Cheil Indonesia establishes in-house PR to boost agency offering

Cheil Indonesia has established its own public relations function, a strategic move aimed at amplifying its brand presence, fostering media relationships, and positioning the agency as a thought leader in Indonesia's marketing and advertising industry.

Soniya Ana, its newly appointed PR and communications manager, is leading this initiative. In an exclusive interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, she outlined the motivations behind Cheil's decision, highlighting the importance of agency branding alongside client campaigns.

A strategic move for growth

"While many agencies focus their PR efforts solely on client campaigns, we recognise that agency branding is equally important. Our leadership saw this as a unique opportunity to position Cheil as a thought leader in the industry - showcasing our innovative projects while fostering stronger connections with media and stakeholders," said Ana.

She emphasised that the move is more than a visibility play; it is a means to drive sustainable growth. The agency aims to engage a wider audience, increase credibility, and attract new clients by highlighting its campaigns and talent.

Over the next year, Ana's goals include strengthening Cheil's reputation as an industry leader and driving engagement. She envisions PR as a "strategic enabler of innovation and collaboration," ultimately helping Cheil to become not just as a creative agency but as "an industry hub for groundbreaking ideas."

"Our approach will focus on authenticity, transparency, and inspiring others in the advertising space," she explained.

Early impact and team expansion

Cheil operates across various markets, each with unique branding approaches. While some offices have dedicated PR teams, Indonesia's strategy is tailored to local market dynamics.

Despite being in its early stages, Cheil Indonesia's PR efforts have already made an impact. The onboarding of a new executive creative director gained notable industry attention, reinforcing the agency's leadership in creative innovation.

Don't miss: Cheil Indonesia appoints Fajar NF as executive creative director

One of Cheil's challenges is establishing a PR function within a market where agency-led branding is not yet a norm, Ana said. Educating stakeholders and media while balancing resources in the early stages will be crucial.

Nevertheless, the firm's progress so far, including increased social media visibility, proves that this initiative has immense potential, she noted. "Every small, consistent step will lead us to something bigger, and it's this progress that fuels our drive to keep striving for even greater success."

While Ana currently leads PR efforts with a small internal corporate communication team, she has plans to expand. The focus will initially be on strengthening storytelling capabilities with a content strategist, followed by media relations and digital PR specialists as the function grows.

"The future is bright, and we're just getting started," she said, expressing enthusiasm about shaping Cheil's narrative and witnessing its impact on agency growth.

Ana emphasised that Cheil's market proposition extends beyond creative campaigns, combining creativity, data, technology, and retail into a single model they call a biz-connected agency.

It's about "integrating storytelling with creative campaigns, data-driven insights, and retail marketing strategies. It ensures a seamless narrative across all touchpoints, amplifying our agency's and clients' brand presence," she said.

Related articles:
Cheil partners NFT marketplace CYPHRLY to beef up capabilities
Sony Electronics looks for PR agency for SG market
How will AI reshape the PR industry in HK?