Begun in 1971, INDOMIE (under PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur Tbk) become instant noodle brand that spread in the entire Indonesia. Oops, also in the world! From dry-based noodle to soup-based noodle, Indomie has more than 60 variants that have become favorite to its consumers for many years. Back in the days of its first existence, Indomie launched 2 primary flavours, are Indomie Chicken Flavour (soup-based) and Indomie Mi Goreng (as its first dry variant noodle served without broth).
Innovations Through 63 Flavours
Many years later, Indomie started to launch another flavours which also become popular, such as Soto, Special Chicken, Chicken Curry, Onion Chicken, Beef, Salted Egg, and many more. As its innovation to make their market get wider, Indomie also launched some other flavours that are inspired by Indonesian traditional food, for instance, Coto Makassar Flavour that comes from Coto Makassar from Makassar, South Sulawesi; Mie Koco*k Bandung that inspired by Mie Koco*k from Bandung, West Java; and Mi Goreng Rendang which motivate them to put Rendang from West Sumatra on their flavour list.
Quoted from Hipwee, Indomie is successful with a ton of flavours that is not only for adjusting and fulfilling the consumers’ taste, but also their marketing strategy to continue to innovate, especially product innovation through flavour variants. Thus, that is the key to Indomie as an instant noodle brand to always attract the interest of its consumers. Not only concerned with quality through various original variants and flavors, but they also think about the quantity of their products. This is due to consumer input that they never eat enough with 1 pack. Therefore, they created a new strategy by releasing variant of Indomie Jumbo. So, it is not surprising that these innovations have kept Indomie at the forefront.
In addition, by collaborating with other products, for example Nike, lipstick brand from South Korea and local distro, even with fellow food products such as Chitato and also issuing Boba flavour variant, Indomie always stole the attention and invited consumers’ curiosity. This “extreme” strategy is carried out not only to stay relevant and close to the community, but also to attract a wider market.
Beside, the success of Indomie as Top Brand is due to its consistency in carrying out 3A Key Strategies, are:
- Acceptability, namely Indomie taste that can be accepted on the tongue of consumers (Product).
- Availability, Indomie products are easy to get anywhere (Place)
- Affordability, reflected in affordable Indomie retail prices (Price)
Therefore, not only innovating the flavours, but also how to be positioning its brand in the consumers and the community so that they always be attractive in the consumers’ eyes and always be in demand by the community.
Not Evenly Distributed? Why?
The regional flavours from numerous region in Indonesia such Coto Makassar, Mie Koco*k, Mie Cakalang, Rendang, etc, are actually not sold in many cities or places. So, why Indomie does not distribute those unique flavours evenly? According to a polling page, some subjectively arguments made some conclusions that Indomie does not want to gamble in selling the regional flavours broadly hence the variety of the flavours eventually ‘lost’ in the market. One of respondent, Prabu Mutawakkil, said that the ‘lost’ is due to the low demand of the community, especially in the areas that are not so familiar with those foods. Therefore, the regional flavours tend to be found only in its home areas.
Meanwhile, Thita, another respondent has another opinion: “This is adjusted to the tastes and interests of consumers. Maybe if it is sold in other areas, the sales does not run very well or maybe it is deliberately as a ‘characteristic’.”
Despite of that, some regional flavours are still sold in the region with larger and more diverse community, such as big cities like Jakarta. Consumers can still find those regional flavours in big supermarket chains. The purpose is to fulfill consumers longing in their home food by eating them which are substituted in the instant noodle by Indomie. Also, to attract market where the prospective consumers are not from some specific regions. For instance, people who are based in Jakarta wants to try the variant flavour of Mie Cakalang which originally from Manado, North Sulawesi. Thus, the consumers are triggered to buy one and try it out.
Alike in Indonesia, in other countries, especially in Europe, the flavour selling also adjust the taste of local community. Therefore, Indomie in abroad is commonly sold the most favorite flavour (Indomie Mi Goreng, Soto Flavour, and Chicken Curry) and the ‘very local taste’ flavour such as Vegetable and Shrimp.
New Flavour, New Inspiration
Speaking of abroad, it feels like Indomie does not want to stop exploring flavours. Yeah, as its key of marketing strategy, then in February 2021, they launched new flavour which is not inspired by traditional Indonesian food like they usually make, but they got inspired by Italian staple food, Spaghetti. They launch “Mieghetti” as the new flavour in the category of HypeAbis. They want to merge between their specialty as instant noodle producer with international taste. So, the consumers will not only experience the traditional food but also food from abroad.
The “Empty Plate” Campaign
Although the popularity of Indomie has no doubt, however they still put maximum effort to make this product alive. One of the method is approaching consumers via social media. In its Instagram account @indomie, they do some campaigns that are indicated how they want to be close to the community.
One of their campaign is called “Piring Kosong” which means “Empty Plate”. This campaign is aligned with Ramadan Month when the Moslem community is doing fasting for 30 days because Indonesia has major community of Moslem. Thus, as home brand from Indonesia, this campaign is deemed to not only get soft selling of Indomie during Ramadan, but also show respect to the Moslem consumers in the middle of diversity in Indonesia.
Additionally, this campaign has objective to invite consumers to do good and kindness in the month of Ramadan hence the tagline is “Piring boleh kosong, tapi niat baik jangan sampe bolong” which means “The plate can be empty, but good intentions do not let it skip”.
Anyhow, we can say that this marketing strategy marketing done by Indomie through the campaign of “Empty Plate” is its main focus to keep being attractive by releasing the unique packaging. So, this unique packaging becomes a conversation on social media and boosting the campaign’s reach hence the consumer’s attraction to Indomie products has automatically increased in sales.
To increase more awareness of the consumers via social media, Indomie collaborates with some notable Public Figures, they are: Pais (@faizsadad), Nabilah Lituhayu (@nabilahlthy), Monn (@raihanrfi), Ulfah Yunita (@agakkenyang), Anastasia Adelline J. (@anastasiadelline), Sibungbung Jkt Food Aficionado (@sibungbung), and also Indonesian Football Club such as Persija Jakarta, Persib Bandung, Persita Tangerang, PSIS Semarang, Arema Malang, Badak Lampung FC, and PSS Sleman.
