Bandung students produce free magazines

Bandung students produce free magazines

Gamila Mustika, University of Padjadjaran, Bandung

"The best things in life are free." (Beatles)

Free entertainment, post cards, coupons and magazines
have a particular appeal to young people.

[aikon!] was a free magazine established in 1998. Bursting
with information on green issues [aikon!] was a fun way to boost
environmental awareness. Young executives and college students
around Java could pick up the publication at popular hangouts.

Founded by several people in Jakarta together with the World
Wide Fund for Nature the magazine brought together writers and
graphic designers.

However, the glory days of [aikon!] did not last long, though
its readership was loyal it faced some heavy competition from
other free magazines in Bandung, West Java.

Free magazines can be picked up in cafes, restaurants, radio
stations, boutiques, hotels and other hangouts.

When the economic crisis hit the country in 1998, many
entrepreneurs were struggling but they still needed to advertise
their products.

These free magazines became the answer. Advertising space in
the magazines was cheaper and they reached an audience faster as
they were free.

However, just because the magazines are free does not mean
their staff are not professionals. Take Suave as an example. It
has about 16 staff members. Some are fresh graduates from
distinguished colleges while others are still students. The
magazines are established and financed through advertising,
though sometimes the founders use their own capital.

Krisna Murti joined Suave when he graduated from the School of
Business Administration at Parahyangan University in July 2004.
He holds the position of marketing and finance manager. He did
not have any experience in marketing but has forged over the past
12 months good relationships with more than 300 local garment
manufacturers in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Adhyatmika Lingga Pradipta, 24, also known as Mika, did not
know much about magazine layout but when his friends asked him in
2004 to be the creative director of another free magazine,
Bandung City Mag, he jumped at the chance. He is still the
creative director and is now in his final year in the Visual
Communications Design School at the National Technology Institute
(ITENAS).

"This is not like working in an office, my friends and I made
a commitment and we have been through hard times together," said
Mika

"Our initial idea was to make money and still have the time to
go to college," Mika added, "But I do have plans to be more
successful in the future -- live a better life without having to
leave this business -- I enjoy doing this," said Mika.

Bandung City Mag started off tabloid-sized but is today a
small square-shaped full-color magazine consisting of 15 columns
on Bandung. Mag is now one of the most established free magazines
in Bandung.

Free magazines are essential reading for newcomers to a city
because of their obligatory lists of hangouts and "where to buy
what". They provide a map, important phone numbers and discount
vouchers.

Disti, 21, started her career as a part-time model for a free
magazine but ended up becoming a member of the magazine's
marketing team. She is now studying economics at Padjadjaran
University (UNPAD).

"I got my bachelor degree while working for and writing about
this magazine (for my thesis)," Disti said.

Most of these free magazines have not yet been registered but
the founders are trying to make their "friendly businesses" more
hard-edged.

"It's normal to have competitors, it shows that we're on to
something, but we have to know where we stand," Krisna said,
mentioning several names as competitors."There are five to six
new free magazines with the same target as ours, but that's what
happens when you're good."

He said he does not worry about competition because the market
is still huge.

"There are more than 300 local clothing lines and over 150
distribution outlets spread around Indonesia, we have not yet
covered Papua and Lombok but we are looking forward to
controlling the market," add Krisna.

He also said he had to maintain the magazine's relationships
with clients. "That is why we recently held a seminar on the
apparel business," said Krisna.

Jakarta has its own free magazines, which are more ad-oriented
compared to Bandung's and arguably less subtle.
It just goes to show that not every fashionable young thing has
to pay the price for being in the know.