Daniel Supit

Client: Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement Party)
Industry: Politics and Media
Role: Media Monitoring & Social Media Content Creation

Background

Gerindra, a prominent political party in Indonesia, was founded by Prabowo Subianto in 2008. Over the years, the party has grown into a major political force, advocating for nationalism, economic development, and self-reliance. My work with Gerindra focused on media monitoring and managing their social media presence across various platforms during a critical period from 2013 to 2016.

Objectives

• Increase the accuracy and reach of Gerindra’s messaging through media channels.
• Create engaging and impactful content that reflects the party’s values and resonates with a national audience.
• Ensure that media coverage is aligned with Gerindra’s press releases and key narratives.

Responsibilities & Approach

• Social Media Content Creation: Developed content across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, crafting posts that communicated Gerindra’s messages. At the time, Instagram was still limited to photos, meaning we had to get creative with how to visually communicate the party’s initiatives and political messages.
• Media Monitoring: Oversaw media coverage of Gerindra and ensured press releases were accurately reflected in local media. This required monitoring national and regional news outlets, analyzing sentiment, and adjusting strategies based on coverage trends.
• Press Release Writing: Wrote and distributed press releases to national and local media, ensuring accurate representation of the party’s stance on key issues and public statements.
• Engagement Strategies: Developed content that encouraged engagement from supporters, despite Instagram’s limited capabilities and the absence of video-focused platforms like TikTok. The challenge was to create visually compelling images that conveyed political narratives in an engaging yet concise way.

Challenges

• Platform Limitations: Back in the days, Instagram was primarily focused on photos, offering limited opportunities for dynamic content. This posed a challenge in communicating complex political messages effectively. With no TikTok available, there were fewer opportunities for video content or viral trends to boost visibility.
• Navigating Polarized Media: The political landscape was highly polarized, and media coverage could often be misrepresentative or biased. Ensuring accurate media representation of Gerindra’s press releases required careful monitoring and timely interventions.
• Engagement with Limited Tools: With a lack of video and interactive content tools, engaging the audience required creative use of visual formats. We had to develop strong, impactful images and strategic text to create compelling posts that resonated with the public.

Results

• Improved Media Alignment: Successfully aligned local media coverage with Gerindra’s official press releases, enhancing the party’s credibility and public image.
• Increased Social Media Engagement: Despite platform limitations, social media campaigns led to significant growth in follower engagement, with increased shares, likes, and comments, strengthening Gerindra’s online presence.
• Enhanced Public Perception: Through strategic media outreach and consistent messaging, Gerindra was able to improve its positioning and engage with voters in a direct and meaningful way.

Conclusion

In a time when social media was still evolving, and Instagram was limited to photo-based content, I successfully managed Gerindra’s media presence by adapting to the constraints of the platforms available. Despite challenges, I created innovative strategies that maintained media accuracy and enhanced social media engagement, contributing to the party’s digital growth and public perception.

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