#MarketingEventsAwards spills: How ROMP punches above its weight by staying true to the 3S

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Despite being a newcomer in the industry, ROMP has already solidified its name in the ad industry. Founded in 2019 by CEO Joseph Tan, CCO Roy Wisnu, and COO Daniel Siswandi who were previously with MullenLowe, ROMP has punched above its weight as an independent agency, working with brands including Telkomsel, Indofood's Indomie, Google, Prudential, and Pizza Hut.

During MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Marketing Events Awards last year, both Telkomsel and ROMP came in as a finalist for Best Consumer Event: Esports and Best use of Multi-Channel Marketing at the recent Marketing Events Awards. Its leadership shares how client expectations have evolved and why the three Ss are crucial when it comes to strategising and ideating.

This interview is done as part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s winners and finalists’ interview series for Marketing Events Awards 2020. To find out more about the awards, click here.

How has your clients' expectations evolved?

Tan: Clients expect us to have the breadth, depth and speed to help them undergo the necessary business transformation not only to overcome the tough climate but set the future play. We are also expected to chart new territories, explore new innovation, collaborations and sieve out microscopic opportunities within every phase of the consumer journey. Sometimes facing the dichotomy of the need to be bold but still familiar, clutter-breaking ideas that will test well in research, minimal investment yet yielding high returns fast. This is the perfect acid test for any client-agency relationship and fit.

What are your clients looking more to now?

Wisnu: When it comes to strategies and ideas, clients appreciate the three Ss -simplicity, speed of implementation and scalability across pertinent touch points. Clients also prefer an ensemble of specialists from our end as there is more emphasis on mobile first approach and shrewd micro-moment engagement strategy. It is these tiny moments when well capitalised will lead to big impact for brands. As this pandemic has altered the way we live, we are also expected to detect or even predict any significant cultural shift or behaviour change that could be exploited by brands in an authentic way.

What are some of the trends you see carrying on post-pandemic, and how are you readying your workforce to be ready with these trends?

Siswandi: Obviously how things are being done now and the new know-hows will set the benchmark moving forward. Most notably our new-found speed, agility and ability to turn things around not to mention having meetings on the fly regardless of time boundaries. There is no turning back from here as we have heralded the new normal of efficiency and effectiveness.We also foresee more investment from marketers to build first party data for a full funnel digital campaign including optimal experience design and using the right brand advocates to complete the experience.From here, we would need to take stock of the way we configure our talents and constantly assess our capabilities across the different disciplines.

What do you think makes for great marketing these days?

Wisnu: Any campaign that does not remind us of the dark times we are in. While we appreciate the need to be sensitive or opportunity to leverage on cautious sentiments, joyful marketing campaign allow consumers to revel in a parallel universe where life is normal even for a brief moment. Thus,creating the much-needed respite that will do good for the brand tangibly and intangibly. Nothing beats a good old-fashion good storytelling.

What are you expecting 2021r to look like? What’s on your radar?

Tan: The year 2021 will be no different from 2020. Despite having a few viable vaccines in the market and talks of a V-shape recovery, we choose to remain cautious. It will be predictablyunpredictable and it makes sense to have Plan A through Plan G. Surprise will constantly be on our radar. ROMP, having been fortified by a tough 2020 has put us in a better stead to help pivot our clients’ business in 2021. We still fancy ourselves being great storyteller for brands through art and science.