To revive sagging market share upon the entrance of foreign players such as Shell and Petronas, Pertamina recently renovated its gas pumps to look “more foreign”. Earlier this month, Pertamina also announced plans to open 1,000 new stations nationwide.
Developed by Ogilvy & Mather, the two-month campaign will be executed through TV, print and retail activation. The creative strategy, explained Ogilvy MD Joseph Tan, was to personify Pertamina as an old-fashioned father who is forced to modernise.
In the TVC, a father and son are shown driving around, with the latter behind the wheel. Typically, the stern, elderly father tries to dictate exactly how his son should drive.
When they pull into a Pertamina gas station, the father insists for his son to shake the car while the fuel is being pumped — a habit among older motorists who believe it helps knock air bubbles out of the fuel tank and, thus, fill it more efficiently.
While the son reluctantly shakes the car, clearly embarrassed at the sight of cute girls around the corner, the father looks out and sees the petrol kiosk’s transformed look: a mini-mart, new staff uniforms and a glossier façade. At this juncture, the father realises that the times have changed, and that he needs to as well. He beckons for his son to return to the wheel and apologises for his antics.
“In this TVC Pertamina is also sending a subtle message, that it knows what it has done in the past and hopes it can make good with the new changes,” said Tan.
Until 2005, the state-owned petrol company was the only available option for motorists Consumers quickly shifted to its foreign competitors once the market opened up.
Furthermore, according to Tan, the company has also struggled to overcome longstanding negative perceptions because of its monopolistic practices and outdated kiosks and stations.
