Moonfolks makes its mark in Indonesia, helmed by Anish Daryani

On the heels of Anish Daryani’s acquisition of M&C Saatchi Indonesia, Daryani has unveiled a new name for the agency - "Moonfolks". Moonfolks will be led by Daryani who will helm the role of president director and CEO.

Joining Daryani in leading Moonfolks are co-founders Dami Sidharta as chief creative officer and Elki Hendria as chief strategy and digital officer. Business directors Dyah Ariani and Femmy Cowell will lead advertising services at Moonfolks while Yogi Tara will serve as executive creative director. 

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Moonfolks, according to the company's release, is inspired by an AI-driven world where out-of-this-world ideas are needed. It aims to take brands to new heights, said Daryani.

"The AI revolution is taking the communications industry by storm. We’ve adopted AI in all our work processes in a big way. We’re an audacious and excitable bunch, and curiosity is at our core. We believe we needed a brand that resonates our character," said Daryani.

Its vision is to be one of the most effective agencies in the world, whereas its purpose is to 'make [the] audacious possible' by helping brands achieve the impossible, according to a statement. 

To achieve this, Moonfolks' digital services will be led by Hendria while the agency's shopper and brand experience business will be helmed by business director Aji Harsono. 

Its public relations services will be led by Daryani in the interim. Another high-profile hire has also been made and will be joining the agency soon, said Daryani to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. 

The agency has also created an 'Accelerated Commerce' model whereby all agencies will be directed towards generating commerce for clients and generating a higher return on ad spend (ROAS). The services include advertising, digital, shopper and brand experience (shopex) and public relations that converts to commerce. 

"We've had tremendous success as M&C Saatchi, and we'll take that several notches higher as we relaunch the agency with the freedom that comes with our independence. We will be more agile and fluid in our approach and build further on the values we have created over the past six years," said Daryani. 

“We’re taking our second-first step. But unlike our first-first, it won’t just be the three of us. We have some of the brightest minds in the industry with us this time around and we’ll get to where we want to be a lot sooner. It’ll be very exciting every step of the way,” Sidharta added.

"Our goal is clear: not only do we curate compelling ideas and content, but we're committed to crafting narratives that not only captivate but also catalyse commerce. We are here to redefine the boundaries of possibility, making audacious goals strategically achievable in an AI driven world," said Hendria. 

When asked what other markets Daryani is looking to expand Moonfolks into, he said, "The universe is our playground. We’ve even bought property on the moon. Geography is never a limitation, and so we’ll play everywhere there’s a good game on offer."

He added that the agency plans to be inclusive also with clients. "More than the size and geography of the client, what interests us more is their ambition and their appetite for breakthrough, disruptive work."

In tandem, Moonfolks has also launched its internal content production unit, Goosebump Pictures, led by executive producer Irma Rahmawaty. 

It has also launched Moonfolks Authentic Intelligence, a solution riding on Generative AI expertise to create volumes of content with a distinct cost advantage for clients.

Following the acquisition, M&C Saatchi Holdings Asia, the holding company in Singapore, changed its name to Mirabilia Media Holdings. Likewise, the agency's legal entity in Indonesia has been renamed from PT. MCS Saatchi Indonesia to PT. Mirabilia Media Indonesia. The company retains all business licenses and tax papers, in line with the acquisition. 

The news comes shortly after Daryani acquired 55% equity in the business for an undisclosed sum.

In a joint statement earlier this month, Daryani who was founder and president director of M&C Saatchi Indonesia and chief growth officer of Southeast Asia, and Zillah Bing-Thorne, current CEO of M&C Saatchi group and chair of M&C Saatchi said it has been a “mutually rewarding partnership” over the last six years. During this time, there was a symbiotic relationship between the Indonesia entity and the group.

“Indonesia contributed wholeheartedly to the Group’s ambitions with respect to driving growth, profits and recognition for the M&C Saatchi brand. However, with the local management’s ambitions of taking the Indonesia business independent, a joint decision was reached to sell the group’s interest in the business to Anish Daryani,” the statement added.

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