Rhenald has something to teach the country<\/p>\n
K. Basrie, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
His first-ever role as a co-star in a TV commercial brought
\nprotests from colleagues, friends and fans.<\/p>\n
\"I received so many protests, especially from my audience who
\nused to attend in my seminars and lectures. They were not happy
\nwith my appearance in the commercial,\" said Rhenald Kasali, a
\nnoted management lecturer, marketing guru, leading business
\nconsultant and columnist in various media.<\/p>\n
\"They are worried that my brand will be degraded because I am
\npromoting jamu Tolak Angin in TV commercial,\" he said, referring
\nto the ad in which he co-stars with top artist Sophia Latjuba for
\nthe Sido Muncul traditional herbal cure for the common cold.<\/p>\n
Most wondered, he told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview,
\nabout Rhenald's reasons for taking part in the commercial in
\nwhich Sophia exclaims in the closing moments that even an
\nintellectual consumes herbal medicine.<\/p>\n
The complaints came to him also in the form of faxes and e-
\nmails. In short, most of his fans regretted his decision to star
\nin a TV commercial for jamu (herbal medicine), which many
\nIndonesians regard as \"cheap\" and \"only for low-class people\".<\/p>\n
But Rhenald, who is regularly invited to give lectures at
\nvarious universities across the country, has a crystal-clear
\nanswer. No, it's not that he's repositioning his brand, but
\nrather he is starting to reposition the image of traditional
\nIndonesian herbal medicines in the eyes of locals and foreigners.<\/p>\n
\"Really, I had good intentions (for co-staring in the
\ncommercial). I wanted to educate people to start appreciating
\nIndonesian products,\" Rhenald, now 41, explained,<\/p>\n
For quite a long time, he went on, jamu has been perceived in
\nthe same vein as Srimulat, the Javanese traditional comedy troupe
\nwhose members dress in simple style and whose jokes are phrased
\nin simple language and are designed only for low-class society.<\/p>\n
Rhenald said his dream is that one day Made-in-Indonesia
\nherbal medicines will be on a par with the likes of The Body
\nShop.<\/p>\n
\"Then, it's no longer attractive for me to co-star such TV
\ncommercials since they already have the brands,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, he was chosen to co-star in the commercial
\nby a team set up by the jamu producer, whose members included
\nnoted author and writer Arswendo Atmowiloto.<\/p>\n
Born in Jakarta on Aug. 13, 1960, Rhenald, who received his
\nmasters and Ph.D degree in management from the University of
\nIllinois at Urbana & Champaign in the United States, is now head
\nof the postgraduate program for management students at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He disclosed that life was not so good to him shortly after he
\ngraduated from the University of Indonesia in 1985.<\/p>\n
\"It was very hard. While my friends were already working as
\nbankers and directors, I had to live modestly and concentrate on
\nschool and books,\" Rhenald, who once worked as a journalist at
\nPromosi Ekonomi business magazine, which is published by the
\nJakarta chapter of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, and later
\nat the Jakarta Jakarta entertainment magazine.<\/p>\n
With his wife Elisa, whom he married in 1989, Rhenald went to
\nAmerica to continue his studies. There, the couple lived in a
\n\"very uncomfortable\" little apartment. To survive, Elisa earned
\nmoney as a driver for students and as a babysitter.<\/p>\n
One time, Rhenald recalled, his wife -- who had no health
\ninsurance -- got a heavy flu and finally fainted. In panic,
\nRhenald rang 911 for emergency assistance. When he whispered to
\nElisa what he had done, she suddenly regained consciousness and
\ndemanded that Rhenald cancel the call as the ambulance would cost
\nthem US$350.<\/p>\n
\"I hastily canceled the call but then I saw her collapse
\nagain,\" he said laughing.<\/p>\n
The two now live with their two boys, Fin Yourdan, 11, and
\nAdam Makalani, 6, in the Jatimurni area of Pondok Gede, East
\nJakarta, where Rhenald is also a member of the local RT
\n(neighborhood unit).<\/p>\n
From the States, Rhenald went back to his old campus to teach.
\nThanks to what he calls his power to communicate ideas and
\nknowledge with other people, he was hired by a large number of
\nprivate and state firms as a management consultant.<\/p>\n
His former and current clients include Garuda Indonesia, BCA,
\nKompas, BNI 46, Excelcom, Pusri, Matari Advertising, Kasogi
\nInternational, and Sucofindo. Rhenald was also the man behind the
\nbirth and provides the ideas for the special Marketing
\nPerspective column in the Post that appears once every two weeks.<\/p>\n
Today, the schedule of the book collector is very tight.
\nBesides giving lectures and training courses, as well as
\nattending seminars, Rhenald is also a speaker on a number of TV
\nand radio business talk shows, such as Solusi Bisnis Rhenald
\nKasali on ANteve and Bedah Bisnis Rhenald Kasali on M97 FM Radio.<\/p>\n
\"But I always try to be at home with my wife and kids every
\nweekend to share light moments with them and hear their mum's
\ncomplaints about the boys,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rhenald is also regularly invited to teach postgraduate
\nstudents in various universities outside Java, like Udayana
\nUniversity (Bali), Tanjung Pura University (Palangkaraya),
\nLampung University (Lampung), Sam Ratulangi University (Manado),
\nand Bengkulu State University (Bengkulu).<\/p>\n
Knowing that most of these universities would be unable to pay
\nfor his flights and hotel, most of the time Rhenald asks his
\nclients to help part sponsor his teaching trip.<\/p>\n
\"It's a kind of charity.\"<\/p>\n
Rhenald realized that his academic status has played a
\nsignificant role in gaining him popularity. \"Therefore, I always
\nwant to share what I get outside.\"<\/p>\n
\"This year alone, we will be able to bring some Rp 2 billion
\nto the campus for various purposes, such as the renovation of our
\nclassrooms, library, computer lab, and the publication of our
\ninternal journal,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Now, he runs a consultancy firm called RKS Management
\n(www.rks-management.com) which offers management training and
\nconsultancy services. The new company is the successor to IMeDE
\n(Institute of Marketing Education), which he built up with his
\nfriends earlier.<\/p>\n
His obsession now is to be an inspiration for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I want to dedicate my life and knowledge to my country. I am
\na teacher and will remain a teacher, meaning that I will be very
\nhappy to do that.\"<\/p>\n
And what about his new job as a TV commercial star?<\/p>\n
Next year, he said coyly, his face would be appearing again in
\nan advertisement. \"This time, it will only be in the print
\nmedia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In marketing, many believe that brands that carry with them a
\ntrue persona and beliefs and experiences similar to a personality
\nwill rise to a new level.<\/p>\n
After all, it's hard not to like someone with a good
\npersonality, right?<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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