Food seasoning firm Sasa Inti names creative agency, aims to break 'boring' image

Indonesian food seasoning company Sasa Inti has appointed creative agency Finch, which is a subsidiary of Flock, to develop a brand refresh campaign for its brand Sasa MSG, seeing the campaign from strategy through to execution. This comes as Sasa MSG aims to break free from the “boring and old” brand image perceived by majority of Indonesians.

According to Sasa, there is a negative stigma around the use of monosodium glutamate (MSG), as Indonesians believe the food seasoning is “unhealthy” and makes you “stupid”. This misunderstanding has not yet been accompanied with a balanced explanation of the MSG product itself.

Yerry Indrajaya, CEO and chief creative officer of Finch, told Marketing Interactive that according to research done internally, Indonesia's food and drug supervisory agency has in fact, approved MSG and deemed it safe to consume in accordance with the right measurements. Sasa MSG currently has about 60% of the MSG market share in Indonesia, according to the press statement.

To break the shackles of the negative stigma around MSG and lift Sasa’s brand image, Finch launched a “#WeAreMSG (Micin Swag Generation)” campaign. The term “micin” in Indonesia is often used as a substitute for the mention of MSG, and was later used to describe the “eccentric” behaviour by the people of today.

Indrajaya explained that “micin” generation is deemed negative by the public, and perceived as a generation that wants everything instant and fast, and does not value the process. The term “micin” has a negative connotation as a food seasoning and as a description to bad behaviour. Hence, Finch looked to embrace the "micin" term and put a positive spin to it.

Typically, Sasa would portray a mother cooking in the kitchen to promote its seasoning product. This time, Finch peppered humour into its campaign and featured the “micin” generation in the video. Indrajaya said that it is crucial to show what the real “micin” generation is all about, their potential and their capabilities. The spot ends with a warning that reads: “MSG is made from the best sugar cane and safe to consume as long you don’t eat it with the wrapping."

Sasa MSG aims to increase engagement and familiarity with the Millennial generation and become a brand that provides aspirations as well as inspiration for the target audience. The brand also looked to provide Indonesians a positive perception about MSG. Through the brand refresh campaign, Sasa MSG looks to enhance market leadership in Indonesia's food and seasoning industry.

The campaign will include an unbranded teaser spot on social media and as OOH to generate buzz among Indonesians. This will then be followed by the campaign film that will run on TV, theatres, and on social media channels. According to Indrajaya, the #WeAreMSG campaign will be supported by a series of activities over the next two to three months, as well as a large scale concert called "Micin Social Gang" on 21 February 2020.

Rudolf Tjandra, CEO of Sasa Inti said that since 2018, the company has been trying to expand its market share to the Millennial consumers aged 20-35. Since then, Sasa Inti has shifted its traditional marketing budgets and is more focused on working beyond traditional marketing channels.

Apart from managing the Sasa MSG rebrand, creative agency Finch will also manage all brands and products under Sasa Inti. This includes the MSG, seasoned flour, seasoning mix (included CCSM), coconut milk and powder, salt, chilli and Sasa umbrella brand. The appointment length is for a period of two years, and the incumbent was Dentsu MainAd.

Finch first established in 2017, with six staff and has since grown into a 55-strong team. Some of Finch’s clients include Citibank, DANA Indonesia, Suzuki, DKT Indonesia, Orang Tua Group, Mastercard, Japan Tobacco International, Camel, Traveloka, Sorabel, Halodoc and Tempo Scan Pacific. According to Finch, the agency tailors its services based on client needs and does not limit itself on only ATL or digital duties.

Meanwhile, Sasa recently appointed Grey Indonesia for its launch in the Malaysia market. Grey’s offices in Indonesia and Malaysia will collaborate for the digital-led integrated launch slated for December 2019, which also covers social and activation. Sasa is one of the brands under Rodamas Group, one of the conglomerates in Indonesia that carries brands ranging from consumer goods to heavy industries. Its competitors include Ajinomoto, Maggi, and Adabi.