MMA Indonesia Launches Retail Media Lab, Urges Purpose-Driven Tech Adoption
The Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA) Indonesia convened the MMA Marketing Talk 2026 in Jakarta on Thursday (16/7/2026), gathering the nation’s most influential marketing and advertising leaders. The conference, themed ‘Lead with Innovation, Grow with Purpose’, featured over 35 industry heads, including Chief Marketing Officers and Chief Technology Officers, to discuss the strategic issues shaping Indonesia’s next phase of business growth.
Ilham Akbar Habibie, Commissioner of PT. Ilthabi Rekatama and son of former President B.J. Habibie, opened the event by framing the nation’s economic momentum. He noted that Indonesia’s digital economy grew 13% year-on-year to USD 90 billion in 2024, underpinned by a median age of 29 and rising household incomes. The country’s Trust Index stands at 73, and 80% of Indonesians express trust in businesses. ‘When marketing leaders understand that technology is the instrument and purpose is the strategy, they stop merely building campaigns and start building trust,’ Habibie stated, adding that the conference sets a standard for the region.
This trust is reflected in market scale. Indonesia’s retail sector is valued at USD 60.09 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 79.11 billion by 2031. E-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV), having surpassed USD 75 billion in 2024, is expected to exceed USD 100 billion by 2026. Digital advertising spend is projected to grow from USD 3.41 billion in 2026 to USD 4.51 billion by 2031. Speakers across seven tracks—including Leadership, Generative AI, and Retail Media—emphasised that commerce and media growth are now inseparable, transforming retail media from a standalone channel into an interconnected growth system.
A key milestone was the launch of the Retail Media Network Ideas Lab (RMNIL), a new MMA APAC council designed to bridge theory and practice for marketers and retailers. The initiative addresses Indonesia’s unique dynamics, such as low modern trade penetration and the dominance of social commerce, by providing a collaborative space for experimentation and innovation. Concurrently, the AI Leadership Council session highlighted how AI is reshaping brand visibility, coinciding with the release of ‘The State of AI in Marketing 2026’ report by MMA and Decision Lab. The regional survey of 143 organisations found that 80% of marketers now incorporate AI into their plans at a moderate or higher level, with 58% citing innovation as the primary business impact.
Shanti Tolani, Country Head & Board Director of MMA Indonesia, concluded that the industry has entered a new era where the discipline of building trust at scale is as vital as the drive to lead. ‘The brands willing to connect their entire channel ecosystem, rather than managing each in isolation, are the ones defining leadership for the next decade,’ Tolani said. ‘Success will not be measured by how fast the industry moves, but by how much of that growth translates into lasting value for the society it serves.’