Case study · HP Indonesia · 2021–2022
HP wanted to support Indonesian creatives. The challenge wasn't the mission. It was making a brand-sponsored programme feel like an opportunity rather than an ad.
The situation
HP had an annual creator mentorship programme. Good intentions, familiar problem: it was a brand doing something nice, and it looked like it. The brief was to make it feel genuinely meaningful. Something creators would want to be part of, not just tolerate for the exposure.
The instinct
We reframed the mentorship as an internship. A five-month creative collaboration between twelve emerging Indonesian artists and established creators. The deliverable was an actual piece of work, not a certificate. The creative anchor: reimagining Roro Jonggrang, one of Indonesia's most iconic folktales, through contemporary artists. HP's technology was the tool. It was never the point.
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What I learned
The best branded content disappears into the work. When people shared Roro Jonggrang Reimagined, they shared it because of the art. Not because of HP.
Longevity matters. Five months gave the story room to breathe and the artists time to form real relationships with the brand.
Cultural specificity travels. Rooted in a deeply Indonesian story, this resonated beyond Indonesia. Precisely because it wasn't trying to be universal.
Recognition
Finalist · Citra Pariwara 2021