OUR NETWORK
Our physical consumer panels (FGD) can be run in the 7 largest cities across 5 different islands. This is how we can guarantee appropriateness for all ethnic groups across Indonesia. Other cities can be added on request, but do not carry our 24-hour recruitment or reporting guarantee.
JAKARTA
Jakarta is the capital city of Republic Indonesia, a special territory enjoying the status of a province, consisting of Greater Jakarta covering of 637.44 square km area. With a population of around 11.3 million people, Jakarta is a melting pot of representatives from various ethnic groups. This city’s economy is mainly supported by trade, services, property, creative industries, and finance. Not just the economic and political center of Indonesia, Jakarta is also a cultural center — whether it is a Jazz Festival or a fashion week, many other events take place on a regular basis. Consisting more than 170 malls, Jakarta is labeled as the world’s most widely mall, supplying from premium brands to fake products. Jakarta might have the worst traffic congestion in the world, but that doesn’t make this city less attractive; Jakarta’s business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, consitstently attract migrants from all over Indonesia. Interesting fact: Jakarta is the world’s most active twitter city, they make a worldwide trending almost every hour, with Thursday as the peak time for tweeting. Also, Jakartans more trust ‘tukang urut’ (freelance traditional massage parlours) more than hospitals to fix injuries. We’ve been conducting a consumer group out of Jakarta since May 2012.
SURABAYA
Surabaya is the second largest city in Indonesia, boasting population of over 6 million inhabitants with a strong emerging middle class. The city is a fascinating mix of tradition and modernity featuring towering skyscrapers and crowded highways blended with the age old cultural traditions. Surabaya has been an important trading port for centuries, most of the population engaged in services, industry and trade. Surabaya people used to be called Arek, which can be regarded as the “authentic” culture of Surabaya that prioritize the solidarity, being outspoken, act as it is (being honest, nothing to cover up). This culture can also be seen from Bonek, the supporters of Surabaya Football Club that is widely known as the most anarchic hooligans in Indonesia. Interesting facts: Surabaya has the lowest bike-to-car ratio of any city in Indonesia, and has the highest number of malls per capita, with 13 malls currently in operation and another two on the way. It is also the home of one of our favorite bars for live music, Colours. We have been operating a consumer group out of Surabaya since May 2012.
YOGYAKARTA
The city of Yogyakarta, also known as Jogja or Jogjakarta, is renowned as a centre of education, traditional fine arts, and culture. It has a population of over half a million, but the atmosphere seems closer to a village rather than a big city. Jogja maintains an eclectic cultural sphere in the very heart of Java, excels with a dozen of art galleries and studios of Indonesia’s prominent painters, sculptors, modern batik designers and choreographers. Universtas Gadjah mada, the oldest and largest university in Indonesia, is one of the famous reasons why students from all over Indonesia from different ethnic backgrounds flock to pursue knowledge and wisdom in this city. For this reason, Jogja is both very Javanese and at the same time a melting pot of different Indonesian cultures; a place where conservative, agrarian, and pop culture can live together. Interesting fact: There are hundreds of coffee shops in Jogja. People love to drink coffee, sit for hours just to hang out with friends or make new friends. Jogja also has the biggest biker community in Indonesia with monthly activity called Jogja Last Friday Ride.
BALI
With a population around 4 million people, Bali is home to most of Indonesia’s Hindu. The island is known as a tropical paradise with a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich heritage. Tourism had grown to be Bali’s main economic sector, providing more than 500.000 jobs, with overall contribution is estimated to be in the region of 60-70%. That is why Bali is the province with the lowest unemployment rate in Indonesia. In spite of the everyday’s global touch, Balinese have a strong community spirit and most families live in a community setting known as a banjar. Bali’s unique cultures is often expressed through its traditional arts industry. The influences of other cultures and the population’s strong links to the past are all expressed in their art forms. Interesting fact: The large numbers of relatively well-heeled tourists and nonexistent licensing laws have spawned an ever changing line up of clubs that book celebrity DJs spinning mixes that are soon heard worldwide. Bouncing from one club to another around Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak all night long is a Bali tradition, guaranteeing overheating from the exertion, the mixes, the booze, the companionship or all of the above.
MEDAN
Medan is the capital city of North Sumatra, also the third largest city in all of Indonesia with a population of around 2.5 million people. As the Indonesia’s gate from western region, Medan has become the central of economy and biggest commercial city in Sumatera. This city’s economy is based on industrial, trade, plantation, and services. Much like the rest of Indonesia, Medan is multi-ethnic city, with Bataks who traditionally inhabit the inland areas of North Sumatra make up the majority. This diversity is reflected in mixed architecture, lively daily traditions and scrumptious foods in the city. Medan is not the kind of place for you to shop. Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world is probably the most famous attraction although it’s still 4 hours drive from Medan. Interesting fact: Medan people are more outgoing and less self-restricted than those in other parts of Indonesia. This makes for a particular brand of chaos, as well as of freedom. You have to live here for some time to capture this atmosphere. It expresses itself in some aspects of public everyday life, but is most evident in personal communication. Medan people used to speak in loud voice, high tone, unique dialect, and never want to lose in argument. But they’re also known as honest, loyal, and humorous people.
BALIKPAPAN
Balikpapan is an ‘oil town’, where several multinational oil companies use this city as their base of operation within the region. The existence of the city that stretches along more than 25 kilometers is home to more than 700.000 people, comprising a mixture of natives and people from all over Indonesia coming here working in the oil industry. Balikpapan certainly lacks the architectural potential of a Jakarta or a Surabaya, lacking their history or their heritage dating back centuries. But the town itself is very safe, quiet, relatively clean, and has much more nightlife than anywhere else in Kalimantan, with better restaurants and accommodations. Sepinggan Airport is the second busiest airport after Jakarta, due to its strategic position. Despite its modern wealth and feel, Balikpapan is an unhurried town. There’s no demonstration or traffic jam, and less crime compare to other city in Indonesia. Interesting fact: Balikpapan’s local government is very active in social media, especially twitter, to gather information or complaints from their members. The common complaints are about electricity and water supply. Balikpapan is a resource-rich city that sees most of its energy production being used elsewhere in Indonesia. As a result, the city experiences frequent power cuts. Blackout is everyday’s menu in Balikpapan, that’s why generator set is a must in every home.
MAKASSAR
Makassar, also known as Ujung Pandang, is a bustling city thick with traffic, the strong scent of street food, and the chaos characteristic of most major cities. The city’s area is 19,926 square km, and has become the primary port and airline hub of the eastern archipelago. The rate of economic growth in Makassar ranked highest in Indonesia (9% as the last five years average). Home to over 1.6 million inhabitants, Makassar has three main ethnics: Bugis ethnic, Makassar ethnic, and Toraja ethnic. Makassar people are a hospitable and social bunch: mix with them in the city’s famous seafood stalls or join them for a stroll along Pantai Losari. Beside that, Makassar people are known as persistent, with the legendary motto: “Sekali Layar Terkembang Pantang Biduk Surut Ke Pantai” (Once the sail is raised, back to the shore is not an option). Interesting fact: Shopping mall also is growing around Makassar such as Trans Studio Makassar the largest indoor theme park at Indonesia, and Karebosi Link the first underground shopping center at Indonesia. When it comes to music, Makassar people love blasting it through speakers in restaurants, malls, coffee shops and any public place as loud as possible. The young people nowadays love to collect gemstone, even join in a club to discuss, sell and buy the gemstone.
