airpacific, the other air taxi companies in Indonesia are Indonesia Air Transport, which owns eight helicopters, Derazona Air Service, which operates eight choppers, and Pelita Air Service, which owns 15 helicopters.

Derazona Air Service and Pelita Air Service do not confine themselves to spot charters or ad-hoc charters, i.e. the sort of on-demand charters usually associated with air taxi services.
These two companies concentrate on scheduled flights on a long-term contract basis. In the case of Pelita Air Service, although it usually carries state officials, including the president and vice president, it also has oil and mining companies as regular clients.

It is true that air taxi services have yet to take off in Jakarta. In the meantime, special regulations governing the air taxi business, including technical provisions on the types of helicopters that can be used and their routes, have yet to be drafted. There is also the need to designate special flight lanes and establish open spaces for landing purposes, as you have in the United States. (Arif T. Syam)

The Jakarta Post
October 25, 2005

Between competition and creativity in ads industry

Bad Ideas are Dead. This was the theme of the ADOI Advertising Awards (AAA) 2006, which took place at the National Archives Building, Jakarta, on March 3. That night visitors could not help but feel the contradictions in the air, from the dominance of black and the line of Halloween skeletons from the entrance to the hall up to the stage. This implied that only the creative would win, not only in the present competition but also in the real (advertising business) world.

Indeed, marketing and advertising activities are flourishing. On the other hand, print and electronic media are also flourishing. But choosing the right media with which to advertise is, of course, not always easy, especially if you want the media best suited to promote your product and take into account the effectiveness of your advertising effort with respect to your target market. There are 11 local television stations and 60 regional television stations and cable channels plus some 600 newspapers, magazines and tabloids. Clearly, this reality poses a number of challenges to advertisers, advertising agencies and the media.

A complex market, media fragmentation and the increasing number of advertisements are forcing advertising practitioners to be more observant and work in a more strategic manner. Under such conditions, the availability of data and information, an understanding of industry trends and developments as well as being able to anticipate changes have become very important factors.

Advertisements are useful not only to build and create brands but also to increase market share, which is why some advertisers spend so much money on promoting their products. Nielsen Media Research recorded that in 2005, advertising spending stood at Rp 23 trillion (US$ 2.4 billion), a 5 percent increase from the Rp 22.911 trillion spent on advertising in 2004. This increase was evident in all types of media, although the most (about 70 percent) went to television.

Admittedly, the figure does not include discounts and incentives given by the media. According to the Indonesian Association of Advertising Companies (PPPI), net advertising spending in 2005 was only about Rp 12 trillion.

How will the business fare in 2006? According to the chairman of the PPPI, Narga Shakri Habib, advertising spending in 2006 will drop by 5 to 10 percent. The drop will be caused by an increase in production costs as a result of the hikes in fuel prices and by an increase in advertising rates. "The easiest thing to do is, of course, cut a company's advertising budget as cutting other budgets would pose a bigger risk to the company, such as layoffs," he said when meeting Minister of Information and Communications Sofyan A. Djalil some time ago.

Concurring with Narga, Ricky Pesik, managing director of Satucitra Advertising, said, "Obviously there will be a drop in advertising budgets. At best, budgets will remain the same as before. However, it's not that alarming. At least it won't be as serious as when the advertising industry was hit by the 1997 economic crisis," he noted.

Meanwhile, several quarters in the advertising industry have identified looming impacts of last year's various financial upheavals on the industry. However, Ricky said, producers that have a long-term interest in keeping their products in the forefront and companies that are in tight competition with each other will not drastically cut their advertising budgets.

In such a situation the challenge for advertising agencies is to demonstrate their smartness in providing a solution for their clients so that they can achieve maximum benefits from their advertising campaigns.

This year, however, there will be a shift in advertising trends, Narga predicts. Advertisers will shift from standard advertising methods to less conventional methods, like organizing special events or exhibitions. "The promotion of premium products like property, vehicles and electronic goods will follow this trend."

This is also supported by the assumption that less conventional promotional activities, which cost relatively the same as standard methods, bring a company closer to consumers or its target market. Shalini Gopalan Menon, president director of Interact Carlson Marketing, is convinced that besides standard advertising methods, unconventional methods are good PR exercises that are part of brand strategy and are quite popular among advertisers.

That's why many companies now prefer to organize special events, the visitors of which are prospective customers. This method is believed to be more effective and more measurable than standard methods. "Make no mistake, we're talking measurable results, not hypothetical findings, projections or 'smoke and mirrors'. We believe in accountable solutions and we put them in writing," Menon said.

Expressing a similar idea, Iim Fahima Jachja, account director of Virus Communications, said that part of the strategy should include daring, new breakthroughs, such as using alternative media that are yet to be tapped to the maximum. She suggested what he called high-integrity non-traditional media such as "guerrilla" media, public relations, the Internet, viral marketing and word of mouth. Television, she said as an example, is said to be the most effective advertising medium while in fact many people have begun to doubt its effectiveness. "The Internet, for example, has a unique advantage, namely mass customization, for the advertisement of premium products," she added.

The obvious is that competition involving advertising agencies is becoming increasingly tougher. However, one thing that causes concern, according to Narga, is that about 60 advertising companies in Jakarta will be forced to close down because of unhealthy competition. This condition will only worsen if rules of the advertising game are not quickly introduced. An advertising price war, in which advertisers are offered the lowest agency fees possible, is a strong indication of unhealthy competition. "At the end of the day, small companies will have increasingly fewer business opportunities because big companies can waiver their fees," he said.

It is also a concern that this advertising price war has led to some advertising companies laying off employees. Having lost an advertising bid, these companies have been forced to lay off employees. It is an open secret that even some major advertising companies with 200 to 300 employers have laid off about 40 to 75 of their employees.

It is also owing to this price war that 80 percent of the advertising business is now controlled by major companies that are affiliated with foreign corporations. In fact, these major companies only make up about 2 percent of the 450 companies registered with the PPPI. "So, the reality is that the minority enjoys a bigger portion of the business," said Narga.

In Indonesia, advertising companies are not the masters in their own country, according to A. Baihaqi, president director of Tactic Communications. In the past five years, there has been a tendency for an advertising company (a brand agency) to be no more than just a creative boutique because the execution or placement of the advertisement will be handled by media specialists, which are generally controlled by major companies affiliated with foreign corporations. This has therefore given rise to another problem because creative ideas and concepts are yet to be properly appreciated in Indonesia. The biggest income comes from agency fees, which, lately, have in fact become the real problem.

Unlike Baihaqi, Koes Pudjianto, CEO of PT Binamarka Citra Utama, believes that there is a need for advertising companies to anticipate these changes and move in the right direction instead of making a fuss about this global trend. "To be a brand agency should not be construed as a failure if this business is managed well and properly. The protection that must become the concern of the advertising industry is a ruling on split agency, which is 'fair' for brand agency," he noted.

Competition in the advertising industry, said Pudjianto, who is also a member of the board of advisors of the PPPI, has become increasingly less healthy, especially given the fact that this is a fee-based industry. However, there are also quite a lot of advertising agencies that stay out of the trap of advertising price wars and continue to grow. The choice to expand or grow in a more conservative manner with a focus on clients who appreciate and understand the interests of their advertising agencies may be a good option, although it is not the most alluring choice for advertising agencies.

However, on the Asian and Southeast Asian levels, Indonesia could be considered a terrific example of how local advertising agencies can enjoy a significant part of the national advertising pie. Local advertising agencies like Matari, DM Pratama, Dwi Sapta, Hotline and several others are still in the big 20 in terms of share of the advertising pie. In Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and even China, the list of upper-rank advertising companies hardly ever includes any local advertising agencies. Apart from the magnitude of the business, the problem being faced by local advertising companies in Indonesia is their creative performance.

"The sad story is here. Perhaps it is this factor that gives the impression that the advertising industry in Indonesia is dominated by advertising agencies affiliated with foreign companies. In reality, this is not the case. At least the condition of the advertising business in Indonesia is not as bad as in neighboring countries," Ricky Pesik concluded. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
March 14, 2006

Smartphone, a modern lifestyle convergence

Today, cell phones are not merely verbal communications devices. The cell phone industry has also shifted from focusing solely on ordinary communications instruments to becoming massive convergence that combines various kinds of technology in a device.

In their most simple forms, the latest models of cell phones generally have a camera with a larger number of mega pixels. Other cell phones, meanwhile, also serve like iPods that can store thousands of MP3 songs and play back DVD-quality video.

Although various technological features are not what customers demand, their presence in a cell phone has become more and more popular. Consumers tend to appreciate the presence of this technological convergence and this has forced producers to team up on a broader platform with other industries providing various technological features.

This reality can be found in a number of prominent cell phone brands, like Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, etc. The presence of sophisticated cell phones is a necessity in terms of the latest development of information communication technology, and consumers will continue to be lured by various devices that indicate a lifestyle.

Nokia, the leading cell phone maker, has recently established strategic collaboration with three broadband wireless Internet service providers, namely PT Telkom, PT Indosat Mega Media (IM2) and PY Cyberindo Aditama (CBN), and one aggregator content, PT Mobile Lifestyle Indonesia (MLI) in offering free hotspot services.

This collaboration allows all users of Nokia N-series handsets, which have a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) feature, to access high-speed Internet freely in 1,000 hotspots owned by the three operators in over 20 cities in Indonesia. However, to be able to access the Internet free of charge, N-series users must first register at www.cooldesak.com portal built by MLI.

According to Nokia Indonesia general manager Hasan Aula, in offering free Internet access, Nokia is not seeking short-term profit but is focusing on long-term benefits in order to ensure that its handset users can get easy access to Internet services.

"We hope that N-series users, now numbering tens of thousands of people, will continue to increase in number as will the number of Wi-Fi users," he said.

Undeniably, a cell phone eventually cannot be a stand-alone device. The latest hi-end cell phone, for example, which is also frequently referred to as a smart-phone, is often linked, in terms of its sophistication, with its convergence capacity, such as the connectivity of Bluetooth, InfraRed, Wi-Fi, etc., all now considered essential.

Basically, there are two things that a cell phone must have if it is to be included in the smart-phone category, namely versatility and capacity. The first is the versatility to run various functions. Capacity, meanwhile, is linked with storage capacity (memory).

Competition in this market is quite fierce. Not only GSM-based cell phones but also smart-phone vendors have begun to tap the potential of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) subscribers. This is in line with the availability of a great number of CDMA-technology-based handsets. As the number of CDMA subscribers grows from one year to another, vendors are optimistic that technology-based smart-phone subscribers will continue to increase in number.

The growth of CDMA operator services in the sector of data dispatch has also spurred an increase in the smart-phone market.

"Although the speed of its data access is still under GSM, competitive rates will attract public interest," said Idris Efendi, general manager of mobile business units of PT Sistech Kharisma, the sole distributor of Dopod in Indonesia, when introducing Dopod D818c earlier.

According to Idris, CDMA has penetrated the market faster than GSM. That's why smart-phone users have begun to shift to CDMA technology. He also said that sales of GSM-based Dopod had gone up by 20 to 30 percent annually. Dopod claims it has secured 30 percent of the Windows Mobile-based PDA market share in Indonesia. "Easy-to use application will jack up Dopod sales," he noted.

So a cell phone is no longer a mere device used for communication as it now has various functions. The era of the cell phone being a mere device through which to speak and send text messages is over. Today, there are more functions in a cell phone as there is better capacity to put various kinds of technology in a cell phone.

The most standard features in a cell phone are SMS, address book and organizer. Next come the features of MMS, small notes, ring tone and wallpaper download, bank balance check and transactions, SMS news service, Internet connection and the dispatch and receipt of email.

With the availability of more features and the rapid progress in technology, there will soon be a time when we will not be able to make the distinction between a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a computer, for example. This is what is usually referred to as convergence in information communication technology. This convergence is capable of putting together various technological capacities as a unity.

On the other side, the wireless telecommunications industry has continued to spur this wireless network infrastructure by introducing various new and more sophisticated technologies, including Wideband CDM (WCDMA).

Our need for wireless telephone access has indeed become limitless. The presence of 3G, Super 3G, 4G, MiMAX technologies and the like in the not too distant future will change the way we use and think about a telephone. This, among other things, has spurred convergence in the wireless telecommunications industry by including as many hardware and software features as possible in a cell phone.

Indeed, when 3G technology was first introduced, cell phone users felt there was a technological hiccup of sorts because it changed the way they normally spoke on a phone from merely speaking and listening to also viewing. 3G technology has been growing slowly as it takes time to change people's telephone habits and because cell phones with 3G capacity are not widely available, plus they are rather costly.

These are constraints that wireless telecommunication players have been trying to overcome by not only introducing new infrastructure technology such as WCDMA, but by also pushing cell phone device producers to converge various technologies that have been familiarly used in information technology. Yahoo Messenger, Skype, email, word processor and the like will be available in various cell phones.

Now that 3G or even 3.5G technology is available, cell phones are no longer merely telephones. Various future devices, which will be the convergence of various features of information communication technology, will be someone's multimedia assistant with a very large scope, as far as it can be adapted to our use for maximum benefits.

When a mobile lifestyle requires flexibility, a device needs more than one function. What is needed is a practical device with various functions. It will be a convergence device enabling the user to use it for all needs. The hope is that a mobile lifestyle can be applied perfectly without the user having to bother with a great number of devices that go along with his mobility. Just one device for all you needs. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
August 22, 2007

Cell phone war rages on

"To lie is a sin! You can have three times as many cell phone message units." This is the tagline intensively advertised by Hutchison, a newcomer cellular operator known as 3 (read: Three). This operator, the full name of which is Hutchison Charoen Pokphand Telecommunication Indonesia and whose shares are controlled by Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd (60 percent) and Charoen Pokphand Group (40 percent), officially entered the cellular telecommunications market in Indonesia in late March.

With Hutchison Charoen Pokphand Telecommunication being a newcomer, its president director, Rajib Shawney, said 3 was ready to engage in a rate war with established operators. 3, he said, offers a package containing talk time that is 50 percent longer than that nominally found in starter packs. For a recharge package of Rp 30,000 and over, 3 will triple the value of the voucher. For calls to other 3 users, the cost is Rp 150, for both local and long distance calls. As for calls made to subscribers of other operators, the rate is Rp 1,000 (local) and Rp 2,000 (long distance).

Initially, Hutchison will have a presence in 67 cities in Java, and then expand to Bali in June, Sumatra in August and to Sulawesi and Kalimantan at the end of 2008. Offering competitive rates, 3, which is initially designed for pre-paid service, expects to attract one million subscribers by the end of 2007. "Indeed, it will take a long time to win over the market. However, we are convinced that our business will develop," said Rajiv during the launch of 3 at Dharmawangsa Hotel, South Jakarta.

The presence of 3 has led to fiercer competition in the cellular business and has spurred other operators to do their utmost to maintain their market share. Currently, there are a number of cellular-based telecommunications operators in Indonesia. In the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) sector, there are Telkomsel, Indosat, XL, Lippo Telecom and, of course, 3. Meanwhile in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology sector, players are Mobile-8 and Neon, Bakrie Telecom (Esia), Telkom (Flexy) and Indosat (Star One). In addition, there are also CAC and NTX, both of whom are licensed 3G operators based on Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA).

There are an estimated 30 million numbers in circulation, which illustrates just how great the market potential is in Indonesia. Unlike fixed line telephones, of which households usually have just one connection, cellular phones allow every family member to have their own number. Some people even have two or more cell phone numbers. As a result, it was only a matter of time before a rate war broke out.

PT Excelcomindo Pratama Tbk, for example, has introduced a special rate for XL Bebas (Free XL) prepaid card, namely Rp 25/second. This rate applies for telephone calls made to any service (fellow XL number, PSTN or other operators) regardless of zone or time. "We want to make the Bebas card a simple and easy product in terms of accessibility and rates," said Riza Rachmadsyah, senior brand manager of Bebas.

This program is just one of several choices, as for its post-paid service XL has its Xplore Family Plus program, which allows a family (comprising five to 10 people), to communicate with one another at a lower price. Indeed, XL has introduced various offers to respond to the increasingly critical market demand, maintain consumer loyalty and attract new consumers.

Fierce competition involves not only GSM but also CDMA technologies. Although the growth of Flexi wireless telephone subscribers has been hampered by users switching providers, PT Telkom claims that it booked gross revenue of Rp 750 billion in the first quarter of 2007.

Up to the end of the first quarter, the number of Flexi subscribers nationwide was recorded at 4.6 million, with average revenue per user (ARPU) being about Rp 60,000. Aside from the innovation called FlexiCombo, which allows users to go on a calling spree all over Indonesia where there is a Flexi frequency, another thing that has jacked up the revenue is the rate that Flexi offers. "The rate of Rp 49/minute that Flexi offers is the lowest and the most competitive for operators based on CDMA technology," said Eddy Kurnia, Telkom's vice president of public and marketing communication.

The rate with a CDMA cellular phone is indeed lower in cost than that of GSM. That's why Esia has become popular among cellular phone users, especially because the Esia GoGo service, which offers a call forwarding feature that can cover a vast area, allows communication in many cities without having to replace your card while the rate remains low.

This fixed wireless product of PT Bakrie Telecom should not be underestimated. Some of the innovations that Esia has introduced are indeed rare in the telecommunications industry. This does not relate to the development of the product, which is a serious undertaking, but rather to its marketing strategies, such as the Gile Beneer (Really Crazy) Package or the Hujan Duit (Raining Money) Package. These gimmicks are really crazy indeed.

In early March, Esia also launched its latest edition starter pack called Esia Paket Untung (Esia Profit Package). According to Erik Meijer, deputy president director of PT Bakrie Telecom Tbk, currently the number of Esia subscribers stands at over 1.5 million. The target set for this starter pack is that it will be used by 90 percent of 2.1 million new customers, which constitute the company's target for late 2007. As for the remaining 10 percent, they will be the targets for Wifone house phone products.

Erik is optimistic that this latest product will sell well even though a price war involving telecommunications rates is inevitable. Esia's rates are highly competitive. Esia Profit Package, for example, offers the longest talk time (Rp 50/minute and Rp 1,000/hour to fellow Esia users). "Esia users will enjoy the biggest rewards not only because the rate is the lowest but also because they can enjoy a great number of bonuses," Erik said, by way of promotion.

Calling sprees at low rates is what many cellular operators, including Fren, have been offering. Fren has been intensively promoting its one-rate scheme. As of May 1, PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk (Mobile-8) applies a rate of only Rp 10 per second for all calls, local or otherwise, after the sixth minute. In this way you can save money when phoning users of other providers or a PSTN or even making an International call (using FrenSLI 01068).

Rate war? Of course, this is the most effective means for operators to attract subscribers. These marketing gimmicks include lowering talk rates and reducing the price of starter packs. Of course, operators are being imaginative in their offers and are marketing products to suit the target.

The low-end market, for example, needs cheap communications means with sound and SMS. For this market, there are AS vouchers from Telkomsel, Jempol vouchers from XL and IM3 (with the M3 Shock package) from Indosat. They are involved in head-to-head competition and offer almost similar facilities and rates. Then in the mid range there are Simpati from Telkomsel, Bebas from XL and Mentari from Indosat as well as Fren from Mobile-8. In the high-end market, there are postpaid vouchers such as Halo from Telkomsel, XPlore from XL and Matrix from Indosat. What's obvious is that the rate war has yet to end. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
May 16, 2007

Convergence in modern telecommunications

Kenro Seishima receives a short message on his cellular phone. It contains not only words and letters but also a small bar code. Out of curiosity, Seishima, a young executive, scans the bar code and, through the application in his cell phone, the screen features an advertisement of a car plus complete details about it.

The details give not only specifications and price information but also pictures of the car from various angles plus a contact person. In no time does Seishima contact this person and talk to him like in a video conference through his cellular phone.

Seishima's experience is like a scene in a James Bond film or in Mission Impossible but it is actually quite common in Japan. As the standard of cell telecommunications has reached the third generation (3G) in Japan, this standard has introduced many novel things. The 3G technology, released by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) through its IMT-2000 package, has indeed transformed the business map of cell phones. You can use a cell phone not only for conversations but also for virtual meetings, location-based services (LBS) streaming and downloading of video and music, including TV programs, peer to peer messaging such as instant messaging, MMS or e-mailing.

Of course, Indonesians will also soon have this Japanese experience in modern telecommunications, especially because 3G development in Indonesia, affiliated to the GSM group, is just a matter of time. Three operators (PT Telkomsel, PT Excelcomindo and PT Indosat) have already acquired licenses.

Meanwhile, vendors have also been competing to launch the most sophisticated 3G cell phones. Motorola has launched its superior Motorola RAZR V3x. This clamshell cell phone, which combines design and technology, was named the "Best 3GSM Handset 2006" in the 3GSM World Congress 2006 early this year in Barcelona, Spain.

Besides the RAZR V3X, the U.S. company has also launched several other 3G cell phones, including Motorolla E1000, Motorolla A1000, Motorolla C975.

Meanwhile, Sony Ericsson has introduced its M600i, which is dedicated to complete e-mailing communications with touch-screen capability and handwriting identification. This Swedish-Japanese joint venture has also introduced its P990i series with a push e-mail facility, which allows communications with the Internet through the 3G network.

Of course, 3G cell phones must be smartphones because they have to handle various multimedia applications. A mobile television is now the talk of the town. The 3G technology makes it possible for the application of this high-speed feature.

Nokia has been highly aggressive in introducing its mobile TV. It has introduced its N92 series. Meanwhile, Samsung has launched its SGH-P900 series. With a DVB-H TV broadcaster receiver, these cell phones can receive television broadcasts.

Indeed, Nokia and Samsung do not automatically introduce all their systems to Indonesia. Nokia, a Finnish company that is the main supporter of DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast for Handheld) technology, is still trying to identify the character of cell phones in Indonesia. For this reason, it will launch limited edition cell phones this year.

In Germany, four cell phone operators (T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 and E-Plus) provided live broadcast of the recent 2006 World Cup soccer matches through cell phones. Meanwhile, in Indonesia GSM operators like PT Execelcomindo Pratama are trying to grab this opportunity by offering cell phones that can receive television broadcasts. However, these cell phones are more specifically intended for XL subscribers, ranging from pre-paid Jempol subscribers to post-paid Xplor Powerplan subscribers.

In fact, the system of reception in mobile TV is digital. Like a cell system, the digital TV system is based on signal beaming from an antenna such as BTS. However, what XL is offering is the same as ordinary television reception in that it is still analog. Therefore, it is more appropriate that it is called a TV cell phone.

A folded cell phone called i-mobile TV 901 comes complete with an ordinary TV tuner so a user far away from a broadcasting antenna will find it difficult to receive TV broadcasts. Uniquely, this compact TV can record any program desired in an MPEG4 format to be later replayed, either through the cell phone or other electronic devices supporting this system.

This special product can also serve as a useful mass storage device when connected to a computer that is USB compatible. This removable disk can store files that can be displayed through the computer.

As it is, a cell phone is now an inseparable part of modern man. It is not just a device for telecommunications but is also an instrument with various functions. The days of the cell phone being a device just for conversation or for SMS is over. The function of a cell phone is augmented today in line with enhanced capability of transplanting various kinds of technology into it.

The most standard features of a cell phone are SMS, a phone book and an organizer. The next features to be added included the MMS, small note, ringtone download or wallpaper, bank account balance checking and banking transactions, SMS news service, Internet connection as well as dispatching and receiving e-mails.

As more features are added to the cell phone in line with the rapid progress in technology, there will soon come a time when we can no longer distinguish a cell phone from a personal digital assistant (PDA) or even a computer, for example. This is a phenomenon known as the convergence of information communication technology capable of combining various technological capabilities in one unit.

This unifying convergence has at least been found in a PDA as smart phones and PDAs complete with a cell phone receiver are being increasingly developed today. These two devices have almost the same features and have been improved in such a way that they are close to being notebooks. Still, they maintain their identity as practical, stylish and portable devices.

The presence of an ultra mobile PC, pioneered by Microsoft, for example, also illustrates this trend of convergence. The expansion made by this computer giant shows a stronger combination between telecommunications and information technology.

A new product in the form of a PC tablet measuring half a foolscap-sized piece of paper with a touch screen has further improved the notebook. However, to produce this device, Microsoft has teamed up with telecommunications vendors, like Samsung, for example, with a strong basis in cell phone technology.

Like it or not, cell phone manufacturers must immediately evaluate their products even faster. They can introduce improvements by adding the capability of accessing the 3G network now rapidly developing, for example. This situation demands that world cell phone producers should not only be more creative in design and provide more facilities but that they should be able to produce an intuitive modern device that keeps up with the development of communications technology. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post,
August 29, 2006

Cellular business in the 3G era

A young executive looking for an apartment is interested in a mini ad. Unlike other mini ads we usually find in newspapers, this one contains a small bar code. He takes his cell phone and scans the bar code. The information in the bar code, after being processed by an application in his phone, appears on the monitor. It gives the young man detailed information about the apartment advertised.

Detailed information? Well, yes, as the information not only contains the size and the price of the apartment, as well as the address and the name of the owner, but also photos -- taken from several different angles -- about the apartment in question. If need be, you can have a video conversation with the owner with your cell phone and negotiate the price. If you wish to see him, you can easily look at the map on your monitor to find your way to the apartment.

All this sounds like a story in a film, but it is not. It is a reality and a common one at that. At least, it is a reality in Japan, where the telecommunications standard has reached the third generation (3G). Without 3G technology, the story above is simply fiction. With the application of the 3G standard in cellular communications, cell phone users can easily hold a video conference, find out the position of the other person in this phone conversation or look at three-dimensional pictures.

The 3G standard, which the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) released through its IMT 2000 package, has begun to change the business landscape in cellular technology. While previously, the cellular (technology) business was dominated by GSM/GPRS, since 2000 CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology has begun to significantly penetrate the market.

Today, there are no fewer than 227 million subscribers to CDMA of various versions, and 150 million subscribers to 3G CDMA (CDMA2000 1x, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, and WCDMA). CDMA2000 and WCDMA, which GSM has developed, are two of the five most popular interfaces that have fulfilled the G3 criteria consistently. Of course, CDMA subscribers are still far smaller in number than GSM subscribers. "This is because CDMA began to undertake large-scale promotion only in 2000," said Harry K. Nugraha, senior director and country manager of Qualcomm Indonesia.

Qualcomm is a pioneer of CDMA technology and launched this technology commercially in Hong Kong in 1995. Today, nearly all of 125 CDMA operators make use of Qualcomm technology. CDMA began to draw attention when SK Telecom of South Korea marked the initial launching of 3G CDMA (CDMA-2000 1x) in October 2000. A year later, NTT DoCoMo made use of WCDMA in Japan. Later, South Korea improved the system with CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, a format that is capable of speeds of 2.4 Mbps. Today, CDMA in these two countries holds a very prominent position. In South Korea it has even become a very dominant platform.

With its 3G platform, which consistently features connections at a speed of 2 Mbps for a stationary position, a speed of 384 kbps for mobile positions and 144 kbps for a fast moving position, CDMA-2000 obviously has a number of benefits, such as larger data capacity and a higher communication speed. As a result, CDMA2000 can do more faster than other cellular technologies. Using CDMA technology, an operator can provide virtual meeting services such as video conferencing, location-based service (LBS), streaming and downloading of videos and music, including TV programs, the application of peer-to-peer messaging such as instant messaging, MMS or e-mail.

Of no less importance is that CDMA2000 technology enables more users to use cellular channels at the same time. This has made CDMA more competitive in terms of price. It may be said that all over the world today CDMA 3G operators are enjoying an increase in average revenue per user (ARPU). Of course this is a promising business opportunity.

In view of the readiness of the CDMA operators in Indonesia, it seems that the future of CDMA will be as bright as its predecessor, GSM. We can see that most major operators -- Telkom (Flexi), Indosat (StarOne), Bakrie Telecom (Esia) and Mobile-8 (Fren) -- have adopted 3G CDMA2000 1x. Even today they are preparing more sophisticated technology by adopting the CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (data optimized) technology.

Understandably, the use of 1xEV-DP technology can bring peak performance for a network, which can reach 2.4 Mbps or 2,400 kbps, while the speed of GSM/GPRS technology through EDGE is only 160 kbps. On the other hand, the choice of CDMA2000, which is indeed the G3 standard, obviously shows what the operators in Indonesia will do.

Among other things, there will be many operators that will provide multimedia services for streaming and downloading: subscribers, for example, can order a recording of a soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester United that a television station aired the night before. Subscribers will also been pampered with various games that can be played simultaneously by several users.

Likewise, the Internet and the traffic of data packages will obviously be facilitated. Retail business services such as mini ads are expected to dominate the CDMA-based cellular services in future. And in keeping with the ITU requirements, the G3 technology, including the CDMA2000 1x, must also be affordable to every subscriber.

So far, the CDMA technology has been able to meet increasingly more complex needs for telecommunication technologies such as an improved voice quality, the speed of data transfer, the Internet access and multi-media features. The question is whether operators are ready to meet the needs of their subscribers, particularly with respect to making available adequate services and features. This is the right time for CDMA operators to draw up their business strategy. (B. Gunawan)

The Jakarta Post
February 15, 2005

Profiting from the stock exchange

There are many ways of making money, one of them being through a capital market. The Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX), which was previously showing no signs of life due to the prolonged economic crisis, has revived.

In fact, the JSX has seen a significant increase in the number of transactions over the last five years. In previous years, transactions stood at only Rp 150 billion to Rp 250 billion a year. Today, the trading of shares and warrants can reach Rp 1.3 trillion. The Jakarta Composite Index has risen to 1.316.

Several stock exchange observers have said that there are several factors contributing to the revival of the Jakarta bourse despite the frequent but steady fluctuations.

First, the decline in the interest rate of Bank Indonesia promissory notes (SBI) has led to the decrease in the interest rate of time deposits, leaving this type of financial instrument less attractive. Under this condition, money owners, bank customers and investors prefer to utilize other investment instruments to gain a profit, such as shares and mutual funds.

Second are the external factors: the improving condition of stock markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. in which share prices have bounced back and the number of transactions has also been on the increase since early this year. Third, the share price recovery in most bourses in the world, including the JSX, has prompted numerous investors to enter the country's stock exchange.

Aside from that, announcements on Indonesia's increase in long-term debt rating by such international rating organizations as Moody's Investor Service and Standard and Poor (S&P) have restored foreign investors' confidence in Indonesia.

International investors feel secure in investing in Indonesia, and today Indonesia's capital market is seen by foreign investors as one of the profitable stock exchanges.

The above-mentioned fundamental factors have, at least, led to a number of companies' growing eagerness to generate funds from the capital market.

Take Bank Bukopin, for example. Bukopin has followed in the footsteps of 24 other banks by entering the JSX through which it will offer 30 percent of its shares, equivalent to two billion shares at between Rp 350 and Rp 520 per share. The share offering is not only targeted at local investors but also those from other countries, such as Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Amsterdam.

By going public and by listing its shares on the JSX in July, Bank Bukopin management expects to generate funds amounting to between Rp 717 billion and Rp 1 trillion from the stock exchange. "We plan to use the funds for improving our capital structure," Bank Bukopin's president director Glen Glenardi said at a public expose in Jakarta on June 6.

According to banking observers, banking plays a significant role in moving the index. Apart from that, under the economic recovery program in which bank interest rates are kept at a low level, shares of sectors like property, cement, banking and automotive are attractive to investors. Other shares of telecommunication companies like PT Telkom and PT Indosat are also popular among investors. Other attractive shares include those of infrastructure companies, like PT Citra Marga.

Therefore, investors' interest in buying shares in bulk has resulted in the dramatic increase in share prices. Almost all prices of blue chip shares have jumped high in the last 30 days.

Certainly, the share price increase trend has a limit. When share prices reach their peak, selling commonly occurs. This has led to several popular shares coming under pressure.

As a result, in the short term, an opportunity to obtain gain from popular shares is small. And even in the long term, as capital market analysts have put it, investing in blue chip shares can be risky.

Under this condition, it is safe to buy second line shares. The second line share group is apt to be slow in following the movement of blue chip shares and, when the market is bullish and bearish, the second line shares tend to move slowly. And therefore, the analysts conclude, "Second line shares provide an appropriate buy alternative because they have room to strengthen," he said.

One thing is certain, and that is that in general the capital market remains attractive to investors. The capital market serves as an alternative investment instrument because it can give a higher return compared to that given by other investment instruments.

In fact, according to other analysts, shares are not the only profitable investment. Bonds, too, can be a profitable alternative. "The lowering interest rate will be reversed in the case of bond prices, which tend to rise," wrote Budi Susanto, a bond market analyst at Danareksa Sekuritas in an article appearing in Kompas daily on May 22, 2006.

The declining interest rate is connected to the bond price increase. This can be seen, for instance, in the declining SBI rate for 2002-2004, in which bond prices were in an upward trend while SBIs were at a low point in May 2004. However, in November 2005, when the interest rate was in an upward trend, bond prices also were apt to be on the increase.

It was not an anomaly. Market players were optimistic that the dramatic rise in inflation in October 2005 was only temporary and they predicted that the inflation rate would decline in the following months. It is not surprising then, says Budi, that the bond price drop provides a "time to buy" opportunity because investors believe the inflation and deposit interest rate will not decline in the distant future. "With the expected continued interest rate, market players seem to be aware that bond prices will rebound," he said.

This year, even though the last auction did not bring optimum results, analyst circles predicted that investing in bonds would remain profitable. And even government bonds are more secure and give high capital gain. Additionally, foreign investors' improving perception of the Indonesian economy has contributed to positive sentiment and will revitalize investment in commercial papers, even in commercial papers with the lowest risk, because the government has completed 90 percent of its state bond issuance for 2006.

The problem is: which is more attractive, bonds or shares? Seen from the viewpoint of characteristics, either shares or bonds can be a good investment alternative, depending entirely on the investment goal. For investors who are eager to be actively engaged in trading activities and have to secure liquidity, investing in shares is better despite the big risk.

Yet if priority is placed on optimum returns instead of liquidity, bonds can be a more attractive alternative -- particularly when investing in bonds can give a yield of between 12.5 and 13 percent. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
June 20, 2006

Attracting rich customers and how to serve them

The old adage that the customer is king is still relevant today. The increasingly keener competition in our domestic banking world has made banks not only compete to get as many customers as possible but also to maintain the loyalty of current customers by providing them with the best possible services.

This is especially the case with VIP customers, who are small in number but make the greatest contribution to banks' money circulation. These special services, which are part of the marketing strategies of the banking industry, may take various forms, such as special interest rates, offers of goods at attractive discounts or financial management services on a wider scope. These services may be referred to as personal, priority or private banking.

The size of these premium customers has huge potential. In Indonesia about 1.5 million people earn an average of Rp 500 million a year. Ravi Sreedharan, head of personal financial services of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) estimates the number at three million people. As referred to earlier, the interesting thing about these premium customers is their contribution to the banking sector. Eighty percent of third-party funds controlled by BCA, for example, come from this top segment of banking customers.

That's why it is no surprise that BCA has been very enthusiastically working on its BCA Prioritas (Priority BCA) program, which requires a minimum deposit of Rp 250 million. No less than diva Kris Dayanti has been exclusively hired to make this program a success. "We have lower, middle and upper segments of customers. Special treatment is needed to manage their funds. They need more specific and more personalized services. Super-rich customers, who possess huge amounts of funds, surely tend to demand more from banks," said Meity Anita, a senior manager of BCA.

Customers of BCA Prioritas certainly enjoy better services than ordinary customers. The bank, for example, provides special rooms for them in its 111 branch offices across the archipelago. BCA has also established 33 executive airport lounges in Indonesian 19 airports. In addition, the bank periodically introduces special offers for selected products at special prices for premium customers. At present, for example, customers of BCA Prioritas are being offered Toyota Fortuner without having to place an indent.

Earlier, Volvo S60 were offered at a Rp 40 million discount. All these special offers are published in a free exclusive magazine. BCA has introduced all these benefits in its effort to maintain its premium customers, now registered at some 80,000 people holding a total of some 6.65 million bank accounts throughout the country.

Undeniably, it is the tendency prevailing among bank customers today to have a bank that can specifically study their desires, understand them and give them individual attention. These wealthy clients demand something extra not only in terms of services but also with respect to return on investment, security, comfort and so forth.

It is this challenge to which local banks are trying to respond properly. Private Banking and Wealth Management, a program devoted to premium customers, provides banking facilities in line with the development in these customers' lifestyle and living necessities. The approach is personalized and customized and should conform to the needs and desires of these customers. Every premium customer is served and assisted by a special relations manager, who helps a customer benefit from various kinds of services, including special programs, in terms of banking transactions as well as non-banking matters. Of course, this step can be taken not only by local banks. Even foreign banks offer similar services to their premium customers. HSBC, for example, has its HSBC Premier. Under this program, a customer can benefit not only in terms of investment but is also entitled to special gifts, for example a Jaguar X type, if he fulfills certain conditions.

He will also be invited to selected events, such as a golf event. In March, for example, HSBC sponsored the Indonesia Open 2006, a prestigious golf tournament participated in by world-class champions. According to Ravi Sreedharan, such offers are effective in maintaining customers' loyalty and at the same time luring new customers to the premium program. HSBC has 12,000 customers in this premier program. The number of customers grows at an average of about 30 percent annually.

"HSBC's premier customers," Ravi said, "need more than just rewards, which the bank usually promises. It is their right to enjoy an exclusive and international-standard service, but they also deserve to enjoy a series of investment and banking products specially created to meet their needs. That is why a HSBC relations manager assists premium customers regarding all their banking needs. A relations manager not only appreciates a premium customer but also understands his individual needs."

Also seeing the opportunity, Standard Chartered Bank launched a similar product, called Wealth Management Account, in September last year. This product, which is an extension of the Priority Banking service that the bank introduced in May 2001, requires an individual to deposit Rp 100 million and a business entity Rp 150 million.

Aside from offering high interest (adjusted to Bank Indonesia's benchmark rate), Darmadi Sutanto, general manager of SCB's Wealth Consumer Banking, said that this savings or check account provided comfort and facilities in transactions and had several other benefits. "We are highly optimistic that this product will enjoy an enthusiastic welcome from our clients because the premium market offers a good business opportunity," he said, adding that up to late 2005 this exclusive product had attracted an estimated Rp 1 trillion.

Among foreign banks, Citibank may be considered the pioneer in priority banking schemes. With its head office located in the Golden Triangle, Citibank calls its premium service Citigold Wealth Management Banking. To be able to join this program, a customer must deposit at least Rp 500 million.

With an account of this size, a customer can enjoy special services -- such as investment and financial management planning -- and exclusive facilities at the Citigold Center, like safety boxes, special merchant discounts and invitations to attend exclusive events such as fashion shows, music concerts, seminars and so forth. In addition, with respect to more serious financial matters, a Citigold customer is served by a Citigold relations team, which is made up of a Citigold executive, an investment specialist and a foreign exchange specialist, and also is entitled to the support of global research and the knowledge of Citibank's worldwide network.

Citigold Wealth Management Banking, which was launched in 2002 and has about 17,000 customers, is an extension of Citigold Priority Banking, a Citibank product introduced in 1980. While the Priority Banking program is focused more on exclusive services, the Wealth Management program is concentrated more on the management of a customer's financial portfolio. "It is no longer time for a bank to serve wealthy customers only with a sweet smile and a promise to understand their needs. Private banking was suitable about a decade ago. The service currently required is not product-centered, but rather customer-centered," said Lanny Hendra, vice president of Segment Marketing of Citigold Wealth Management Banking.

Obviously, exclusive customers require exclusive services. A hypermarket concept could not be applied to these premium customers, they need tailor-made products like a boutique offers. Although there are several types of investment products, what matters most is how the services offered can help customers reach their financial goals. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post
April 25, 2006

Spa dan Tradisi Jawa

Siapa bilang perawatan tubuh secara paripurna ala spa hanya ada di alam modern. Sejak abad 17 Keraton Kasultanan Yogyakarta sudah mengenal tradisi perawatan tubuh, yang dilakukan di Tamansari.

Menurut KRT RPA Soerjanto Sastroatmodjo, 50 tahun, pakar budaya dan tradisi Keraton Kasultanan Yogya, kompleks Tamansari yang dibangun oleh Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono (HB) I semula dimaksudkan sebagai pusat rekreasi dan tetirah. Kompleks pemandian ini dibangun dan dirancang oleh seorang arsitek bangsa Portugis bernama Marseso. Ketika membangun Tamansari, sang arsitek yang oleh Sultan diberi nama Demang Tegis ini membayangkan istana air yang ada di Lisabon.

Penggarapannya cukup lama, memakan waktu 15 tahun, dimulai dari masa HB I tahun 1787 hingga HB II tahun 1805. Lama, karena lokasi Tamansari di Pabringan jauh dai laut, sehingga harus dibuatkan aliran air terlebih dahulu untuk kolam-kolamnya. Untuk itu air dari sungai Winongo pun dialirkan melalui bawah tanah yang diberi nama Umbul Larangan.

Tamansari merupakan sebuah taman rekresasi keluarga raja, terdiri dari beberapa centrum, mulai dari Gapura Tamansari Pengarantunan (ruang tunggu), Paseban (tempat bertemunya raja dan abdi dalem), Pulau Cemeti, Sumur Gemuling (jalan rahasia dari keraton ke laut selatan), serta Balekambang.

Yang menarik, selain untuk bercengkrama, kompleks Tamansari juga digunakan sebagai tempat perawatan tubuh paripurna yang dikenal sebagai ngadisaliro, ngadirogo dan ngadibusono, bagi putri-putri bupati taklukan Sultan yang akan diperisteri sebagai selir.

Tempat perawatan tubuh itu dikenal sebagai Bangsal Peni dan Bangsal Manuboro yang terletak di sisi timur laut kompleks tersebut. Layaknya spa di zaman sekarang, proses perawatan tubuh bagi putri-putri calon isteri Sultan (selir) itu memakan waktu hingga lima jam. Dimulai dengan kungkum (berendam) dalam bak air dingin yang sudah dicampur dengan asam Jawa dan jeruk nipis. Fungsinya untuk mengilangkan kotoran dan bau badan yang tak sedap. Kemudian luluran, dengan bahan campuran tanah liat dan susu.

Sehabis luluran, tubuh dibersihkan dengan air hangat. Kemudian tubuh dibalur lagi dengan bubuk beras yang dicampur kunyit. Setelah “meresap”, sang putri boleh berendam di air hangat dengan mengusap-usapkan ramuan boreh – terdiri dari beras kencur dan kembang setaman. Ini membuat badan terasa segar dan rileks.

Ada satu proses lagi, yakni pemijatan oleh emban Sinelir, sebelum para selir itu disuruh berenang-renang di kolam yang luas sampai puas. Setelah itu baru acara pencucian rambut dengan londho, alias serbuk dari merang yang sudah dibakar dicampur dengan air hangat. Karena waktu itu tidak hair dryer, maka proses pengeringannya dengan ratus. Rambut diasapi dengan asap ratus yang terdiri dari kemenyan, kayu gaharu dan kapur barus. Kalau ingin lebih sempurna, rambut dibasuh lagi dengan rendaman air dadap srep dan pandan wangi yang fungsinya sebagai contitioner di zaman sekarang. Selain untuk para selir, perawatan ala keraton ini juga dilakukan oleh para penari Bedoyo atau Srimpi ketika akan tampil pada acara-acara resmi kerajaan. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Pijatan Cinta Dewi Sri

Pijat-pijatan, yang kini sudah menjadi gaya hidup orang perkotaan, agaknya sudah dimanfaatkan para produsen kosmetika. Martha Tilaar, misalnya, mengeluarkan seri aromathic, yakni produk kosmetik yang diperuntukkan keperluan spa, termasuk di dalamnya lotion untuk pijat.

Produk sensual massage oil cukup banyak diminati para penggemar pijat. Konon, untuk menjaga hubungan suami isteri tetap harmonis, tidak cukup hanya dengan rayuan romantis saja, tapi perlu sentuhan sensual. Ya, inilah pijatan yang – demikian dalam buku petunjuk memijat Aromatic Martha Tilaar Dewi Sri Spa, minyak pijat sensual – dapat memperdalam cinta kepada pasangan Anda:

1. Untuk mengurangi ketegangan di punggung, pijatlah dengan gerakan perlahan-lahan, dan tekan agak keras sepanjang area pada sisi tulang punggung.
2. Tekan pada pinggang dan pantat.
3. Pijat dengan metode mengangkat tenunan pada pantat. Di samping akan mengurangi ketegangan pada pinggang dan bagian belakang pinggang, pijatan itu juga akan membangkitkan perasaan sensual.
4. Teruskan ke bagian-dalam paha.
5. Untuk mengurangi ketegangan pada perut, pijat tepat di bawah tulang rusuk sampai perut, teruskan ke batas tulang selangka, dan lingkarkan ke arah pusat.
6. Teruskan dengan memijat dada, pundak, dan terus ke lengan. Luncurkan kedua tangan dengan halus ke sekeliling pundak, dan kembali ke otot-otot dada.
7. Untuk mengurangi ketegangan pada air muka, pijatlah wajah secara lembut dengan gerakan terus-menerus antara telapak tangan kiri dan kanan.
8. Teruskan dengan memijat dahi dan pelipis, tekan dengan gerakan memutar.
   Untuk mengurangi ketegangan pada leher dan pundak, pijatlah kedua bagian itu dengan tekanan.
9. Teruskan dengan memijat kepala sampai terasa berkurang ketegangannya.
10. Akhiri pijatan itu dengan belaian lembut menggunakan ujung jari pada tubuh pasangan
11. Anda, disertai tatapan mata. Dan, ini akan memperdalam cinta Anda kepadanya.

Sumber: Majalah Tajuk Edisi 19, 1998

Let’s Get Party

Inovasi tiada henti dilakukan oleh berbagai club atau lounge semata-mata tidak hanya untuk memenuhi kebutuhan hiburan bagi kalangan eksekutif. Tetapi lebih dari itu, hang out atau clubbing di kafe, bar, club atau lounge bukan semata untuk sekadar relaksasi ataupun mencari hiburan. Tetapi lebih merupakan suatu kesempatan untuk bersosialisasi.

Bagi mereka yang siang harinya disibukkan oleh pekerjaan yang relatif menyita waktu, malam hari seolah waktu yang tepat untuk entertainment.

Kini banyak bertaburan tempat hang out baru yang semakin kreatif menawarkan atmosfer yang berbeda. Sebuah konsep baru untuk para clubber Jakarta hadir di beberapa tempat. Keberadaan mereka seolah semakin lengkap dan strategis. Seperti satu lokasi dengan dua tempat yang berbeda konsep. Atau tempat clubbing yang berada di gedung perkantoran, kawasan bisnis dan pusat perbelanjaan yang nota bene mudah dijangkau dan dekat dengan mereka. Seperti Vertigo dan X Lounge yang berlokasi di pusat perbelanjaan Plaza Semanggi. Dua tempat hang out yang berbeda namun tetap terintegrasi satu sama lain.

Clubbers memiliki kebebasan untuk memilih musik apa yang ingin didengar dan suasana seperti apa yang dinginkannya. Mengambil lokasi di lantai teratas, gedung Veteran bagian dari kompleks Plaza Semanggi, salah satu alasan strategis lainnya. Nah, apa saja tempat baru untuk partygoers Jakarta? (Irwan/Appetite Journey, 2006)

X2

Inilah tempat hang out teranyar yang saat ini mampu menjadi magnet bagi para clubbers di Jakarta. Konsep yang ditawarkan oleh X2 sungguh mampu memanjakan para pengunjung. Konsep ini pun boleh dibilang baru. Lokasi seluas 2.800 meter persegi ini mampu menampung sekitar lima ribu pengunjung dan memiliki empat ruangan yang terintegrasi, menjadikan X2 sebagai salah satu klub terbesar yang ada di Jakarta Selatan.

Menurut Oggie Toruan, Media Relation Manager, X2 merupakan klub yang saling terkoneksi antar empat area. Masing-masing area hadir dengan konsep yang berbeda. Keempat area tersebut adalah X2, Vintage, Equinox, dan Ego. Soal musik pun keempat tempat ini mengusung konsep yang berbeda. Untuk area Equinox cenderung memainkan musik-musik R&B dan dengan desain minimalis. Sementara Ego merupakan tempat khusus hanya bagi para member yang berada tepat di atas X2.

Untuk X2 sendiri mengusung konsep entertainment sebuah klub dengan ambience bergaya gothic dan industrial Romawi. Nuansa gothic di X2 terasa kental dengan lambang X2 bergaya gothic di atas DJ booth lengkap dengan pilar-pilar tema tersebut di atas dance floor.

Pilihan material yang dipakai seperti kaca, batu marmer, kayu, dan granit menciptakan atmosfir yang penuh gaya dan eksklusif. Interiornya didominasi oleh warna-warna biru, hijau, dan ungu.

Soal musik pun keempat tempat ini berbeda. Khusus para disc jockey di X2, spinning the turn table dengan musik yang temponya relatif lebih kencang dan cepat seperti trance, progressive, ataupun house music. Ditunjang dengan tata suara yang menggelegar, dan tata cahaya dengan laser yang futuristik dan high tech, menggugah setiap tamu yang datang untuk bergoyang. X2 dibuka setiap minggunya sejak Rabu hingga Sabtu.

X2, Vintage, Equinox, Ego
Plaza Senayan 4th & 5th floor
Jl. Asia Afrika No.8
Jakarta 10270

Vintage

Sementara Vintage yang menjadi bagian dari X2 merupakan area yang memiliki konsep classic cocktail lounge. Otomatis lagu yang diputar jauh lebih lembut dengan low beat, seperti classic disco, dan retro. Vintage menjadi sebuah lounge yang lengkap dengan sofa-sofa lembut yang mampu menampung sekitar 100 orang. Di sini Anda akan merasakan suasana yang nyaman, intim, dan rileks sambil menikmati sajian foods and beverages yang tersedia. Khusus di Vintage, jam operasionalnya adalah Senin hingga Minggu, mulai pukul 11 siang, hingga pukul 3 pagi. Silakan Anda datang mencicipi sajian X2 Platter, yang berisi sajian udang, cumi, ayam dan kentang yang digoreng. Dengan Rp 45.000 ++ Anda dapat menikmati X2 Platter.

Sementara party belum lengkap rasanya tanpa ditemani minuman. Salah satu the best drink yang direkomendasi adalah Fussion Illusion. Disajikan dengan gelas yang tinggi, minuman ini mengandung Vodka, Triple Sec Liquor, Pineapple dan Lime juice. Minuman yang hanya terdapat di X2 ini dapat Anda nikmati hanya seharga Rp 260.000 ++.

Satu lagi adalah Berry Splash Colada. Dengan campuran Bacardi, Coconut Liquor, Coconut cream, dan berry atau strawbery pure dan pineapple juice, minuman berwarna pink ini pasti menggelitik rasa ingin tahu Anda untuk mencobanya. Silakan nikmati Berry Splash Colada hanya dengan Rp 70.000 ++.

Pilihan lokasi klub yang menyatu dengan pusat perbelanjaan mewah seperti Plaza Senayan ini sekaligus ingin memberikan kemudahan akses, dan mendekatkan mereka kepada pengunjung yang menjadi target pasar mereka. Keberadaan X2 yang berada di lantai empat menyatu dengan plaza menjadikan tempat ini sangat strategis mengincar pasar A+ dan B+, seperti eksekutif, ekspatriat, dan kaum muda. Fasilitas yang berada di pusat perbelanjaan seperti lokasi strategis, dan akses parkir yang luas, juga menjadi pilihan membuka klub dalam sebuah pusat perbelanjaan. (Appetite Journey)

Blowfish Kitchen and Bar

Setelah menghilang selama setahun lebih, akhirnya salah satu tempat favorit clubbing di Jakarta Selatan ini kembali beroperasi. Kini Blowfish Kitchen & Bar masih tetap mengandalkan kekuatan nuansa Asia terutama Jepang yang sangat kental. Tempat yang terbagi dua bagian, restoran dan lounge ini memiliki nuansa modern bergaya Japanese, baik di restoran maupun bar.

Perbedaan antara Blowfish dulu dan sekarang terletak pada desain interiornya dan tempatnya yang lebih besar. Dulu, cenderung lebih simpel, namun sekarang lebih menarik dan mampu menampung massa hingga lebih dari 300 orang. Desain interiornya menggunakan simbol Asia, seperti dinding yang dihiasi oleh alat hitung sempoa, sebuah alat hitung khas bangsa Asia. Dihiasi kaca berlukiskan kayu bambu menciptakan rasa nyaman.

Sementara puluhan gentong-gentong sake berjejer di dinding kanan dari bagian lounge dari Blowfish bar. Yang menjadi daya tarik interior Blowfish adalah sebuah foto raksasa seorang geisha dengan tato di punggung. Foto ini diletakkan tepat di atas langit-langit dance floor dari Blowfish. Nuansa interior yang cozy semakin terbentuk dengan hiasan lampu ala lampion berwarna ungu.

Untuk restoran, Blowfish menyediakan Japanese fusion yang modern, hasil karya chef Hugo Adrian dari San Francisco, yang menggabungkan antara teknik dan bahan-bahan makanan dari Barat dengan tradisi memasak Jepang.

Sementara lounge Blowfish menyediakan berbagai cocktail khas Blowfish seperti Sake Bitch. Rasanya menyegarkan karena diramu dari sake karatamba, smirnoff, blue Curacao, Cointerau dan pineapple juice. Ada lagi Hanoi Hooker, Sashimi Snow Kitten, adalah minuman lainnya yang direkomendasikan untuk perlu Anda coba.

Khusus lounge mulai beroperasi di hari Kamis hingga Sabtu, mulai pukul 21.00 hingga 3 pagi. Event bertajuk Geisha Wonderland, sekaligus merupakan ladies night yang akan menyajikan free cocktail bagi setiap pengunjung wanita yang datang. Tema Washabi Mesh Up diusung setiap Jumat malam, menyajikan musik-musik deep house dan Sabtu menyajikan musik R&B yang banyak diminati clubbers.

Tetapi ingat, demi kenyaman dan kenikmatan ber-clubbing, Blowfish mencoba menerapkan peraturan bagi tamu. Hadir dengan dandanan terbaik dan fashionable coba diterapkan di Blowfish.

Blowfish Kitchen and Bar
City Plaza at Wisma Mulia
Jl. Jend Gatot Subroto Kav 42
Jakarta 12710 – Indonesia

Black Cat Jazz Supper Club

If you are jazz lover then you must come to this club. Keberadaan club jazz di Jakarta memang masih sangat jarang. Padahal, komunitas pecinta jazz semakin berkembang luas. Musik jazz kini tidak hanya dinikmati oleh orang dewasa, namun kaum muda mulai bisa menerima dan mulai menyukai musik jazz. Terbukti suksesnya penyelenggaraan sejumlah event seperti Java Jazz atau Jakjazz menandakan banyaknya pecinta jazz.

Black Cat Jazz Supper Club seolah mengobati rasa rindu para jazz lover untuk bisa menikmati alunan musik jazz. Klub yang baru dibuka awal Maret ini, mencoba menghidupkan nuansa mirip di kampung halaman musik jazz, New Orleans, Amerika Serikat. Anda bisa menikmati musik jazz yang dihadirkan setiap malamnya. Dimulai pada jam 19.00 hingga 21.00, lagu jazz dihadirkan dengan iringan piano. Kemudian berlanjut penampilan live band yang akan menghibur Anda dengan alunan musik jazz setiap hari Rabu hingga Sabtu.

Setiap Rabu dan Kamis, menghadirkan swing jazz, dan pada Jumat hingga Minggu menampilkan musik pop jazz dan funk. Dengan musik jazz, nuansa yang tercipta menjadi lebih friendly, cIozy dan romantis. Hampir setiap malamnya, Anda dapat menyaksikan penampilan jazz player ternama, seperti Bertha, Idang Rasidi, Margie Siegers, atau Oti Jamalus Trio.

Dalam waktu dekat akan ada program Sunday Brunch, di mana setiap malamnya menghadirkan musik jazz secara jam session. Dengan kapasitas sekitar 120 orang, Black Cat memiliki dining area, lounge dan bar, serta dua set sofa ekslusif. Panggungnya diset sedekat mungkin dengan tamu, sehingga tercipta hubungan interaktif antara pemain jazz dengan pengunjung. Setiap dinding dihiasi lukisan hitam putih para musisi jazz dunia yang ternama seperti Louis Amstrong, dan lain-lain.

Belum lengkap mendengar musik jazz tanpa menikmati menu spesial yang ada di sini. Anda dapat mencicipi New Orleans Cajun & Creole Cuisine yang sangat spicy. Terdapat pula empat menu utama yang terdiri dari chicken, blacken cream dori fish, serta daging tenderloin dan sirloin. Menikmati jazz sambil minum wine dari Perancis, Amerika, Italia dan Australia. Atau ingin mencoba Black Cat cocktail, dan Hennessey City Shanghai yang terasa enak dan segar di mulut.

Black Cat Jazz Supper Club
Plaza Senayan Arcadia
Unit X-208/ 209
Jl. New Delhi – Pintu 1 Senayan
Jakarta 10270

Hidup dalam Zona Hiburan

Seorang mantan pejabat yang kini bekerja sebagai konsultan manajemen yang tergolong senior sempat merasa khawatir ketika anaknya memilih bekerja di salah satu stasiun televisi. Jabatannya sebagai produser progam hiburan. “Bukan apa-apa, saya hanya mengingatkan bahwa profesi tersebut bukan mainstream, yang sangat rentan terhadap perubahan. Jadi harus tahu konsekwensinya,” ujar pria 63 tahun lulusan Fakultas Ekonomi UI Jakarta dan Harvard Business School itu.

Memang, produser adalah profesi baru, paling tidak kurang dikenal di masa lalu. Orang sulit membayangkan apa yang dikerjakan oleh produser, sehingga anak kecil yang ditanyai tentang cita-cita tidak akan menyebut profesi tersebut. Profesi yang populer saat itu, dan mungkin sampai saat ini, adalah dokter, insinyur, arsitek, jaksa, pengacara, bankir, dan seterusnya.

Tapi itu dulu. Sekarang tersedia berbagai profesi yang dulu jangankan diangankan, dikenal saja tidak. Produser mungkin masih populer, mungkin cukup bergengsi, karena berhubungan dengan dunia film yang glamor – padahal produser sekarang lebih luas pengertiannya. Tapi cobalah simak beberapa profesi berikut ini; artis sinetron, dubber, creative director, script writer, event organiser, show coordinator, stage manager, artist management, video clip producer, talent scouter, music director, stylist, dan seterusnya.

Pertanyaannya, apakah profesi-profesi “aneh” tersebut memang di luar mainstream. Mungkin masih terjadi perdebatan. Tapi Michael J. Wolf dalam The Entertainment Economy menyebutkan bahwa pada zaman ini kita sebetulnya hidup dalam “zona hiburan”. Jutaan manusia yang lahir antara 1977 dan 1997 ini adalah “anak-anak media” yang menjadikan televisi dan komputer sebagai bagian sehari-hari mereka, hiburan bagian integral kehidupan mereka. Inilah yang mungkin tidak masuk dalam khasanah pemikiran ekonom klasik.

Maka, jangan heran kalau profesi yang berkaitan dengan industri hiburan kini sangat diburu kaum muda. Lomba nyanyi diikuti oleh ribuan peserta. Pemilihan VJ MTV diikuti oleh ribuan peminat. Stasiun televisi dan production house (PH) kebanjiran pelamar ketika mengadakan casting untuk mencari pemain-pemain baru.

Inilah perubahan dramatis di industri hiburan, yang gemerincing rupiahnya sangat menggiurkan. Industri televisi adalah salah satu contoh, dan itu pun tidak hanya terjadi di Indonesia, tapi juga merebak di seluruh dunia, berkembang pesat sejak 1980-an setelah berakhirnya era dominasi stasiun besar ABC, CBS, dan NBC.

Di Indonesia saja kini ada 11 stasiun televisi nasional. Di luar stasiun-stasiun lokal yang juga bertebaran. Bayangkan saja, berapa program yang harus diisi. Dengan permintaan yang semakin besar, jangan heran kalau PH-PH kebanjiran job order. Helmy Yahya dengan Triwarsana mempunyai 20-an program, sementara Multi Vision, Star Vision, dan Prima Entertainment, yang tergolong tiga besar tak terhitung jumlah produksi sinetronnya. Kejar tayang adalah hal yang biasa, sehingga sinetron Kecil Kecil Jadi Manten, yang ditayangkan di RCTI, misalnya, yang masuk sepuluh besar, naskahnya terpaksa dibuat di lokasi shooting.

Seperti paradoks, di tengah dunia bisnis yang masih lesu, industri hiburan justru sangat marak. Inilah industri yang sangat menggiurkan, yang percaya atau tidak, pemainnya di Indonesia masih langka. Penulis naskah handal, seperti Jujur Prananto, misalnya, mungkin tidak pernah istirahat kalau memenuhi permintaan seluruh produser. Sutradara Ahmad Yusuf harus jungkir balik untuk menggarap beberapa sinetron. Sementara para cameraman dan kru sibuk mengatur waktu untuk mengerjakan beberapa produksi. Bagaimana dengan para artisnya? Tidak ada bedanya. Desy Ratnasari, misalnya, pernah main tiga sinetron dalam kurun waktu yang bersamaan, sementara Bella Saphira bermain empat sinetron secara beruntun.

Berapa uang yang beredar di bisnis ini? Untuk sinetron saja, untuk menyebut salah satu contoh, tak kurang dari 80 episode dalam seminggu, atau 320 episode setiap bulannya, atau 3.840 episode dalam satu tahun. Taruhlah, kalau biaya produksi satu episode menghabiskan sekitar Rp 150 juta, maka jumlah uang dalam beredar di industri sinetron ini sekitar Rp 576 miliar setahun. Itu belum program yang lain, seperti musik, feature, kuis, infotainmen, atau news – yang disebut terakhir ini biasanya dikerjakan oleh stasiun televisi sendiri. Selebihnya adalah program impor, seperti film-film Hollywood, India, Mandarin, juga telenovela dari Amerika Latin.

Industri hiburan, termasuk profesi di dalamnya, ternyata cukup menjanjikan. Ahli perekonomian agaknya perlu mengkaji ulang, paling tidak sedikit mengubah pandangnya bahwa perekonomian mainstream tidak hanya sebut saja perbankan yang pernah terpuruk dan kini belum bangkit dari proses penyembuhan, tapi industri hiburan. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Membangun Citra, Memperkuat Merek

Banyak orang terperangah ketika PT Philip Morris Indonesia mengakuisisi PT HM Sampoerna Tbk., yang antara lain memproduksi rokok merek Djie Sam Soe yang legendaris dan A Mild yang sangat populer, senilai US$ 5 miliar atau lima kali nilai aset yang tercantum dalam pembukuannya, Mei lalu. Sebelumnya, PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. membeli hak atas merek Kecap Bango, dan Coca-Cola Company membeli merek air minum dalam kemasan AdeS dengan harga yang sangat menggiurkan.

Betapa digdayanya sebuah merek. Bahkan merek, para pakar pemasaran pasti sepakat, adalah sebuah kekuatan dalam strategi pemasaran. Tidak hanya barang mewah atau sekunder, tapi kebutuhan primer pun, seperti produk makanan dituntut memiliki merek. Konsumen ke mal tidak untuk mencari celana jins tapi Levi’s, mereka tidak membeli sepatu olah raga tapi Nike, bukan ponsel tapi Nokia. Mereka tidak membeli produk, tapi merek.

Merek memang bukan sekadar nama atau pun logo, tapi indikator value dari sebuah produk yang ditawarkan kepada konsumen. Merek, demikian Stephen King, CEO WPP Group, menjadi pembeda suatu produk dari produk lainnya di kerumunan komoditas, sekaligus menegaskan persepsi kualitasnya. Dengan kata lain, produk adalah barang yang dihasilkan pabrik, sementara merek adalah sesuatu yang dicari pembeli. Sesuatu ini bukan sekadar barang, melainkan juga persepsi akan kualitas dan gengsi yang diraih.

Keuntungan branding adalah kemungkinan untuk mengontrol upaya pemasaran suatu produk dalam dimensi yang terukur. Pemilik merek bisa menghitung market share, meningkatkannya dengan mendongkrak brand share, serta mempunyai kesempatan untuk mematok harga premium dan memperoleh sedapnya marjin tinggi jika mereknya unggul.

Membangun Ekuitas Merek
Membangun ekuitas merek hingga menjadi kuat memang bukan perkara mudah. Dalam ekonomi pasar modern yang semakin sophisticated, upaya branding melibatkan teknik-teknik yang sangat complicated. Kegiatan branding tentu bukan sekadar beriklan, apalagi hanya melakukan program diskon atau potongan harga buat distributor, dan sejenisnya, tapi semua langkah yang kita lakukan terhadap produk dan perusahaan. Ketika menentukan STP (segmentation-targeting-positioning) dan diferensiasi, serta mendukungnya dengan marketing mix (strategi 4P; product, price, placement, dan promotion) dan melakukan strategi pemasaran yang solid, sebenarnya kita sedang membangun dan mengembangkan sebuah merek.

Membangun merek sebenarnya adalah membangun persepsi. Bahkan, persepsi adalah realitas itu sendiri, demikian Sally Falkow dalam “Your Brand of Expansion”. Sama dengan yang ditawarkan Kevin Lane Keller bahwa pertama-tama yang harus diingat bahwa membangun merek adalah membangun identitas (brand identity). Dalam belantara produk, merek harus dirancang agar bisa menonjol, salah satunya harus memiliki identitas yang kuat.

Dalam membangun merek semuanya harus direncanakan dengan matang, mulai dari memilih nama, logo, simbol, tipografi, warna korporat, karakter – pria atau wanita, bahkan tagline, dan jingle iklannya. Pendeknya, semua elemen merek harus mencerminkan karakter produk itu sendiri. Dalam “The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding” Al Ries dan Laura Ries melakukan pendekatan kepada soal ini, misalnya, bagaimana seharusnya memilih warna, bentuk, dan seterusnya. Jika sebuah merek memilih warna yang kurang kontras, katanya, tidak gampang diingat konsumen. Begitu pun dengan logo, akan mudah menancap di benak pelanggan kalau, bentuknya proporsional, dan seterusnya.

Kedua, membangun asosiasi merek, terkait dengan citra produk yang ditawarkan kepada konsumen, bisa berupa atribut merek, simbol, atau bahkan endosernya. Asosiasi adalah elemen yang menempel di benak konsumen pada saat melihat atau mendengar nama merek, sebagai akibat dari eksposur iklan dan pengalaman menggunakan produk tersebut. Asosiasi merek yang kuat akan membentuk citra merek yang kuat pula. Volvo, misalnya, tidak sekadar kendaraan, tapi diasosiasikan dengan safety dan kemewahan.

Sementara Nokia tidak hanya ponsel (functional benefit), tapi juga fashion (emotional benefit). Produk Conecting People dengan “teknologi yang mengerti Anda” itu terkenal mudah dioperasikan, user friendly.

Ketiga, mencapai respons positif terhadap merek. Setelah produk dilempar ke pasaran, dan konsumen mengonsumsi produk tersebut, harus segera dicari umpan baliknya, apa yang konsumen pikirkan (brand judgement) dan rasakan (brand feeling) terhadap merek tersebut. Reaksi konsumen yang positif terhadap merek tersebut tentu merupakan nilai plus yang harus dijaga, bahkan perlu dibangun customer relations agar konsumen tetap membeli. Contoh yang baik adalah yang dilakukan Matahari Department Store yang mengikat konsumennya dengan Matahari Customer Club.

Sementara PT Bogasari, produsen tepung dengan Cakra Biru, Cakra Kembar, Segitiga Biru, dan lain-lain, untuk menjalin relasinya dengan konsumen, yang sebetulnya bukan end user, membangun bakery school, memberi penghargaan buat para pembuat kue, dan mengirim mereka ke luar negeri untuk mengikuti kursus membuat kue, hingga membentuk paguyuban di kalangan pedagang mi.

Keempat, membangun komunitas yang terkait dengan merek tersebut. Suatu merek yang kuat senantiasa menjaga hubungan yang baik dengan konsumennya, di antaranya dengan membangun komunitas dengan event-event yang diselenggarakan secara periodik. Contoh yang paling baaik adalah Harley Davidson yang menjadwalkan kegiatan rutin bagi para pemilik motor besar ini. Kendaraan roda dua yang menjadi simbol “kebebasan Amerika” ini mempunyai klub dengan anggota yang sangat loyal – bahkan ada yang menato tubuhnya dengan logo merek Harley Davidson.

Merek dan Citra
Merek dan citra mempunyai korelasi yang erat dan saling berhubungan satu sama lain. Membangun citra sebuah merek merupakan upaya untuk memantabkan strategi membangun merek seperti diuraikan di atas. Citra tidak bisa didapatkan dalam sekejap mata, tapi citra dapat rusak dalam sekejap mata. Artinya, sekali Anda melakukan kesalahan yang terkait dengan citra sebuah merek, sulit memperbaiki.

Membangun citra sebuah merek adalah membangun persepsi konsumen terhadap merek tersebut. Starbucks, misalnya, bukan sekadar kedai kopi. Kedai dengan 2.000 lebih gerai di seluruh dunia itu berhasil membungkus mereknya dengan memberikan fun hang out experience bagi para pelanggannya. Orang menggemari Starbucks bukan karena kopinya saja yang disajikan dalam berbagai variasi, melainkan juga karena pengalaman yang istimewa bila minum di tempat tersebut. Kecuali itu, sebagai merek global, Starbucks mempunyai brand value yang tinggi, yang sudah dibangun bertahun-tahun.

Experiential Marketing

“The product is the experience,”ujar Howard D. Schultz, pencipta Starbucks yang legendaris, yang mengibarkan diri menjadi merek paling meroket sepanjang sejarah bisnis. Kredo itu pula yang agaknya dilakukan merek-merek kuat, sebutlah Bread Talk. Ini memang tidak sekadar toko roti, sejak awal Break Talk yang franchise-nya di Indonesia dipegang Johny Andrean ini dirancang sebagai bisnis berskala internasional yang didukung oleh experiential marketing yang dimiliki oleh gerai roti lainnya.

Dapur pembuatan roti dibiarkan terbuka sehingga bisa dilihat konsumen bagaimana roti dibuat. Tidak kurang dari 160 jenis roti yang disajikan secara terbuka, sehingga selain enak dipandang mata, aromanya yang tercium memberikan rasa sensasi tersendiri. Merek yang hadir di Indonesia baru dua tahun itu kini mempunyai 6 gerai yang dalam waktu dekat akan bertambah, dengan pengunjung yang tetap berjubel.

Sementara itu McDonald’s Indonesia, selain melakukan inovasi pelayanan, seperti 60 detik pelayanan di setiap konternya, juga memberikan kepada setiap pelanggan sebuah pengalaman yang beda dengan restoran lain yakni fun experience. Pelanggan menggemari McD bukan karena ayam gorengnya saja, melainkan juga karena pengalaman yang berbeda bila makan di resto tersebut. Happy Meal, paket makanan dari Mc Donald’s yang berhadiah mainan, misalnya, bukan makanan itu sendiri yang dijual, tapi keseluruhan gestalt, citra produk itu sendiri.

Marketing Public Relations

Image building atau pembentukan citra, dalam ilmu komunikasi, erat kaitannya dengan public relations strategy. Frank Jeffkins, pakar komunikasi terkenal di Inggris dan Amerika, menyebut media relations sebagai upaya untuk membangun citra positif suatu organisasi, perusahaan, atau merek. Membangun suatu citra yang baik membutuhkan waktu lama dan biaya yang tidak sedikit. Menjalin hubungan baik dengan berbagai media massa yang akan mempublikasikan sesuatu tentang perusahaan atau merek, adalah langkah awal membangun citra yang baik. Lewat media itulah kita dapat menyebarluaskan secara maksimal informasi yang kita inginkan yang pada gilirannya akan tercipta suatu citra yang baik bagi perusahaan atau merek.

Popularitas Starbucks faktanya tidak ditempuh dengan cara beriklan secara besar-besaran, tapi dengan pendekatan kepada media melalui program public relations (PR). Kisah perjalanan Starbucks, serta inovasi-inovasinya dalam produk dan pemasaran, tidak muncul di halaman iklan, tapi sebagai berita dan artikel yang ditulis para wartawan, bahkan menjadi bahan diskusi di sekolah-sekolah bisnis dan pemasaran.

The Body Shop hampir tidak pernah beriklan, tapi sebagai kosmetik dan health care products yang dicitrakan sebagai ramah lingkungan serta anti animal testing membuat merek ini menancap di benak konsumen. Dengan pendekatan public relations, kisah The Body Shop dan sang pembuat merek, Anita Roddick, banyak ditulis para jurnalis di halaman editorial (bukan iklan). Bukan hanya identitas merek menjadi kuat, asosiasi merek The Body Shop terbangun melalui komunikasi yang intens dan efektif.

Iklan bukannya tidak efektif, karena nyatanya merek-merek kuat menganggarkan bujet yang besar untuk memperkuat ekuitasnya, sebutlah Neo Entrostop yang menghabiskan dana sekitar Rp 7,37 miliar, Nutrilon 1 Rp 14,87 miliar, bahkan Coca Cola di Indonesia Rp 27,7 miliar selama lima bulan pertama tahun 2005. Tapi untuk membangun citra sebuah merek, cara melalui public relations cukup mengena dan bisa menyampaikan pesan sebuah merek secara tepat. Bahkan Al Ries secara ekstrim berpendapat bahwa era dominasi periklanan sudah berakhir. Merek-merek besar kini dibangun dengan PR (The Fall of Advertising and The Rise of PR).

Marketing Event

Ini merupakan salah satu bentuk Marketing Public Relations. Event tidak harus dilakukan sendiri oleh sebuah merek, tapi menebeng event lain sebagai bagian bagian dari integrated marketing communication-nya. Sebutlah Marlboro atau Lucky Strike yang menyeponsori Formula 1, atau A Mild yang lekat dengan turnamen biliar dan liga bola basket di Indonesia.

Event tidak hanya mampu mengkomunikasikan produk dengan baik, tapi menyisakan kesan yang kuat, serta efektif untuk membentuk citra merek yang diinginkan. Melalui Thirst, Heart to Global Final Tour, ajang pencarian DJ di klub-klub di seluruh dunia, termasuk Jakarta, bir Heineken tidak saja mencuri perhatian konsumen dari dominasi merek Bintang dan Anker, tapi sekaligus membentuk citra minuman itu sebagai teman ber-clubbing.

Hal yang sama dilakukan oleh produk-produk minuman beralkohol lainnya, yang di Indonesia tidak bisa secara leluasa beriklan. Absolut Vodka, Skyy Vodka, Chivas Regal, dan Martel, yang secara berkala mengadakan party event, dengan mengundang para partygoers – termasuk orang-orang yang berkecimpung di bisnis “horeka”(hotel – restoran – kafe), sebagai target yang tepat. Sementara minuman wine mendekati wine society dengan mengadakan wine tasting atau wine dinner.

Nokia ketika meluncurkan ponsel seri fashion, tidak ada pilihan lain kecuali menggelar fashion show dan menghadirkan para fashionista Jakarta. Acara hiburan yang berlangsung di Balai Sarbini Jakarta 26 November tahun lalu itu bahkan mengsung tema “Nokia Totally Fashion”. Begitu pula, dengan event Mercedes-Benz Indonesia Fashion Festival, pemilik merek mobil mewah ini ingin menciptakan citra baru bahwa Mercy is fashion, not just a vehicle! Mercy tidak ingin mempunyai citra yang telanjur melekat; konservatif dan tradisional, apalagi merek itu mempunyai seri C-Class dan A Class untuk segemen yang lebih muda.

"Kami ingin orang membeli Mercedes bukan karena butuh mobil sebagai alat transportasi. Mereka punya gaya hidup tertentu, selera mode tertentu, memakai merek tertentu," ungkap Yuniadi H Hartono, Deputy Director Marketing Planning & Communication PT Daimler Chrysler Distribusi Indonesia.

Untuk mengkomunikasikan produk yang sophisticated, bahkan cenderung mengandung teknologi tinggi, marketing event adalah cara yang efektif, seperti yang ditunjukkan Indosat M2 (IM2) ketika meluncurkan produk barunya – yakni kartu prabayar IM2, hotspot atau fasilitas layanan internet nirkabel, dan relaunch tarif baru dial up – tahun lalu.

Acara yang berlangsung dua hari di Cilandak Town Square Jakarta itu menampilkan hiburan (pertunjukan musik dan games) dan pameran yang memberikan kesempatan konsumen untuk mencoba produk baru tersebut. Hasilnya, tidak hanya pengunjung yang aware dengan produk dan jasa tersebut, tapi tak kurang dari 15 wartawan – di luar wartawan yang meminta wawancara khusus pasca event – yang menulis di medianya. Dana yang dihabiskan sekitar Rp 300 juta tentu tidak seberapa dibandingkan dengan coverage yang luar biasa di media.

Event yang dirancang dengan baik – Art Steven mensyaratkan 6 kriteria; 1) publicty, 2) audiensnya adalah potential users, 3) harus ada keterkaitan antara produk dan event, 4) event adalah kejadian bukan gangguan, 5) harus ada promosi yang paralel dan menimbukan ketertarikan, dan 6) ada tindak lanjut terhadap event –, adalah medium yang ampuh dalam membentuk citra, yang ujung-ujungnya memperkuat merek.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Tanggung jawab sosial perusahaan tidak hanya sudah menjadi tuntutan bisnis, tapi pemilihan kegiatan yang tepat, serta dibarengi dengan program komunikasi yang baik, bisa meningkatkan citra perusahaan atau merek itu sendiri. Sampoerna identik dengan kepeduliannya kepada kesenian dan pendidikan. Indosiar dikenal dengan program Peduli Kasih. Komitmen Nokia pada kegiatan sosial berhasil membawa perusahaan telekomunikasi ini masuk dalam daftar investasi Dow Jones sebagai perusahaan yang bertanggung jawab secara sosial (SRI, yaitu Socially Responsbile Investment).

Semakin tinggi komitmennya, semakin kredibel perusahaan di mata masyarakat umum dan masyarakat bisnis. Kredibilitas yang tinggi tidak hanya mendongkrak harga saham – kalau tercatat di pasar modal, tapi mendongkrak image perusahaan, yang ujung-ujungnya meningkatkan brand awareness.

Cobranding

Dalam membangun merek, membangun asosiasi merek adalah yang paling berat. Salah satu cara yang paling ampuh adalah dengan melakukan cobranding. Simbiosis mutualisme antara dua merek atau lebih adalah hal biasa dalam pemasaran. Ketika Giorgio Armani merancang interior dan mencampur warna dua model Mercedes Benz yang dinamai CLK Cabriolet Giorgio Armani, yang diproduksi secara terbatas (hanya 100 buah) November tahun lalu, maka citra yang muncul adalah eksklusivitas.

MySalon berhasil membangun brand awareness dengan cepat karena ia menggandeng merek yang sudah lama dan kuat di dunia salon, Rudy Hadisuwarno. MySalon memang diposisikan sebagai second line, tapi citra yang melekat di benak konsumen (percieved quality) tidak berbeda dengan yang ditawarkan Rudy Hadisuwarno, mulai dari kualitas hingga pelayanannya. MySalon yang dibangun pada Maret 2003 itu kini sudah memiliki 35 gerai dengan omset Rp 600 juta per bulan.

Cobranding juga dilakukan Honda Jazz. Mobil yang mempunyai target pasar anak muda (18 – 24 tahun) agaknya perlu menggandeng MTV – saluran TV yang menampilkan musik yang juga mehyasar anak muda – pada saat peluncurannya Februari tahun lalu. Acara yang berlangsung di Mal Taman Anggrek Jakarta dan dipandu Nirina Zubir yang dikenal sebagai VJ MTV itu tidak hanya berhasil mengumpulkan kawula muda, tapi konon berhasil menjual 288 unit mobil dalam tempo tiga hari.

Event, yang dibarengi dengan program cobranding yang pas, adalah cara yang efektif untuk mengangkat citra produk. Bahkan dengan mengadakan test drive untuk wartawan, Honda Jazz mendapat liputan yang spesial dari berbagai media, bahkan dinobatkan sebagai kendaraan paling irit bahan bakar. Sukses Honda Jazz tentu berkat kepiawaian manajemen di PT Honda Prospect Motor selaku agen tunggal pemegang merek. Mereka mampu mempelajari tren pasar, memahami daya beli konsumen Indonesia, serta merancang komunikasi pemasarannya. Honda Jazz kini menjadi merek paling unggul di kelasnya, small MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) 1.500 cc, terjual 2.000 unit per bulan.

Di era global ini, keunggulan fitur dan benefit-benefit fungsional belumlah cukup untuk memenangkan pasar, tapi harus dibarengi dengan upaya pencitraan terhadap merek itu sendiri. Dan upaya tersebut tidak harus selalu yang mewah, tetapi bisa elemen kecil yang dapat menyulut, membingkai, menyarikan, dan menyederhanakan pengalaman manis, yang mampu memberikan perceived quality yang tinggi di benak konsumen. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Nokia Marketing Award, 2005

Menuju Cult Branding

Setiap hari kita dibombardir dengan iklan, siang dan malam. Hanya pada saat tidur kita terbebas dari limpahan komunikasi para penjaja barang dagangan. Upayanya sangat beragam. Ada yang membual tentang product advantages, ada yang berusaha merebut simpati dengan menampilkan figure innocence, sampai berbuat slapstick konyol jika memilih sikap sok akrab.

Iklan hanyalah salah satu usaha yang pada intinya berebut tempat di otak kita untuk menanamkan merek. Iklan hanyalah wujud dari konsep besar yang disebut branding. Dalam ekonomi pasar modern yang semakin canggih ini, upaya branding melibatkan teknik-teknik canggih. Banyak orang jungkir balik, brand managers, product managers, biro iklan, biro riset memeras otak dan keringat untuk mem-back up suatu merek.

Keuntungan branding adalah kemungkinan untuk mengontrol upaya pemasaran suatu produk dalam dimensi yang terukur. Pemilik merek bisa menghitung market share, meningkatkannya dengan mendongkrak brand share. Serta kesempatan untuk mematok harga premium dan memperoleh sedapnya margin tinggi jika mereknya unggul.

Nokia tentunya suda melewati masa itu. Ponsel (telepon seluler) asal Finlandia itu justru sudah menjadi produk yang paling populer di dunia. PR (pekerjaan rumah) yang paling berat sekarang adalah bagaimana mempertahankan diri sebagai market leader. Beberapa tahun lalu, Nokia masih dikuntit dua merek lain, Ericsson dan Motorola, tapi kini boleh dibilang menang mutlak. Selain berhasil menjadi pemimpin pasar dengan posisi kuat di tingkat dunia, nilai pasar Nokia juga terus meningkat.

Sejak dilluncurkan tahun 1982, yakni telepon mobil Mobira pertama seberat 10 kg, Nokia telah membuktikan diri sebagai penguasa pasar di bisnis yang relatif baru ini. Produk berbasis teknologi ini mempunyai karakter yang khas, sehingga perusahaan dituntut untuk selalu melakukan inovasi baru kalau tidak ingin ditinggalkan konsumen. Didukung oleh research and development (R & D) yang kuat, produk-produk inovatif pun lahir dari sini. Nokia Corp terus-menerus memperkenalkan ponsel dengan ukuran yang makin mengecil, tapi dengan kemampuan yang semakin tinggi. Nokialah yang menjadi produk ponsel pertama yang tak hanya mengandalkan fungsi tapi juga fashion, yang menjadikannya sebagai gadget favorit di dunia.

Memang, yang membuat ponsel dengan ukuran makin mini tapi kemampuan maksi, tidak hanya monopoli Nokia, tapi juga Ericsson dan Motorola, bahkan beberapa merek pendatang baru. Tapi yang serius memperhitungkan fungsi dan keindahan hanyalah Nokia. Tidak hanya itu, Nokia yang tercatat sebagai ponsel pertama yang dibekali kemampuan kemampuan browsing internet langsung dari ponsel tanpa alat tambahan, sehingga cocok untuk para eksekutif aktif dan mobile yang membutuhkan kemudahan berkomunikasi.

Ketika teknologi kamera yang bisa melengkapi ponsel ditemukan, Nokia pun tergolong pelopor, dengan meluncurkan ponsel kamera digital pertamanya seri 7650 pada Juni 2002. Pada saat launching pertamanya, Nokia berhasil menjual lebih dari 5 juta ponsel kamera digital di Eropa, di mana masyarakat kini keranjingan memotret, menyimpan, dan meng-e-mail gambar melalui peranti genggam. Demam serupa juga melanda ke seluruh dunia, dan lagi-lagi Nokia yang menjadi penguasa pasarnya.

Yang patut diacungi jempol, para pemegang keputusan sadar bahwa menjual Nokia bukanlah sekadar menjual produk, tapi juga menjual gaya hidup. Selain sebagai produk fashion yang sanggup mengekspresikan diri pemakainya, pengguna Nokia dimanjakan dengan adanya dukungan fitur-fitur tambahan yang bisa di-down load di internet, mulai dari ring tone, gambar, MMS, games, dan lain-lain. Nokia sebagai bagian dari gaya hidup diperkenalkan di kota-kota besar seluruh dunia, termasuk di Jakarta yang dirayakan di Taman Impian Jaya Ancol tahun 2002.

Pasar ponsel memang tidak homogen, itu sebabnya Nokia memutuskan untuk melakukan diversifikasi produk guna membidik konsumen berbeda – pengguna baru, trend setter, pengusaha, profesional bisnis, dan sebagainya. Perusahaan Finlandia itu membagi usahanya menjadi empat divisi besar: jaringan bergerak, ponsel umum, peranti hiburan nirkabel, dan produk bisnis bergerak, yang masing-masing ditujukan pada berbagai peluang pasar.

Yang mengejutkan, apalagi kalau bukan, keputusan Nokia meluncurkan handset yang bisa untuk bermain game secara serentak pada 7 Oktober lalu. N-Gage, nama produk baru ini, bukan ponsel biasa, tapi mesin game luar biasa dengan grafik 3-D berkecepatan tinggi dan suara stereo. Peranti yang dibangun dengan standar GSM dengan harga eceran US$ 300 ini, juga merupakan ponsel, pengirim SMS, radio FM, dan pemutar musik digital dalam tampilan yang keren.

Lompatan ini memang terlalu jauh dan cukup kontroversial mengingat pasar game selama ini sudah dikuasai nama-nama besar, seperti Play Station, Sega, Nintendo, Game Boy, Eidos, dan sebagainya. Nokia tentu mempunyai alasan tersendiri, dan sudah melalui serangkain riset yang mendalam. Namun boleh jadi langkah ini memang suatu keharusan sebagai perusahaan pelopor di bidang digital mobile product yang berbasis teknologi tinggi.

Sebagai pemimpin pasar di industri komunikasi bergerak, dengan pangsa pasar global sebesar 39%, langkah Nokia memang tak terbendung lagi. Perusahaan dituntut untuk terus menciptakan produk inovatif yang mendongkrak pertumbuhan. Tahun ini diperkirakan ada kenaikan penjualan sekitar 12%, atau 170 juta unit ponsel yang terjual. Belum ada perkiraan yang pasti kontribusi N-Gage, tapi analis Stuart Jeffrey dari perusahaan Lehman Brothers, London, seperti dikutip BusinessWeek, 13 Oktober 2003, memperkirakan 10 juta pemilik N-Gage yang membeli rata-rata tiga game per tahun akan memberikan pendapatan royalti, melalui transaksi peranti lunak, senilai US$ 150 juta per tahun bagi Nokia.

Cult Branding
Apakah langkah Nokia akan berhasil atau tidak, hanya waktu yang bisa menjawabnya. Yang terang, ekuitas merek Nokia yang kuat, cukup menjadi modal yang menguntungkan. Merek seringkali mengerek harga suatu produk atau jasa menjadi puluhan kali lipat, karena citra yang dikandungnya. Ketika kualitas tinggi dianggap taken for granted atau sudah sewajarnya dan biasa saja, maka merek menjadi pembeda yang memberi nilai istimewa. Konsumen tak ragu membayar lebih demi produk atau jasa yang memberi nilai lebih dari sekadar kualitas. Kent Wertime, dalam Building Brands & Believers, dengan tegas menyebutkan peranan merek sebagai aset terpenting perusahaan akan kian berlipat ganda di era ekonomi citra ini.

Hanya saja, banyak yang berhenti pada merek saja. Banyak merek di hadapan kita, tapi sedikit yang membangun loyalitas pelanggan. Banyak pemasar dan entrepreneur yang terjebak sekadar membuat merek yang hebat, dengan membelanjakan dana iklan yang cukup besar. Ada brand mindset yang salah, karena iklan hanya salah satu kendaraan untuk membangun brand loyality. Nokia, seperti uraian di atas, memang sudah melewati masa sekadar merek. Tapi untuk menjadi merek yang matang, setiap bisnis yang mampu bertahan lama, harus memiliki loyal core group of customers (Ragas & Bueno, 2002).

Apple Computer adalah contoh produk yang baik, yang pemakainya sudah jutaan di seluruh dunia. Sejak didirikan Steve Jobs & Steve Woznial tahun 1977, PC ini sangat digemari dan mempunyai pengguna setia – penjualan tahunannya rata-rata lebih dari US$ 5 miliar. Komputer ini sejak dulu punya komunitas penggemar sendiri. Penggemar—bukan sekadar customer, apalagi konsumen. “Other PC makers have customers: Apple still has fans, believers even,” ucap Steve Jobs sebagaimana dikutip Fortune.

Kelompok konsumen ini, sering juga disebut sebagai cultic group, anggotanya sangat loyal, fanatik, dan patuh kepada pemimpinnya. Pemimpin dianggap sebagai dewa yang setiap perkataan dan tindakannya dipercaya. Bahkan para “pengikutnya” yang setia rela mati demi sang pemimpin, dalam hal ini merek.

Yang menarik, menurut penelitian Jerry Whitfield, seorang sosiolog asal Amerika, profil anggota cultic group, bukanlah orang-orang bodoh. Mereka adalah orang-orang yang berintelengia tinggi, berperilaku jujur dan terbuka, altruistik (tidak egois), selalu ingin berubah, dan mempunyai keinginan untuk meningkatkan kualitas hidup bersama orang lain.

Volkswagen Beetle adalah contoh cult brand yang lain. Produknya terjual lebih dari 22 juta sejak diproduksi secara massal di Jerman 1938. Para pecintanya membentuk ratusan klub-klub VW di seluruh dunia, dan melakukan berbagai kegiatan, mulai dari rally hingga bakti sosial. Self expression yang ditunjukkan oleh penggemar kendaraan ini menunjukkan pemenuhan kebutuhan tertinggi dari hierarki Maslow.

Nostalgia dan hobi merupakan salah satu faktor pembentuk kuatnya hubungan emosional sesama pemilik kendaraan VW. Tapi ikatan emosional masa lalu saja tidak cukup, Volkswagen juga menawarkan desain yang unik – hal ini terlihat pada seri Golf, Passat, atau Jetta yang inovatif. Kecanggihan fitur ditambah kekuatan merek yang mempunyai sejarah panjang di bisnis otomotif dunia inilah antara lain yang membuat penjualan VW dan Audi (anak perusahaan Volkswagen) tahun lalu melesat 14% menjadi 437.000 unit dan merebut pangsa pasar 2,5% (dari hanya 0,5% pada 1993), walau harganya sekitar 20% lebih mahal ketimbang mobil merek lain dari kelas yang sama.

VW, dan juga Apple, berhasil menjadi cult brand, karena mereka tidak hanya menjual produk tapi juga gaya hidup. Cult brand juga menunjukkan kebebasan personal pelanggannya dan menjaga pelanggan dari serangan musuhnya. Selain membentuk komunitas pelanggan, prinsip dasar pembentukan merek yang mampu dikultuskan adalah mendengarkan pelanggan dan menciptakan cult brand evangelist.

Nokia adalah merek baru yang tinggal selangkah lagi untuk menuju cult brand. Untuk itu Nokia harus menjadikan pelanggannya menjadi bagian dari satu kelompok yang berbeda dari yang lain. Menggarap konsumen ponsel Nokia menjadi komunitas berbeda serta menyediakan berbagai dukungannya merupakan langkah yang bagus. Juga menggarap game society yang spesifik merupakan lompatan yang berani, meski beberapa merek elektronik ternama, seperti Philips, Samsung, bahkan Apple, terbukti kurang berhasil memasuki arena ini. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Nokia Maketing Award, 2002

The Cocktail Party

Sewajarnya judul di atas sudah sangat berterima di kalangan para profesional muda. Siapa sih yang enggak pernah diundang dalam sebuah pesta ringan yang ditemani dengan beberapa minuman yang ringan, yang kadangkala juga digunakan sebagai alat untuk bersosialisasi?

An Indulgence
Pada tulisan ini, saya akan menghadirkan sebentuk pesta dalam benak Anda. Ya, tentu saja sesuai dengan judul di atas yang kemudian akan bersentuhan dengan beberapa menu yang populer di meja bar, pastinya. Well, sebuah pesta ringan selepas jam kantor di sebuah rumah atau apartemen seorang teman, tidak lengkap apabila minus cocktail, sebuah sebutan untuk minuman beralkohol ringan yang biasanya memiliki rasa buah karena dicampur dengan perasa, juice, atau sirup. Satu lagi ciri khasnya adalah, cocktail biasanya disajikan dingin, kecuali flaming cocktails tentunya.

Tidak jarang juga, minuman ini merupakan penjelmaan dari campuran antara minuman beralkohol yang satu dengan lainnya, dan tidak mustahil pula terdiri lebih dari 3 jenis minuman. Selain resep, nama-nama yang diberikan pada satu minuman baru pun kemudian memiliki variasi yang tidak kalah banyaknya. Anda tentu tidak begitu asing dengan nama-nama seperti Illusion, Singapore Sling, Black Russian, Sangria, hingga Piña Colada.

Biasanya nama menilik pada efek yang dihasilkan, warna-warna, mewakili gambaran karakter minuman tersebut, atau malahan hanyalah sekedar sebuah sensasi. Tentu saja saya juga pesimis bahwa nama pasti mewakili karakter minuman. Lha wong minum Screaming Orgasm tidak otomatis membuat saya ‘mengalaminya’ kok, hehehe, apalagi minum Kamikaze. Ah, saya sepertinya tidak senekad itu lah.

Contoh lain yang cukup bombastis adalah B-52. Nama pesawat bomber made in USA yang maha dahsyat pada jamannya ini dipakai untuk sebuah hasil campuran dari 3 macam minuman yang memiliki tone manis, tidak diaduk tetapi disusun dalam lapisan yang tidak bercampur (karena alasan massa jenis) – dan menurut saya sih tidak begitu ‘ngebom’ kok. Bukan karena saya kuat, tetapi bahan-bahan yang digunakan ternyata tidak memiliki kandungan alkohol yang tinggi.

Lain halnya dengan Rainbow. Nama yang tidak berhubungan dengan sesuatu sifat yang keras, kehebatan, atau efek tertentu, tetapi menyimpan kekuatan yang cukup didalamnya. Diberi nama pelangi karena memang tersusun atas 7 macam minuman dengan warna yang berbeda-beda, membentuk formasi warna pelangi. Indah, tetapi cukup keras ternyata, karena kebanyakan minuman yang digunakan disini memiliki kandungan alkohol yang cukup tinggi. Menariknya, minuman ini harus dihabiskan dari bawah, setelah atraksi visual dengan dibakarnya lapisan teratas.

Ngomong-ngomong tentang minuman yang dibakar, tentu saja bukanlah proses seperti membuat steik dengan grill atau potato gratin dengan salamander. Tetapi proses pemberian api di atas minuman sehingga api menyala pelan dengan bahan bakar’ alkohol yang terkandung di dalam minuman tersebut. Boleh dibilang atraksi, karena api tersebut dibuat hanya untuk mempercantik saja, tanpa mengubah rasa. Hati-hati, bibir gelas pastinya akan cukup panas untuk membakar bibir Anda. (Marchel, Appetite Journey, 2007)

No Boundaries

Tentunya banyak sekali cocktail yang menjadi pilihan favorit setiap orang. Ada yang memilih campuran berbahan dasar vodka, ada pula yang memilih wujud yang fenomenal, sedangkan saya sendiri menyenangi campuran rasa yang harmonis. Bisa berbeda-beda sesuai dengan selera, kan? Nah, maka dari itu saya membahas beberapa minuman yang berbahan dasar tequila sebagai contoh.

Banyak orang bilang, mencampur minuman sama saja dengan mengotori ‘kemurnian’ rasa minuman itu sendiri. Dari sudut pandang yang lain menyebutkan hal tersebut adalah kreativitas tanpa batasan, yang memungkinkan variasi sebanyak yang kita mau dan akan terus berkembang. Di samping dua pendapat tersebut, ada beberapa orang yang ingin menikmati minuman tertentu tetapi tidak cukup kuat apabila menenggaknya secara langsung, maka ia mencoba mencampurnya dengan bahan lain yang rasanya tidak bertolak belakang.

Seperti dalam tulisan sebelumnya tentang tequila, nama tequila sunrise boleh jadi merupakan cocktail paling populer yang berbahan dasar minuman asal Meksiko ini. Dengan tambahan Grenadine, jus jeruk, dan es serut, sifat keras tequila seketika langsung melunak lalu seakan dapat mencocokkan diri dengan setiap orang yang berhadapan dengannya.

Campuran paling sederhana yang sangat mungkin dilakukan dimana saja adalah tequila slammer, dimana tequila hanya ditambahkan dengan air soda, ginger ale, 7up, sprite, atau bahkan champagne dengan perbandingan sama persis. Rasa dari bahan kedua tersebut tidaklah dominan, sedangkan ciri khasnya adalah tequila dan sensasi soda yang menyertainya dengan imbuhan sedikit rasa jeruk nipis yang lembut. Khusus untuk campuran champagne, biasanya namanya akan berubah sedikit lebih keren, menjadi slammer royale.

Saya sendiri punya campuran ciptaan sendiri, yang ternyata agak mirip dengan minuman yang bernama the cockroach. Sama-sama menggunakan Kahlúa sebagai bahan kedua, namun saya menggunakan bahan lain, yaitu Cointreau dan Scotch. Ketiga minuman pertama tersebut disusun dalam bentuk lapisan yang tidak bercampur, kemudian Scotch digunakan untuk ‘meluberi’ gelas yang kemudian dibiarkan tumpah ke dalam tatakannya. Api dinyalakan sehingga alkohol dari Scotch akan menyelimuti tatakan hingga puncak gelas. Minum dengan menggunakan sedotan, from bottom to top, and finish the rest on one sip.

Make your own tequila cocktail, and let’s have a party. (Marchel, Appetite Journey, 2007)

Spirits Unveiled

Spirit menjadi bagian tak terpisahkan dari dunia minuman beralkohol. Proses destilasi yang dilaluinya, membawa jenis minuman ini pada satu tingkatan di mana ia menjadi sangat terkenal dengan berbagai bentuk, dari bourbon hingga brandy. Penyajiannya pun juga bermacam-macam, sesuai dengan selera. Apa sih yang termasuk dalam spirit, dan mengapa mereka berbeda?

Spirits, not Spirit
Ya, dua kata dengan perbedaan satu huruf ini memiliki perbedaan arti yang sangat jauh. Sudah dapat dipastikan kita tidak akan membahas sedikit pun kata yang kedua tersebut. Dulu sekali saya pernah berkesimpulan bahwa spirits dan spiritus itu sama, tentunya saya amat bersyukur ketika mengetahui dua benda itu sama sekali tidak berhubungan erat. Sedikit demi sedikit saya mencari tahu lebih jauh tentang spirits dengan mencoba mengenalnya langsung.

Pada awal mulanya, saya hanya dapat mengidentifikasi bahwa spirits itu adalah minuman beralkohol tinggi, yang memerlukan proses destilasi atau penyulingan untuk itu. Tapi, kemudian batas itu menjadi rancu kembali karena keterbatasan pengetahuan saya. Apakah warna? Rasa? Bahan? Atau kandungan alkohol? Syukurlah ‘riset’ saya menjadi mentah kembali, karena setelahnya saya menemukan fakta-fakta yang sahih.

Sebenarnya kita dapat membagi golongan minuman beralkohol pada beberapa kategori, dua di antaranya adalah spirits dan liqueur. Nama liqueur mewakili sebuah golongan minuman berkadar alkohol tinggi dan dimbuhi campuran rasa, dan biasanya adalah rasa manis dengan berbagai aroma. Dengan begitu, spirits adalah golongan yang masih mengusung rasa asli plus syarat umumnya, yaitu kandungan alkohol paling tidak berkisar di angka 35% per volume.

Nah, melihat syarat ini, tentunya banyak sekali yang dapat dimasukkan ke dalam kategori spirits bukan? Sebutlah vodka, whisky, bourbon, brandy, tequilla, rum, hingga absinthe. Tentunya nama-nama tersebut memiliki karakter tersendiri, yang tentunya berkaitan erat dengan bahan baku yang digunakan untuk proses penyulingan. Gandum, beras, kentang, jagung, hingga tebu. Marilah kita melihat satu persatu lebih dekat.

Absinthe, not Abstain!
Kok abstain? Well, kata ini muncul tidak berapa lama setelah seorang teman saya menenggak dua gelas kecil absinthe. Yes, dia salah sebut nama minuman ini sehingga kami pun tertawa terbahak-bahak sesudahnya. Memang, di tangan yang salah, minuman ini dapat berakibat fatal karena kandungan alkohol dalam jumlah yang sangat fantastis di dalamnya. Setidaknya untuk saya, ini adalah minuman dengan kadar alkohol tertinggi! Tentu saja tidak disarankan untuk menenggaknya langsung begitu saja. Karena absinthe adalah minuman aperitif, maka tujuannya memang bukan untuk membuat mabuk orang yang meminumnya.

Absinthe adalah spirits dengan warna hijau tua bening dan memiliki rasa agak ‘pedas’. Tidak heran, karena minuman ini mengandung banyak sekali rempah-rempah. Sebutlah anise, wormwood, fennel, hingga nutmeg (pala) pun terdaftar pada bahan penyusunnya. Dengan tampilan yang cukup memikat dan terkesan jinak, ternyata absinthe menyimpan banyak kejutan. Entah mengapa, banyak sekali saya menemui komentar, “Kayak obat batuk ya?” pada orang yang baru pertama kali mengendus aromanya. Mungkin, walau saya sendiri tidak begitu setuju, dan bukan karena obat batuk yang saya gunakan biasanya dalam bentuk kaplet tentunya.

Angka yang menunjukkan kandungan alkohol pada label absinthe mungkin dapat membuat mata Anda terbelalak. Bagaimana tidak? Sanggupkah Anda menghadapi besaran 68% atau bahkan lebih? Tapi nanti dulu, minuman ini sebenarnya memiliki fungsi seperti sirup yang tidak manis, karena harus ditambahkan dengan air es 4-5 bagian lebih banyak, plus gula. Galaknya alkohol sebelum bercampur dengan air dan gula tadi kemudian berubah menjadi lembut, baik di hidung maupun di rongga mulut. Keunikan yang terlihat secara visual pun ada. Warna hijau tua transparan tadi akan berangsur menjadi putih susu seiring bercampurnya minuman ini dengan air.

Minuman asal Swiss dan kemudian populer di Perancis ini pernah dilarang beredar di daratan Eropa. Ditengarai berkaitan dengan efek memabukkan dan kejadian-kejadian dengan kekerasan yang terkait, minuman ini kemudian hilang dari peredaran selama puluhan tahun. Tentunya apabila kita berpikir sehat, penyalahgunaanlah yang menjadi sumber masalahnya, bukan bendanya. Lalu belakangan, absinthe diperbolehkan untuk beredar kembali dan secara cepat berbaur dengan minuman lainnya, dan bahkan cepat populer dengan ‘gayanya’ sendiri.

Seperti halnya tradisi fine dining, absinthe seakan tidak mau kalah dengan menghadirkan keunikannya sendiri pada absinthe spoon. Alat sederhana berbentuk sendok datar dan berlubang ini memiliki banyak variasi. Dari yang tanpa keistimewaan hingga ukiran dan bahan dari logam yang mahal. Fungsinya tetap sama, hanya saja gengsinya pastilah berbeda, karena belakangan sendok ini seringkali menjadi collectibles item. Mau mencoba? (Marchel/Appetite Journey, 2007)

Chivas Regal 12 Old

Ketika dua bersaudara, James dan John Chivas, pertama kali memulai membuat campuran minuman whiski, mereka sebenarnya sedang mencampur sebuah minuman yang memiliki ciri khas – kelembutan, gaya, kualitas yang tinggi. Minuman whiski berkelas, dari malta dari setiap wilayah di Skotlandia serta butir whiski dengan kualitas terbaik, dipilih dengan karakternya masing-masing. Semua kelebihan itu disempurnakan dengan terciptanya Chivas Regal tahun 1909.

Pada tahun 1950-an, saat Amerika mengalami kemajuan ekonomi yang sangat signifikan, Chivas Regal menjadi minuman favorit bagi para komunitas platinum. Saat ini Chivas Regal sudah terdistribusikan ke 150 negara. Pada tahun 2003, Chivas Regal berhasil mengalami peningkatan penjualan sebesar tujuh persen per tahun, atau setara dengan 30 juta botol setiap tahunnya.

Sebuah survei yang dilakukan oleh Synovate pada tahun 2002 terhadap 1.200 konsumen di Brazil, Kanada, Amerika, Rusia, Cina, Jepang, Singapura, Perancis, Spanyol, Jerman, dan Inggris menyatakan bahwa Chivas Regal merupakan minuman wiski asal Skotlandia yang paling bergengsi dan berdaya seni tinggi dengan kesimpulan Chivas Regal berada di urutan teratas di antara merek-merek yang menampilkan kemewahan dan citra rasa.

Synovate sendiri merupakan perusahan survey dan riset terbesar ke 10 di dunia, yang memfokuskan diri pada pasar konsumen internasional. (Abe)

The Story of Vodka

Pengetahuan penyulingan minuman beralkohol berasal dari Italia dan Perancis, kemudian menyebar ke seluruh daratan Eropa sepanjang masa abad ke-13 sampai ke-14. Catatan tertua mengenai penggunaan kata “vodka” di selatan Eropa ditemukan pada sebuah manuskrip Polandia berterakan tahun 1405. Didalamnya dibeberkan produksi minuman ini yang berlangsung di pelosok daerah perkebunan selama abad ke-14. Dari catatan sejarah ini, maka banyak yang meyakini bahwa minuman vodka berasal dari Polandia.

Sebagai minuman beralkohol, vodka sebelumnya dikenal dengan istilah “gorzalka” dan kemungkinan dibuat dengan bahan gandum hitam. Asal muasal mengapa orang menikmati minuman ini tidak begitu jelas. Kata “vodka” secara harfiah bermakna “sedikit air”, merupakan turunan dari kata “woda” pada bahasa Polandia yang berarti “air”. Orang Polandia kemudian menambahkan imbuhan “ka” di akhir kata sebagai pemanis. Jadi istilah “sedikit” bermaknakan keakraban atau suasana hangat.

Istilah “vodka” sendiri pada awalnya dimaksudkan untuk berbagai minuman kesehatan yang ada pada waktu itu seperti tonik, obat dan ramuan kesehatan. Minuman kesehatan ini biasanya memang mengandung sedikit alkohol dan dikonsumsi dalam jumlah kecil atau sekedar diusapkan pada bagian tubuh tertentu sebagai balsem. Secara berangsur istilah “vodka” mulai menggantikan kata “gorzalka” yang berarti minuman nikmat. Di abad ke-18 kedua istilah ini digunakan secara bersamaan.

Di tahun 1564 pengenaan pajak pertama kegiatan penyulingan diberlakukan yang menandai awal produksi massal industri ini. Masa abad ke-17, berbagai perkebunan, rumah besar dan biara memiliki mesin penyulingan sendiri untuk dapat menghasilkan vodka. Saat ini vodka dihasilkan dari berbagai bahan yang memiliki kandungan tepung atau karbohidrat tinggi. Kentang dan bit seringkali jadi bahan utama minuman ini, namun biji gandum tetap dianggap sebagai bahan yang menghasilkan minuman bercita rasa terbaik. Sekarang vodka Polandia yang semakin harum namanya dikirim ke berbagai negara di Eropa seperti Belanda, Denmark, Inggris, Jerman, Austria, Hongaria, Moldavia, daerah Laut Hitam dan bahkan Rusia.

Abad ke-18 menandai perkembangan pesat industri penyulingan. Rumah-rumah penyulingan yang mengkhususkan diri untuk mengembangkan minuman-minuman baru serta teknik penambahan rasa sesuai resep daerahnya semakin berkibar namanya. Saat ini, sejumlah industri penyulingan di Polandia masih setia melestarikan tradisi produksi minuman ini. Industri penyulingan minuman di kota Poznan, tempat Wyborowa dihasilkan adalah salah satu yang dimaksud.

The New Martell XO

Bertempat di Rosso Restaurat Jakarta, Kamis, 1 Maret lalu, The New Martell XO kembali diluncurkan. Dengan kemasan botol yang lebih artistik, menjadikan cognac ini sebagai minuman paling berkelas dan menjadikannya sebagai simbol dari gaya hidup eksekutif kelas dunia.

Acara yang didahului dengan makan malam dan menikmati beberapa pentas hiburan ini memang sengaja diadakan untuk memperkenalkan The New Martell XO kepada para pengusaha-pengusaha karoke, club, restoran, diskotek, dan masyarakat pada umumnya. Acara ini menjadi lebih berarti dengan hadirnya beberapa pengusaha dari negara sahabat dan duta besar Perancis untuk Indonesia.

Hadir pula malam itu, secara khusus Duta Martell Cognac Philip Ortiz dan Mr. Jacques Menier. Di mana sehari sebelumnya, mereka bertindak sebagai narasumber pada seminar “Martell Cognac” yang diikuti oleh para profesional muda dan staf dari sejumlah tempat hiburan, sebagai mitra kerja dari Martell.

Tetap setia pada krativitas dan selera tinggi dari penciptaannya, The New Martell XO mempersembahkan cognac yang terkemuka dan sangat luar biasa, dikarenakan oleh blending yang anggun dan keindahan presentasinya yang menakjubkan.

Desain botol yang elegan ini menggabungkan garis-garis selaras yang sederhana, dekorasi yang dibuat oleh para ahli, tradisi yang klasik serta gaya yang moderen. Bentuk botol baru dari Martell XO yang melengkung, sebuah simbol visi dan inspirasi yang sangat kuat, menjadi testimoni dari wasiat Jean Martell untuk menghubungkan hal-hal yang terbaik.

Masih seputar bentuk botol, cekungan di bawah The New Martell XO melambangkan jembatan. Dapat diartikan cara orang menikmati Martell XO, yang diproduksi sejak 1715 di kota Cognac, Prancis, sebagai social drink tidak pernah sendirian tetapi selalu mengajak teman. “Namun yang lebih uatama, bukanlah bentuk botolnya, tetapi rasanya sendiri,” Edhi Sumadi, Country Manager Pernod Ricard Indonesia.

Appetite Journey, 2007

Bir dan Iblis

Alkohol memang identik dengan perbuatan yang terlarang dan berhubungan dengan godaan dari iblis dan setan. Seperti lagu yang dinyanyikan oleh Oma Irama. Ternyata dari nama-nama bir di seluruh dunia banyak sekali yang diambil dari nama-nama yang berhubungan dengan iblis setan.

Belgia, yang merupakan negara yang terbanyak mempunyai merek-merek bir di dunia. dikenal sebagai land of beers, tapi bukan sebagai negara pengomsumsi bir terbanyak – saat ini masih dipegang oleh Jerman.

Duvel
Kata ini banyak yang mengira berasal dari bahasa Perancis, Duvelle. Tapi ternyata salah, Duvel sebenarnya berasal dari bahasa Flemish – yang berarti devil (iblis) dan dibaca “Doovul”. Didirikan tahun 1872 di Breendonk, sebelah utara kota Brussels oleh pabrik bir Moortgat, konon pada tahun 1923. Nama Duvel ini terungkap secara spontan oleh para pekerja pabrik bir sewaktu pertama kali mencicipinya, “This is a devil of beer”.

Sekarang Duvel menjadi salah satu merek bir terkenal di Belgia dan daratan Eropa lainnya. Kandungan kadar alkoholnya 8,5% dengan rasa strong golden ale dengan busa yang kental. Untuk meminum harus dalam keadaan dingin tanpa es batu dan memakai gelas khusus flared tulip. Disarankan untuk tidak dituang habis karena sisa kekeruhan birnya sangat kental sekali.

Lucifer
Bir ini menjadi saingan bagi Duvel, sama-sama bernama dari aliran sesat. Produksi dari pabrik bir Riva di Flanders, Belgia. Rasa Ale sangat kuat sekali, kadar alkoholnya 8%.

Blackened Voodo
Dimulai pada 1907 oleh pabrik bir Dixie – dari kota New Orleans – Lousiana. Bir ini ikon kota New Orleans – dengan tema berbau Halloween, sesuai dengan namanya Blackened Voodoo. Kadar alkoholnya 5%, cocok sekali sebagai minuman pendamping makanan khas New Orleans, Cajun. Pada tahun 1992 sempat dilarang beredar di Texas karena dianggap sebagai minuman iblis.

Black Magic
Bir dari Inggris dengan rasa bitter stour berkadar alkohol 4,5%.

Satan
Juga produksi Belgia, dibuat pabrik bir Block di Peizegem. Rasanya – red, gold and brown ale – dengan kadar alkohol 8%.

Dead Guy Ale
Dari namanya saja sudah menyeramkan. Berkadar alkohol 5%, bir ini baru dipopulerkan pada tahun 1988, dan mulai semakin terkenal dan sempat memenangkan beberapa kali penghargaan di Great American Beer Festival. Pabriknya di Oregon.

Old Nick
Dari lambangnya sudah mencerminkan bahwa bir ini juga berasal dari golongan para iblis. Berasal dari pabrik Young’s di bagian selatan kota London, dipoduksi sejak tahun 1831. Beraroma rasa anggur dengan kadar alkohol 7.25%.

Indiana Bones
Berasal dari pabrik bir Summerskills di South Devon, Inggris. Terasa malty-brew dengan kadar alkohol 4,5%.

Masih ada lagi nama-nama bir yang cukup menyeramkan seperti: Beast, berkadar alkohol 6.6% dan Gun Powder, berkadar alkohol 3,8%, dari Inggris; Granat, dari Czech & Slovakia; Rasputin Russian, berkadar alkohol 7,8%, dari Amerika; dan Devil’s Elbow dari Virgina, AS.

Jadi memang ternyata bir merupakan minumam para iblis dan setan. Terserah dengan Anda, apakah tetap terus untuk berbir-ria. (Tedjo Iskandar)

Jakarta, 6 February 2003

Small Office or Virtual Office

Bagi perusahaan yang established mempunyai kantor yang representatif dengan fasilitas canggih dan lokasi strategis bukan hal yang luar biasa. Tapi bagaimana dengan perusahaan yang baru beroperasi, tapi ingin fasilitas modern, di lokasi strategis, dengan organisasi yang solid sekaligus?

Kendala seperti ini seharusnya tidak perlu terjadi lagi. Kini, ada beberapa perusahaan yang menawarkan jasa penyediaan kantor instan, mulai dari sekadar virtual office yang menyediakan jasa pelayanan kesekretariatan dasar, hingga kantor mungil berukuran 12 m2 yang cukup untuk satu orang hingga ruangan 40 m2 yang menampung lima orang. Ibaratnya, tinggal bawa laptop saja, sudah bisa berkantor dan melakukan pekerjaan bisnis.

Dulu mungkin hanya CEO (nick name sebuah penyedia jasa perkantoran) yang bergerak dalam jasa penyewaan small office atau virtual office – Rhenald Kasali dan Hermawan Kartajaya pernah berkantor virtual di Gedung BEJ, bahkan konsultan Darwis Silalahi masih ber-small office di bilangan Sudirman Jakarta. Tapi kini sedikitnya lima perusahaan sejenis di Jakarta. Mereka punya afiliasi di kota-kota besar lain di dunia, yang semuanya berlokasi di CBD.

Kehadiran mereka ibarat memberi solusi kepada perusahaan-perusahaan baru di Indonesia, yang ingin memulai usahanya dari kecil, atau perusahaan-perusahaan yang memang membutuhkan space kecil. Juga perusahaan-perusahaan asing yang ingin membuka kantor cabangnya di Indonesia, tepatnya Jakarta. Yang ditawarkan penyedia penyewaan kantor sebetulnya tidak hanya ruang, seperti yang dilakukan building management sebuah gedung perkantoran, tapi lebih dari itu; jasa penyelenggaraan operasional perkantoran itu sendiri. Fungsi tersebut mirip dengan yang dilakukan business centre di hotel-hotel berbintang lima, tapi dengan harga yang jauh lebih murah dengan kemewahan yang sama.

Harganya? Untuk jasa pelayanan virtual office berkisar dari Rp 500.000 hingga Rp 1 juta per bulan. Sementara kalau ingin mempunyai ruang kantor, harganya berkisar mulai Rp Rp 7,5 juta hingga Rp 15,5 juta per bulan, yang tarifnya dalam mata uang rupiah yang tentunya tidak memberatkan para penyewa di Indonesia. Meski kecil, jangan dikira fasilitasnya pun mini. Selain fasilitas dasar, seperti kantor full furnished, listrik, AC, saluran telepon, mesin fax, fotokopi, juga tersedia resepsionis, jasa office boy yang siap menyediakan refreshment, serta sistem keamanan 24 jam. Ada lobi untuk menerima tamu, juga ada ruangan meeting yang bisa dipakai untuk rapat internal atau rapat dengan klien. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Pelayanan Premium untuk Komunitas Platinum

Klinik-klinik perawatan tubuh eksklusif bermunculan – mulai dari perampingan badan, perawatan kulit, rambut, gigi, hingga terapi ozon. Sasarannya kaum platinum, pria dan wanita, yang sadar akan kesehatan dan penampilan diri. Uang bukan masalah benar kalau tujuannnya untuk menunjang citra diri. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Tampil cantik dan menawan adalah idaman setiap orang. Dulu program perampingan hanya untuk perempuan. Paling tidak, perempuan yang cantik sering diidentikkan sebagai perempuan yang sehat dan langsing. Klinik-klinik pun yang menawarkan program pengurangan lemak tubuh bermunculan. Impressions Body Care Centre atau Metta Natural Slimming, untuk menyebut contoh.

Kini, apalagi setelah lahir generasi metroseksual, yakni lelaki jantan yang gemar berdandan, klinik untuk “mempercantik” diri tidak hanya monopoli kaum Hawa, tapi kaum Adam pun ikut menyatroninya. Jangan heran kalau ada iklan yang khusus ditujukan khusus untuk kaum pria eksekutif, bunyinya antara lain; “Perut yang buncit bukan saja tidak sedap dipandang, tapi rawan berbagai penyakit.”

Tidak hanya masalah kegemukan ternyata. Klinik yang lain pun menawarkan perawatan total, misalnya detoksifikasi, yang selain merampingkan perut buncit, juga membantu menghilangkan kelebihan lemak. Perawatan kesehatan dengan program lymphatic drainage, ultrasound, dan lain-lain, yang sangat efektif untuk membantu mengatasi segala problem kesehatan lelaki. Perawatan muka yang menjadikan kulit muka bersih, halus, dan berseri. Program face lift membantu penghilangan kerut-kerut dan keriput, menghilangkan kantung mata, gelambir, dan lipatan kerut di dagu.

“Facial treatment biasa saja tidak cukup, setiap tiga bulan sekali saya melakukan treatment dengan laser untuk menghilangkan bintik-bintik hitam di wajah,” ungkap seorang artis sinetron yang sering ditulis berbagai media sebagai pria metroseksual.

Sementara Nia G. Indra, pemilik butik Socialite, di kawasan Jakarta Selatan, mengaku melakukan suntik botox enam bulan sekali agar mukanya kelihatan segar. “Meskipun saya belum tua-tua banget, tapi, saya pikir preventif lebih baik,” ujar ibu tiga anak berusia 36 tahun itu.

Pemilik tinggi 169 cm dan berat 54 kg lulusan Fakultas Ekonomi, Universitas Trisaksi, Jakarta itu juga rajin datang ke klinik Dokter Cut di Pondok Indah dan melakukan suntik akupuntur untuk menjaga kelangsingan tubuhnya. “Saya sangat concern dengan tubuh saya. Saya paling sedih kalau dibilang ‘Nia kok jelek banget ya’,” tukasnya.

Nia dan juga nara sumber yang disebut pertama, yang sadar dengan kesehatan dan penampilan diri, adalah sasaran klinik-klinik eksklusif yang sekarang marak di Jakarta. Seperti diakui Paula Micky Tanod, Public Relation Director Puan Jakarta Boutique Clinic, “Perawatan diri sudah menjadi bagian dari keseharian para pelaku bisnis saat ini. Dan kami menangkap tren itu.”

Hanya saja, Micky tidak setuju kalau Puan sekadar pusat perawatan tubuh, tapi klinik medis dengan perspektif perempuan, yang mempunyai banyak dokter spesialis – semacam klinik bersama. Kenapa memilih perspektif perempuan? “Kami peduli dengan perempuan, yang mempunyai peran ganda, ya sebagai ibu rumah tangga, juga sebagai wanita karier. Perempuan di atas usia 35 tahun seharusnya melakukan pemeriksaan secara rutin, seperti pap smear (diagnosis untuk deteksi dini kanker leher rahim), atau mamografi (diagnosis untuk deteksi dini kanker payudara). Keduanya pembunuh terbesar bagi kaum perempuan,” jelasnya.

One stop female clinic pertama di Indonesia, yang berdiri pada Desember 2002 ini mempunyai 38 dokter ahli dari 12 disiplin ilmu. Semuanya dokter perempuan. Mulai dari dokter ahli kulit, kebidanan dan kandungan, radiology, penyakit dalam, bedah plastik, gizi, kebugaran, akupuntur, pskiatri, psikolog, neurology, urologi, dan gigi. Untuk yang urolog adalah dokter prempuan pertama di Asia Tenggara.

Tidak hanya kesehatan memang, tapi segala sesuatu yang berkaitan dengan penampilan ragawi. Bahkan Micky mengaku permintaan terbesar pasien (75%) justru perawatan kulit. Mulai dari peremajaan kulit dengan chemical piling, suntik botox (yakni membuat otot-otot di bagian-bagian tertentu agar tidak membentuk garis, misalnya di daerah dahi, samping mata), bedah plastik (mulai dari konversi bentuk hidung, operasi kantong mata, dan sebagainya), kulit muka (di-implant dengan filler guna konversi garis dekat hidung dan pipi agar tidak dalam, bibir agar kelihatan lebih tebal), dan perawatan gigi (mulai dari bleaching, karang igi, pasang kawat gigi, hingga pasang berlian buat aksesoris gigi). Ada juga sedot lemak yang ditangani oleh dokter bedah plastik, serta body sculpting program, yakni program diet untuk mendapatkan tubuh yang ideal. (Reportase: Dwi Wulandari dan Lily G. Nababan)

Platinum Society No. 07, 2004

Perawatan Jiwa dan Raga

Masyarakat menengah ke atas yang menjalani hidup di kota besar pada umumnya telah sadar akan perawatan tubuh secara holistik, jiwa dan raga, sebagai pengimbagan aktivitas rutin lainnya. Bukan sekadar spa yang mereka butuhkan, tapi tempat yang mampu memberikan instant refreshment. “Bukan hanya sekadar memijat tubuh, tetapi tempat relaksasi yang dapat memberi rasa ketenangan dengan produk, serta pelayanan yang prima,” jelas Indira Budiati, Direktur Utama Zen Living.

Zen Living yang berdiri empat tahun lalu, kata Indira, adalah pelopor aromatherapy reflexology di Indonesia yang untuk kelas premium. Pelayanan yang ditawarkan adalah; 1) Relaxation reflexology, yakni aromaterapi dengan suatu kesatuan interior yang nyaman seperti layaknya first class cabin suatu penerbangan; 2) Stoneage foot treatment, perawatan kulit kaki dengan lumpur dan pasir yang dilengkapi dengan pijat relaksasi yang menggunakan batu panas; 3) Hand neuro reflex, terapi yang difokuskan pada daerah tangan, lengan, dan bahu; dan 4) Normobaric, atau terapi hirup oksigen murni. Terapi ini dikerjakan bersamaan dengan pemihatan refleksi pijat refeksi sehinga tercipta relaksasi yang menyeluruh.

Pelayanan serupa, khususnya terapi hirup oksigen, rupanya tidak hanya dilakukan di spa treatment, tapi juga di klinik-klinik kesehatan, seperti Stanford. Klinik yang berlokasi di Jalan Heng Lekir Raya 9, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta itu memperkenalkan terapi ozone, yang konon bermanfaat untuk mengoptimalkan organ tubuh, sehingga mempunyai fungsi untuk membuat awet muda.

Pengobatan ozon ini diperoleh dari suatu proses oksigen murni yang dialirkan melalui generator listrik. Ozone sendiri adalah jenis gas yang sangat reaktif dan tidak stabil dengan masa hidup yang sangat pendek (20-30 menit) sebelum kembali menjadi oksigen. Bila disuntikan ke dalam peredaran darah sangat bermanfaat untuk perbaikan peredaran darah dan oksigenasi jaringan tubuh, terutama bagi penderita kencing manis, gangren dan bagi orang yang pembuluh darahnya mulai mengalami pengerasan (sclerosis), penderita dengan kelumpuhan badan, vertigo, penyakit jantung koroner dan kesemutan pada kaki atau tangan.

Pendeknya, perawatan jenis apa pun kini sudah bisa dilakukan, oleh pria maupun wanita. Teknologinya pun tersedia, mulai dari penggunaan laser hingga alat-alat operasi ala kedokteran. Jakarta Skin Centre, misalnya, memanfaatkan teknologi laser. Klinik yang didirikan putri mantan wapres Sudharmono pada 1993 itu menawarkan sekitar 15 pelayanan medis untuk kulit, di antaranya dermatologi, bedah laser, bedah kulit, injeksi kolagen, suntik botox, bedah plastik, hingga liposuction alias sedot lemak.

Sementara Impressions, yang dulu hanya dikenal sebagai klinik perampingan tubuh, kini membuka pelayanan khusus untuk pria, yang disebut men’s health centre. Klinik utamanya di Jakarta juga mempunyai fasiliats mesin IPL (Intense Pulse Light) dari Lumenis/Spectron Cosmetic Ltd, Inggris dan LHE (Light Heat Energy) Skin Station dari Radiance Inc, AS. Perawatan yang ditawarkan, antara lain, mengatasi dermabrasi, skin rejuvenation, menghilangkan jerawat, serta membantu menghilangkan bekas tato, bercak-bercak atau cacat di kulit.

Kepedulian akan kesehatan dan penampilan yang lebih oke, dan terutama naiknya penghasilan sebagian masyarakat, terutama lapisan atas, agaknya yang ikut menumbuhsuburkan klinik-klinik kecantikan. Seakan memanfaatkan eforia ingin tampil sempurna bak selebriti, para pemilik klinik pun tidak segan-segan mengembangkan inovasi dan gimmick pemasaran untuk merayu kalangan kelas tersebut.

Jadi, sebaiknya jangan bingung istilah-istilah yang aneh dalam perkara perawatan tubuh. Bahkan, setelah perawatan spa (saulus per aqua), yang arti sebenarnya adalah “mencari kesehatan dari air” ngetren, ada istilah serupa untuk perawatan gigi, juga untuk rambut yang disebut hair spa. Juga ada klinik yang memberikan embel-embel “butik”.

Menambahkan istilah khusus untuk mendekatkan ke gaya hidup tertentu memang sah-sah saja. Apalagi hal itu bisa menjadikan lebih eksklusif dan bisa “menaikkan” harga. Harga perawatan rambut ala hair spa di salon tertentu, misalnya, tarifnya pasti lebih mahal ketimbang keramas atau creambath biasa. Demikian pula dengan tarif di klinik biasa, tentu berbeda dengan di klinik yang berkategori butik.

Biaya merawat tubuh, apalagi dengan pelayanan yang prima, memang tidak murah. Sekadar massage di spa, misalnya, tarifnya sekitar Rp 150.000, tapi untuk full body treatment Rp 1,4 juta. Untuk perawatan rambut di salon, sebutlah Toni & Guy yang berlokasi di eX Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta menghabiskan sekitar Rp 250.000, sementara perawatan untuk rambut bermasalah, sebutlah di Svensons Hair Clinic yang mempunyai empat cabang di Jakarta dan Surbaya, bisa Rp 5 – 10 juta, tergantung problemnya. Untuk pelangsingan tubuh biayanya sekitar Rp 5 juta. Terapi ozon Rp 300.000 – 1,5 juta. Sedangkan untuk perawatan kulit harga konsultasinya sekali datang sekitar Rp 300.000, sedangkan perawatannya minimal Rp 1 juta untuk yang sederhana, dan untuk problem kulit yang lebih complicated bisa Rp 15 juta.

Tapi harga agaknya bukan masalah benar, apalagi bagi masyarakat platinum. Mereka rela merogoh koceknya lebih dalam untuk mendapatkan kesempurnaan penampilan dan kecantikan ragawi secara instan. (Burhanuddin Abe/Dwi Wulandari dan Lily G. Nababan)

Platinum Society No. 07, 2004

Memindahkan Resor ke Rumah

Spa kini cenderung menjadi ikon gaya hidup masa kini. Tidak hanya sebagai fasilitas publik, tapi harus kehilangan eksklusivitasnya, tapi perkembangan selanjutnya, rumah-rumah pribadi platinum society pun kini melengkapi fasilitasnya dengan spa, yang lebih mempunyai privacy.

Spa, singkatan dari saulus per aqua, dalam bahas Latin berarti “mencari kesehatan dari air”, tapi kemudian berkembang menjadi seni relaksasi yang berkembang ke seluruh dunia. Tidak terlalu sulit untuk mencari lokasi untuk berspa ria di Jakarta, juga kota-kota besar lain di Indonesia. Tidak hanya tempat yang benar-benar mengkhususkan diri sebagai spa. Beberapa sport centre pun ada yang memiliki fasilitas spa, mulai dari penyediaan whirpool air panas dan dingin, ruang sauna, ruang steam (uap), termasuk pemijatan dengan aromaterapi.

Tapi spa di rumah? Inilah yang mulai marak di Jakartra. Memang tidak menjadi tren massal. Tapi kita mulai tidak sulit menemui rumah-rumah mewah yang memiliki fasilitas spa. Ada yang merupakan bagian pengembangan kamar mandi, misalnya menjadikan salah satu bathtub-nya sebagai whirpool yang bisa menyemburkan air dan “memijat” penggunanya. Ada yang memang sejak awal mereka mendesain tempat spa mewah tersendiri, bisa bergaya modern, bisa juga dengan sentuhan etnik dengan tema “back to nature”. Lengkap dengan ruang sauna dan kamar uap.

Memang, home spa di Indonesia tergolong baru. Tidak seperti di Finlandia, misalnya. Rumah di negara yang mempunyai empat musim itu kebanyakan mempunyai ruang sauna sendiri. Di Belgia, yang konon tradisi spa berasal. pada musim dingin penduduknya mencari pusat-pusat air panas untuk berendam dan menghangatkan tubuh. Pada perkembangan selanjutnya orang membuat pool sendiri di rumah yang pemanasannya memakai energi batu bara, kemudian listrik ketika listrik ditemukan. Tidak hanya kolam, seni spa ini kemudian berkembang dengan atribut pendukungnya, seperti whirpool, ruang sauna, dan seterusnya.

Sementara di Jepang, fasilitas whirpool – lebih populer dengan sebutan jacuzy, menjadi bagian penting bagi rumah. Memang, selain sebagai fasilitas pribadi, sebuah perkampungan tradisional di Negeri Sakura itu biasanya mempunyai fasilitas mandi umum untuk penduduknya – yang dalam kehidupan modern dikenal dengan spa.

Wirianto, arsitek lulusan Universitas Tarumanagara, Jakarta, merasa bahwa dengan membangun spa di rumah salah satu alasannya karena masalah kemacetan di Jakarta. “Kami tidak perlu keluar rumah untuk menikmati spa. Tidak perlu antre, juga tidak perlu bayar,” katanya.

Ayah dua anak ini sengaja membangun rumahnya dengan gaya tropis minimalis. Fasilitas kamar mandinya, yang dikembangkan menjadi spa, terbagi dua; indoor dan outdoor.

Di indoor dinamakan master bathroom, ada bathub besar yang bisa menampung dua orang dengan gaya klasik, dua wastafel yang mejanya bertabur batu kali yang senada dengan ubinnya, dengan nuansa tropis minimalis. Kesan natural didapat dengan menambahkan semacam air terjun yang mengalir di samping bathub tersebut dan menyirami pohon jenis alang-alang d ibawahnya. Di pojok ruangan tersebut ada tempat mandi biasa dengan shower yang digunakan sehari-hari. Juga dilengkapi dengan pesawat televisi agar tidak ketinggalan berita terbaru atau hiburan. Sementara untuk outdoor terdapat jacuzy atau whirpool. Ada paviliun untuk tamu, kursi santai, meja biliar, serta arena bermain anak-anak.

Yang unik, fokus pandangan semua ruang (termasuk ruang TV, keluarga, tamu, bahkan dapur kering) mengarah pada jacuzy yang ada di ruang dalam yang terbuka. Bila malam tiba lampu temaram akan mengarah ke jacuzy yang dikelilingi obor. Di ruang atas juga ada kursi santai menghadap barat sehingga bisa menikmati sunset sambil memperhatikan anak-anak yang berenang di bawahnya.

Bagi Wirianto, rumah bukan hanya untuk istirahat badan tapi juga istirahat jiwa. “Jadi kami berusaha membawa kualitas resor ke dalam rumah. Sehingga berada di rumah itu benar-benar bisa nyaman. Karena setelah penat bekerja, apalagi kalau saya sedang lembur dan bisa seharian berkutat dengan pekerjaan, maunya kan bisa rileks agar bisa segar kembali,” ujar Direktur PT Arsicon Wiratama, perusahaan yang bergerak dalam bidang arsitektur itu.

Meski pun di dalam rumah, spa tidak hanya dinikmati hanya penghuni rumah – Wirianto, istri dan anak-anaknya. Tapi teman-temannya pun kerap beranjang sana, dan ikut menikmati fasilitas tersebut. “Kami bisa berendam di whirpool. Kebetulan di master bathroom juga dilengkapi dengan massage room, jadi kami bisa panggil pijat dari luar,” ungkapnya.

Suara merdu Mariah Carey sayup mengalun di ruang mandi berukuran 6X4 meter persegi. Butterfly, lagu yang tengah dilantunkan membuat si pemilik kamar kian menikmati eksotiknya rendaman aroma Lampe Berger asal Paris di lingkaran jacuzy. Sambil sesekali menyambangi ruang shower sekaligus steam room yang berdinding transparan di pojok kiri, Nila Warsito — si pemilik kamar — mulai membasuh tubuhnya dengan air dingin. “Saya alergi dengan air panas,” kata istri pengacara Warsito Sanyoto itu.

Dua jam berlalu seraya dibantu oleh petugas salon yang khusus diundangnya, kulit perempuan berparas cantik itu kembali tampak bugar. Di ruang bermarmer dengan perpaduan kuning keemasan dan krem itulah hampir setiap hari kelahiran Jakarta 30 tahun yang silam ini rutin memanjakan tubuhnya. Mulai dari perawatan ujung rambut hingga ujung kaki.

Ritual seperti itu penting, bagi Nila. Itu sebabnya, ia membangun fasilitas spa mewah bergaya Italia, lengkap dengan jacuzy, ruang uap, serta TV. Kamar mandi, katanya, adalah sebuah sarana untuk proses pemeliharaan dan perawatan tubuh, sehingga ia perlu mengembangkannya menjadi spa. Di sinilah Nila menjalankan proses perawatan dan pemeliharaan badan, rambut, manicure & pedicure, dan wajah. Jangan heran kalau segala tetek bengek peralatan kecantikan ada di sini, mulai dari body lotion, lulur, pembersih muka, shampo, masker, hingga scrub. “Mandi saya lama, sehingga saya merasa nyaman di dalamnya,” ujar ibu tiga anak yang juga hobi berenang itu.

Tidak Nila dan Wirianto saja yang menyulap kamar mandinya menjadi spa bak di hotel atau resor. Menurut Wirianto, dalam dua tahun terakhir ini permintaan untuk membangun home spa meningkat. Mereka itu adalah para platinum society yang mulai membutuhkan privacy, sehingga tidak perlu ke luar rumah kalau ingin menikmati spa. “Waktu mereka terbatas. Jadi, kalau bisa dilakukan di rumah, kenapa tidak? Bahkan ke dokter gigi pun kalau bisa di rumah juga,” kata Wirianto sambil tertawa. (Burhanuddin Abe/Dwi Wulandari, Arie Hananti, dan W. Setiawan)

Platinum Society, 2004

Menguja Rasa, Meramu Nikmat

Maraknya home spa di Indonesia sekitar tahun 2000-an. Begitu menurut pengamatan Aditya Indrajaya, Pemilik Gran Odiseus Fitness & Spa, yang tersebar di beberapa lokasi. Hal ini didorong oleh tuntutan global masyarakat dunia, terutama di negara-negara maju seperti Eropa dan Amerika yang menginginkan bisa menikmati spa dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Dan, itu tidak cuma mereka mendatangi pusat spa yang tersebar di sejumlah tempat, tapi juga bisa melakukannya sendiri di rumah sendiri.

Hal ini juga melanda ke Indonesia di mana sebagian orang, terutama kalangan premium, untuk membangun spa di rumahnya sendiri. Tuntutan global itu juga berimbas kepada semua fasilitas akomodasi seperti hotel, cottage, penginapan, tempat rekreasi, dan lain-lain, sehingga hotel yang ada dituntut untuk menyediakan fasilitas spa. Bahkan fasilitas spa sendiri berkembang mengikuti perkembangan zaman.

Nusa Dua Spa, misalnya, untuk menyebut contoh, semula hanya bagian dari health centre yang menyediakan massage service. Tapi dalam perkembangannya, karena potensi pasar semakin besar, unit bisnis ini diubah menjadi spa centre. Dalam memberikan jasanya spa centre yang berlokasi di Nusa Dua, Bali itu membagi dua jenis, wet spa dan spa treatment. Yang pertama bisa dilakukan sendiri, yakni berendam di whirpool, masuk ke ruang sauna dan uap. Sedangkan kedua berkaitan dengan pelayanan, meliputi pemijatan, lulur dan perawatan muka.

Tren maraknya home spa juga dibenarkan Serlie Tjandra, Assistant General Manager Hal Mar Sanitary. Trennya sekitar lima tahun terakhir ini. Permintaan akan peralatan spa dalam kurun waktu tersebut, seperti bathub maupun mesin spa untuk whirlpool, terus meningkat. Kalau dulu spa hanya dipunyai hotel dan spa centre, kini sudah merambah ke rumah-rumah tangga. ”Penjualan perlengkapan spa produk Hal Mar, misalnya, tumbuh sekitar 10-20 persen per tahun,” katanya.

Serlie menyebut tiga peralatan utama dalam spa. Yakni, whirpool, yang befungsi sebagai hydrotherapy, menghasilkan tekanan air dalam bak mandi (bathtub), yang mampu memperlancar peredaran darah, menghilangkan rasa letih sehingga tubuh menjadi segar kembali. Air dalam bak mandi jadi ada arusnya serta gelombang, karena ada tekanan air yang dihasilkan dari whirlpool. Tekanan keluar dari sepanjang sisi bak mandi.

Berikutnya adalah airpool, dipasang pada dasar bathtub. Gelembung udara yang dikeluarkan mini jet mengenai bawah paha sehingga tekanan gelembung tersebut mampu menstimulasi sel kulit yang sudah waktunya berganti. Dengan demikian sel kulit baru akan tumbuh dan kulit menjadi halus kembali.

Yang ketiga, aqualight, terdiri dari 12 macam pilihan warna cahaya, warna yang dihasilkan berfungsi sebagai stress therapy, misalnya biru merangsang konsentrasi dan kreativitas, mengurangi selulit dan kegemukkan; hijau untuk terapi relaksasi, memberi ketenangan; merah merangsang memperlancar sirkulasi darah, dan sebagainya.

Gabungan dari ketiga alat tersebut disebut spa. ”Namun, tren yang ada sekarang bukan kombinasi dari ketiga alat, tapi lebih memprioritaskan alat whirlpool. Kalau sudah punya alat whirlpool, maka sudah disebut spa. Sedangkan airpool dan aqualight dianggap sebagai aksesorisnya,” kata Serlie.

Selain itu, ada juga alat yang disebut hot pump, fungsinya seperti whirlpool, namun memiliki kelebihan mampu menjaga kestabilan suhu air dalam bathtub lebih lama. Ini pun dianggap sebagai aksesoris.

Aditya menambahkan, fasilitas spa umumnya terdiri dari whirpool, steam, sauna, dan shower. Kemudian juga ada yang ruang berendam yang sudah dicampur dengan bunga atau ramuan tradisional. Ada juga yang mengunakan arus air untuk pijatan. Kolam dibuat sedemikian rupa sehingga di dalam kolam tersebut mengalir arus yang kuat, dan yang berencam dibuat seperti mengarungi arus tersebut (aqua medic).

Memang sesuai namanya, spa adalah treatment yang dilakukan dengan air. Sesuai dengan perkembangannya, tradisi asal Eropa itu kemudian dikombinasikan dengan treatment-treatment tradisional setempat. Kebanyakan itu berasal dari negara-negara Asia seperti Malaysia, Thailand, dan Indonesia. Dari Eropa juga dipakai, tapi treatment-nya lebih banyak hanya dengan air, kemudian dengan pengobatan, psikologis, dan pijat. Yang digunakan di Indonesia adalah gabungan terapi air dan treatment-treatment seperti pijat tradisional, luluran, foot reflexoloy, serta pijat aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy adalah salah satu treatment yang banyak disukai orang. Ada yang menggunakan wewangian untuk merangsang syarat kita untuk memberikan hasil sesuai yang kita inginkan. “Kalau kita lelah, biasanya kita gunakan wewangin dari mawar sehingga kita bisa merasa segar kembali,” ujar Aditya, arsitek lulusan Jerman itu.

Wewangian, katanya, ada yang dibakar, dicampur dalam air panas, dan uapnya dihirup. Tapi ada juga yang melalui pijatan, seperti dilulur sehingga kita bisa rileks. Selai itu, ada terapi untuk mata. Dalam hal ini desainnya dirancang sedemikian rupa sehingga setiap orang yang masuk atau menjalani spa mata ini menjadi segar. Warna yang biasa digunakan adalah warna putih kekuning-kuningan (gading), atau warna biru. Kemudian juga ada treatment untuk pendengaran. “Ada musik yang lembut, sehingga pikiran kita pun akan fresh kembali,” katanya.

Yang jelas, semua kenikmatan ber spa itu kini bisa dinikmati di rumah. (Burhanuddin Abe/W Setiawan)

Platinum Society, 2004

Memanjakan Mata dan Telinga

Tren pemakaian hi-fi makin meningkat di kalangan para eksekutif. Mereka rela merogoh koceknya lebih dalam demi mendapatkan kenikmatan audio visual dari peranti sound system masa kini dan perangkat home theater mutakhir. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Kesempurnaan. Agaknya itulah yang selalu dicari para hi-fi mania. Istilah hi-fi sendiri berasal dari kependekan high fidelity audio visual entertainment. Maksudnya perangkat audio visual yang sangat peka dan mampu mereproduksi dan memancarkan suara yang sangat jernih dan bebas noise. Tidak ada kresek-kresek, tidak ada dengung, untuk visualnya tidak ada bintik-bintik, dan mampu menayangkan gambar terang maupun gelap dengan sangat baik.

Demi kesempurnaan itu pula yang membuat Francis Wanandi rela melakukan perburuan yang panjang untuk mendapatkan peralatan hi-fi di rumahnya. Direktur pemasaran sebuah perusahaan distribusi itu memang bukan muka baru sebagai penikmat audio video. Sejak semasa SMU dulu, awal tahun 1980-an, Frans memang sangat hobi mendengarkan musik dan menonton film. Pada waktu itu sistem audio yang ada baru radio dan tape atawa pemutar kaset. “Saya juga punya piringan hitam, tapi itu jarang digunakan karena tidak praktis. Waktu itu juga belum ada yang namanya compact disc atawa CD,” kenangnya.

Sekarang, seiring dengan perkembangan teknologi di bidang audio, mulai bermunculan berbagai audio system yang ada, mulai dari piringan hitam, CD, dan terakhir DVD audio, format audio baru yang memiliki kualitas musik suround yang berbasis teknologi digital. Begitu juga untuk sistem audio visual, mulai dari pita kaset (dulu namanya VHS Betamax, atau film video), berkembang menjadi laser disc, VCD MP3, hingga DVD video. Untuk pesewat televisi, berawal dari layar kaca cembung, flat, hingga tipe plasma yang bahannya menggunakan gas neon xebib di antara dua pelat kaca tipis, sehingga mampu mengeluarkan gambar yang sangat sempurna.

Perangkat untuk audio pun juga berkembang, mulai dari speaker, amplifier, equalizer, sampai dengan perangkat yang berfungsi memecah atau membagi suara. Kualitas suara pun makin lebih bagus. Inilah yang kita sebut sebagai era hi-fi. “Kita mendengarkan lagu seolah-olah kita berada di hadapan penyanyi, begitu jernih, dan transparan,” ujar Frans yang mengaku sudah mengeluarkan Rp 250 juta untuk menjalankan hobinya ini.

Harga perangkat hi-fi, apalagi yang mutakhir, memang tidak murah. Untuk peralatan high end bagi penggemar musik kelas berat, misalnya, yang terdiri dari pemutar CD, amplifier, serta speaker, harganya berkisar Rp 30-70 juta, tergantung merek serta kemampuannya.

Jika mengambil speaker merek Mordaunt-Shout MS914, misalnya, yang harganya Rp 4,3 jutaan cukup mampu menghasilkan sound yang berat namun dinamis. Tapi kalau kita memutuskan membeli speaker yang lebih mahal, sebutlah Quad 12l seharga Rp 7,8 jutaan niscaya suara yang dihasilkan pasti lebih yahud; ringan, detil, dinamis, transparan, dengan kedalaman suara bas yang luar biasa. “Ibaratnya, desah dan nafas seorang saksofonis pun terdengar jelas,” ujar seorang audiophile – sebutan untuk pecinta audio kelas berat.

Memang, buat audiophile, yang mereka cari bukan sekadar tonal harmony distortion biasa, yang sudah tersedia dalam perangkat hi-fi umum. Tapi reproduksi suara tengah yang natural yang tanpa kolorasi, terutama pada suara vokal manusia – mirip mendengar orang menyanyi di sebelah kita. Sementara untuk musik, nada basnya rendah, dalam, bulat, dan ketat, tanpa distorsi, bebas dari suara boxy dan boomy. Nada tingginya detil, jernih, seakan-akan tidak membebani telinga. Meski mendengar lebih dari lima jam, tapi tidak melelahkan.

Lalu, berapa dana yang dibutuhkan untuk membangun home theater? Tjandra Ghozalli, Pemimpin Redaksi Audio Video, membagi atas tiga kelas. Pertama, kelas A, dengan ruangan home theater yang harganya Rp 5 jutaan per meter persegi. Kelas B yang harganya Rp 4 jutaan per meter persegi. Dan kelas C yang harganya Rp 3 jutaan per meter persegi. “Jadi, kalau mau bikin ruangan kelas C seluas 4 x 6 m2, maka harga set up-nya sekitar Rp 72 juta,” katanya memberi contoh.

Itu baru ruangan berikut interior saja, belum termasuk kursi – yang biasanya cukup mahal (sekitar Rp 20 – 40 juta per biji), karena didesain untuk tidak untuk sekadar duduk tapi rebahan, plus ada tempat untuk menaruh minuman. Pendeknya dibuat senyaman mungkin, tidak kalah dengan Bioskop 21.

Sementara harga peranti hi-fi, yang standarnya terdiri dari proyektor, AV receiver, dan speaker, berbeda-beda. Untuk proyektor, misalnya, ada yang Rp 12 juta, ada yang Rp 40 juta. Tapi yang termahal adalah CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) – proyektor ukuran besar dengan tabung RGB (Red, Green, Blue) yang berfungsi menghasilkan gambar bagus pada layar, harganya bisa Rp 100 juta lebih. Sementara, untuk sound system, mulai Rp 8 juta hingga Rp 350 juta. “Membangun sebuah home theater, untuk yang bukan profesional, investasinya bisa mencapai Rp 150 juta,” katanya.

Dengan harga peranti yang relatif mahal ini, tidak ayal, yang menekuni hobi ini pun hanya orang-orang tertentu yang sudah mempunyai kemapanan secara finansial. Kendati demikian, pasar Indonesia termasuk yang patut diperhitungkan oleh para produsen hi-fi dunia. Sebenarnya kalau mau merek yang umum-umum saja, di Indonesia – sebutlah Glodok, Jakarta, sudah lengkap, sehingga tidak perlu mencari ke luar negeri. Dan menurut Tjandra, perkembangan penjualannya pun selalu tumbuh. “Kalau saya monitor di Mangga Dua Jakarta saja selalu ada 4-5 toko baru setiap tahunnya,” katanya.

Komunitas penggemar hi-fi di Indonesia juga sudah ada meski belum terorganisasikan dengan baik. Maklum, mereka lebih cool, tidak seperti penggemar car audio, misalnya, yang bisa memamerkan peranti miliknya dengan bangga. Penggemar hi-fi hanya berkomunikasi dan saling bertukar informasi antar sesama mereka secara terbatas. “Mereka kebanyakan low profile, dan senang berdiam di rumah,” ujar LT Seng, salah seorang distributor perangkat hi-fi, memberikan diskripsi para pelanggannya.

Meski silent community, LT Seng yakin bahwa penggemar hi-fi di Indonesia terus-menerus meningkat. Ini juga dibuktikan ketika ada Pameran High End & Home Entertainment di Jakarta, yang diadakan Majalah Audio Video, sejak 2000. Tidak hanya pengunjungnya yang makin banyak, tapi omsetnya juga terus melonjak. Jika pada tahun 2000 pengunjungnya cuma 3.000, maka tahun 2001 meningkat menjadi 4.000, dan pada 2002 sebanyak 5.000, serta 2003 sebanyak 6.000. Transaksi yang terjadi pun naik, selama empat tahun berturut-turut: Rp 1 miliar, Rp 2 miliar, Rp 3 miliar, dan terakhir Rp 5 miliar.

Yang unik, pameran tersebut tidak berlangsung di ruang pameran pada umumnya, sebutlah Jakarta Convention Centre, tapi di hotel berbintang. Bukan di balroom atau pun lobi, tapi di kamar-kamar hotel yang disulap menjadi stan-stan menawan layaknya show room saja. Ada kamar yang diubah menjadi home theater dengan layar video proyektor, tapi ada pula ruang coba uji audio. Tidak ketinggalan produk-produk pendukung, mulai dari stan penjual CD, SACD, DVD video, DVD audio, hingga VHS digital.

Pengunjungnya tidak hanya datang dari Jakarta, tapi juga luar kota seperti Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang, dan lain-lain. “Di luar Jakarta memang belum ada gerai khusus perangkat hi-fi. Jadi kalau mereka mau membeli peranti ini harus datang ke Jakarta atau Singapura,” tutur Tjandra. Dengan menempati dua lantai, tahun ini pameran akan berlangsung di Hotel Mulia Senayan, berlangsung dari 27 hingga 29 Agustus.

Teknologi memang terus bergerak, namun jutsru itulah yang menantang para penggemar hi-fi. Tjandra meramalkan bahwa setelah high end yang hanya mengandalkan suara, giliran home theater kelak yang akan menjadi primadona. High end dikenal sebagai perangkat stereo dua kanal, dengan output suara yang sempurna seakan kita melihat gambar tiga dimensi (hologram). Kini, sehubungan dengan maraknya kemajuan teknologi elektronik hiburan, maka lahirlah media DVD Audio multi kanal (dolby atau DTS – digital theater system). Memang, kehadiran DVD berkembang begitu cepat, dan harganya pun semakin murah. Bila pemutar video dan CD perlu waktu yang cukup lama untuk diakui kehadirannya di antara perabot elektronik di rumah tangga, DVP player ternyata bisa lebih cepat populer, dan kelihatannya belum ada tanda-tanda mengendor.

Maka, para perkembangan berikutnya, tidak mustahil orang akan lari ke high end home theater, yakni high end multi kanal, yang bertumpu pada kekuatan audio dan visual. “Dengan perangkat ini, orang merasa mendengarkan musik atau nonton film tidak seperti di rumah, tapi layaknya auditorium, karena suara keluar dari segala penjuru,” jelasnya.

Platinum Society, 2004

Bermainlah Golf Hingga ke Negeri Kangguru

Banyak pilihan berlibur, salah satunya adalah bermain golf. Tidak asal bermain golf tentu saja, tapi sekalian berwisata, yang sering juga disebut golf tour. Banyak agen travel yang membuat paket ini sebagai pilihan berwisata, tapi tidak sedikit yang para eksekutif yang berinisitaif sendiri untuk melakukannya, baik berombongan dengan teman-temannya atau pun pergi sendirian – yang tentu saja di tempat tujuan sudah ada temen-temennya yang menunggu. “Bukan golfnya saja yang asyik, ketika off the court pun tidak kalah menariknya,” ujar seorang bankir yang berkantor di bilangan segitiga emas Jakarta.

Bisa dimaklumi, apalagi lapangan golf yang dikunjungi pun yang kelas satu, bisa berlokasi di Singapura, Melbourne, Perth, atau pun lapangan golf di kota-kota dunia lainnya. Sebetulnya pilihan di dalam negeri pun tidak menariknya bagi orang Jakarta, misalnya lapangan-lapangan golf di Bali, Batam, Pulau Bintan, dan lain-lain.

Wisata golf memang tidak sekadar urusan olah raga, tapi lebih sophisticated. Ada urusan sportivitas, ada urusan bisnis – kendati dalam masa liburan, ada juga urusan untuk bersenang-senang. Sisi yang menarik dan menjadi tantangan bagi setiap golfer adalah ketika menemui lapangan baru, sebab mau tidak mau pegolf harus bisa menaklukkan lapangan baru tersebut kalau ingin mendapatkan nilai tinggi. Itulah yang diceritakan Nunus Oetomo, pemimpin kelompok band Flash Black yang mempunyai hobi menjelajah lapangan baru.

Pemenang berbagai kejuaraan dan turnamen golf di tanah air itu tidak hanya menjajal lapangan golf domestik, tapi sering mencari tantangan baru ke luar negeri. Bisa berenam atau berdelapan dengan teman-temannya. Australia adalah salah satu destinasi yang disukai. Selain pemandangannya indah, jenis lapangannya juga unik. “Pernah saya berjalan di lapangan seluas sembilan kilometer persegi. Panas terik tak terhiraukan, apalagi saya bisa mendapat score tinggi,” ungkapnya.

Pengalaman exciting juga diungkapkan Bambang Irawan, pria berkacamata yang sering menyelenggarakan turnamen golf. Bermain di Joondalup Country Club, Australia Barat, adalah peristiwa yang tak terlupakan. Betapa tidak, ketika mengayunkan stik dalam kesejukan udara, tiba-tiba di pinggir fairway berdiri sekelompok kanguru seakan menyaksikanpermainan para pegolf yang sedang unjuk kelihaian lapangan golf 27 holes ini.

Golf course rancangan Robert Trent Jones Junior ini terbagi dalam tiga bagian keunikan karakter masing-masing; Quarry, Lake, dan Dune, masing-masing terdiri 9 lubang. Pada hole ke 3 par 3 di bagian Quarry, misalnya, memiliki keunikan yang cukup menantang. Untuk bisa secara tepat menjatuhkan bola dari tee box yang berjarak 137 meter ke green harus mampu melewati semacam lembah. Jika pukulan meleset niscaya bola akan jatuh ke jurang sedalam 40 meter tersebut.

Yang jelas, keelokan dan keasrian alamnya sekaligus memiliki hole yang sangat menantang, menjadikan lapangan golf ini banyak diminati pegolf asal Indonesia. Lagi-lagi, lapangan golf yang sering disebut sebagai The Whole In One – karena fasilitasnya yang lengkap dan berkelas – bukan sekadar tempat olah raga, tapi juga tujuan wisata, sekaligus tempat tetirah yang memberikan suasana damai dan asri.

Selain Australia, Singapura, karena lokasinya yang dekat dengan Indonesia, juga menjadi sasaran para eksekutif kita. Tidak hanya wisata belanja, negeri yang cuma seluas 682,7 kilometer persegi ini, juga mempunyai 15 lapangan golf. Salah salah satu golf course destination yang berkelas adalah Laguna National Golf & Country Club. Di sinilah berbagai turnamen golf dunia sering digelar, di antaranya Caltex Singapore Masters and Charity Pro-Am beberapa waktu yang lalu. “Bagi pegolf yang berasal dari negara berhawa dingin, bermain golf di Singapura memerlukan stamina ekstra, dan tahan diterpa terik matahari serta suhu kawasan tropis yang berkisar antara 24-32 derajat Celsius. Tapi bagi orang Indonesia tentu tidak masalah,” cerita Bambang.

Tidak hanya pemandangan yang indah dan keistimewaan desain, lapangan golf tertentu ternyata ada yang menawarkan ‘keunikan’ lain. Di Taiwan, misalnya, ada lapangan golf course yang caddy-nya semuanya wanita. Yang seorang bertugas membawakan payung, seorang lagi membawakan perlengkapan golf, dan yang ketiga memijat penggung golfer. Para caddy tersebut konon lebih komersial dibandingkan di Indonesia. Bahkan tidak sedikit yang bersedia untuk diajak kencan atau sekadar menemani bobo siang. Wallahualam!

Berwisata golf tidak hanya membuat badan sehat, tapi juga menyenangkan dan membuat badan kembali rileks. Di lapangan golf kita bisa berolah raga, di luar lapangan tentu urusan masing-masing orang. (Burhanuddin Abe)

Platinum Society Edisi 07

Fashion, Merek, dan Pencitraan

Penggemar fashion adalah kalangan atas, terbatas, tapi mampu menggerakkan industri yang rodanya bertumpu pada gaya hidup itu. Mereka, yang dikenal sebagai platinum society menyikapi produk fashion tidak sekadar benda tapi juga status sosial.

“Percaya atau tidak, barang-barang bermerek yang dipamerkan di toko ini, dalam dua hari saja bisa ludes. Apalagi kalau ada limited edition, malah bisa jadi rebutan,” ujar Dewa Ayu Teguh Mahasari, penulis Plaza Indonesia News.

Padahal, sebutlah sepasang sepatu merek Sergio Rossi harganya Rp 5,9 juta. Dewa Ayu yang sehari-harinya mengamati perkembangan penjualan produk-produk branded fashion di Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta ini juga percaya kalau tas Chloe model terbaru, terbuat dari kulit buaya yang dipamerkan pada peluncuran koleksi musim semi dan panas 2005 itu akan menjadi rebutan. Padahal, tas tangan handmade yang di dunia hanya diproduksi empat buah ini harganya Rp 97 juta!

Niscaya bukan Jakarta Big Bang! Apa pun yang dijual di Ibu Kota, termasuk produk terbatas seperti contoh di atas pasti ada pembelinya. Begitulah kelas atas, yang dikenal sebagai platinum society menyikapi produk fashion tidak sekadar benda tapi juga status sosial. Bukan bendanya itu sediri tapi pencitraan yang melekat menyertainya.

Fashion is all about personal style. Fashion bukan seragam yang keluar dari pabrik, demikian Ria Juwita, General Manager Retail, Lolita Lempicka. Hanya saja, untuk kasus di Indonesia yang industri fashionnya masih muda, pengikut modenya belum berani mengekspresikan diri secara bebas. Akibatnya, kalau mau bergaya, mereka melihat dulu tetangga atau komunitasnya. Maka, tak heran kalau high society di Jakarta dicerminkan oleh-ibu-ibu dengan rambut sasak tinggi menenteng tas Hermes. Jadi, status sosial di Indonesia ditentukan oleh merek yang dipakai.

Jangan heran kalau ada seorang wanita pengusaha atau ibu-ibu kaya setiap bulannya bisa membelanjakan uangnya lebih dari Rp 50 juta produk-produk international branded fashion, yang butiknya sudah ada di Jakarta. Komunitas mereka, dengan profil yang digambarkan di atas, tidak sedikit meski juga tidak besar. Contoh yang paling mendekati mungkin seperti yang digambarkan dalam film Arisan, yang anggotanya selalu memakai busana dan aksesoris mahal mode terbaru.

Dewa Ayu tidak melebih-lebihkan cerita tentang kegilaan belanja kaum platinum Ibu Kota tersebut. Ninik Puspitasari, pejabat PR Pedder Group di Indonesia, bahkan mengamini pengamatan Dewa Ayu tersebut. Menurut Ninik, kalau ada produk baru, para pelanggan setianya akan selalu menyempatkan diri mampir ke tokonya untuk melihat-lihat. Kalau ada yang cocok, pastilah mereka membeli. Tidak peduli berapa pun harganya.

Maka jangan heran kalau Sarah Leung, Marketing Communications Coordinator Pedder Group yang memegang 20 merek ternama di dunia—antara lain Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Rene Caovilla, Car Shoe, Balenciaga, Chloe, Giuseppe Zanotti, Helmut Lang, Luella, Marni, Mulberry, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Anya Hindmarch, dan Sergio Rossi—mengatakan bahwa Jakarta adalah pasar yang sangat prospektif bagi produk-produknya. Karena itu, setelah satu tahun melakukan tes pasar di sini, Pedder Group memutuskan berkonsentrasi penuh menggarap pasar Jakarta dengan memperbesar gerainya di Plaza Indonesia. Dalam masa tes pasar itu, menurut Sarah Leung, penjualan tokonya 50% lebih tinggi dari target awal!

Ninik tahu banget bagaimana memasarkan produk fashionnya di Jakarta. Kuncinya terletak pada pelayanan serta pendekatan personal kepada pelanggannya. “Kami harus tahu taste masing-masing pelanggan,” katanya di sela-sela peluncuran koleksi musim semi 2005 akhir April lalu – padahal di Indonesia hanya mengenal dua musim, hujan dan kemarau.

Untuk mengenali selera pelanggannya, On Pedder memiliki customer databased yang direkam dari setiap transaksinya. Berdasarkan databased itu, lanjut Ninik, On Pedder bisa menawarkan produk baru yang kemungkinan cocok dengan selera mereka. “Kami akan menelepon untuk menginformasikan produk baru itu. Kalau tertarik, mereka akan datang ke toko. Dan biasanya kalau cocok, barang akan langsung dibawa pulang.”

Selain lewat penyampaian informasi secara langsung melalui telepon, kata Ninik, informasi produk baru juga dilakukan lewat penyelenggaraan customer event—berupa trunk show—dan press event dengan mengundang wartawan sejumlah media. Tidak hanya itu, kampanye produk baru juga dilakukan lewat kerjasama dengan media—berupa peminjaman barang untuk keperluan pemotretan di halaman mode.

Ninik bercerita bahwa pelanggan On Pedder sebetulnya bisa dengan mudah dikenali. “Karena biasanya orangnya itu-itu juga.” Meskipun demikian, toh Pedder Group tetap merasa perlu mengikat loyalitas mereka dengan kartu VIP yang bisa berfungsi sebagai kartu diskon.

Memang tidak mudah mengelola merek-merek ternama. Jatuh bangun itulah yang dialami Dewi Moran dari Mahagaya Group, pemegang sejumlah merek, seperti Prada, Aigner, Hugo Boss, dan lain-lain. “Tahun 1990 kami menjadi distributor beberapa merek fashion. Sebetulnya sih sejak 1984 kami sudah merintis, sebelum ada banyak mal, cuma ada Ratu Plaza,” tuturnya.

Memang tidak mudah menjual branded fashion kepada masyarakat Indonesia. Untungnya, komunitas pecinta fashion di Indonesia yang memang terbatas itu sudah akrab dengan fashion merek-merek global, karena sebelumnya mereka sudah belanja ke luar negeri, Singapura atau Hongkong, misalnya. Jadi, ketika merek-merek itu hadir di Indonesia, mereka sudah tidak asing lagi. Menurut Dewi, pelanggannya adalah orang-orang yang tahu mode. “Kebanyakan suka yang serba praktis, tapi tidak jarang ada yang lebih berani, lebih fashionable, mengikuti tren terbaru,” katanya.

Dewi mengaku bahwa persaingan di industri fashion makin ketat, apalagi konsumen yang benar-benar loyal pada satu merek hampir tidak ada. “Mereka membeli apa yang mereka suka. Pilihannya sangat beragam,”ungkapnya.

Hanya saja, Dewi yakin kalau perekonomian makro Indonesia membaik, industri fashionnya juga tumbuh dengan baik. Memang, kata Dewi, untuk kelas premium pembeli barang-barang branded fashion hampir tidak terpengaruh dengan goncangan ekonomi – paling tidak kalau dibandingkan dengan kelas menengahnya, apalagi bawah. Tapi tetap saja, ketika terjadi krisis moneter di Indonesia beberapa tahun yang lalu sejumlah gerai merek tertentu terpaksa gulung tikar, sebutlah V2 Classic atau Isey Miyake.

Pelajaran berharga seperti itu barangkali yang membuat Lolita Lempicka lebih berhati-hati ketika masuk Indonesia Juni tahun lalu. Merek asal Prancis itu diluncurkan 11 Juni di rumah Adityawarman, Jakarta, dan dihadiri oleh sang pemilik merek, Lolita Lempicka itu menawarkan koleksi baju, ada aksesoris yang kami namakan custom jewelleries, kemudian ada parfum untuk laki-laki dan wanita.

Di kantor pusatnya, Paris, Lolita pertama kali buka tahun 1984. Butik Lolita di Plaza Indonesia merupakan yang pertama di Asia Tenggara. “Tadinya, kami mau buka di Singapura, tapi investornya lebih memilih buka dulu di Jakarta, karena pasarnya lebih besar,” ungkap Ria Juwita, sang general manager.

Menurut Ria, di Singapura itu tantangannya lebih besar karena orang Singapura itu lebih menerima hal-hal yang sudah pasti dan sudah eksis. Sedangkan, Jakarta rasa penasarannya lebih besar, sehingga potensi pembelinya lebih besar. Dan belakangan memang terbukti, pasar premium pecinta mode terus tumbuh. “Bisa dilihat dari banyaknya branded fashion luar negeri yang masuk ke Indonesia,”tukas Ria.

Mantan peragawati tahun 1980-an itu menjelaskan bahwa Lolita menyasar wanita kelas A dan A+ dengan usia 30 - 50 tahun. Niece market-nya adalah ibu-ibu yang senang dandan, mengikuti mode, dan cenderung bereksperimen dengan warna. Lolita memang bercirikan mempunyai warna-warna yang berani, mulai dari pink, orange, merah, dan sebagainya, sementara style-nya pun amat feminin dan girly. “Lolita diciptakan untuk perempuan yang benar-benar confidence dalam berbusana,”katanya sambil menambahkan bahwa customer based Lolita sekitar 500-an orang.

Kalau dideskripsikan lebih lanjut, kondisi psikografis pelanggan Lolita adalah ibu-ibu muda, eksekutif muda, bankir, lawyers, atau siapa pun yang masuk kalangan platinum society. Maklum, Lolita yang mengeluarkan tak kurang dari 85 koleksi setiap musimnya, menjual produknya dengan harga Rp 4 -5 juta bahkan ada yang Rp 22 juta per potong. (Burhanuddin Abe/Lis, Bintari, dan Dwi Wulandari)

Platinum Society, 2004