Savira Aristi and Darina Salsabila Maulana
Pollution in Jakarta has been a long-standing issue since 1980, but it gained significant attention from June to September 2023. This sudden increase in awareness was sparked by viral social media posts, which garnered millions of likes. Citizens began discussing the pollution issue widely and expressing concerns. This public outcry led to the creation of protest movements against policies related to factories, power plants, and transportation. In response, the government established an elite squad for air pollution control to change national policies. The relationships among the government, community, business, and media in addressing air pollution in Indonesia are interdependent. The government sets and enforces regulations, while businesses adopt cleaner practices in response to these policies and market demands. The community drives demand for better air quality and holds both the government and businesses accountable. The media amplifies public concerns and raises awareness, pushing air pollution into the spotlight and influencing policy decisions. Together, these stakeholders create a collective response to air pollution challenges. Media awareness became one of the biggest beacons in people’s awareness. Despite the awareness, data indicate that the pollution rate remains unchanged from its typical level. Therefore, what is the reason behind the sudden emphasis on this issue by the media? After further research, it turns out that the data sources for the initial viral posts were mainly extracted from two air purifier producers. Indeed, the growth rate of air purifier demand in Q3 of 2023 was outstanding in Indonesia. This case exemplifies the interconnectedness of social systems and environmental issues, emphasising the need for a systemic approach to address complex problems. In this paper, the authors gather secondary data on pollution in Jakarta with a literature review and digital ethnography. The data was then processed with the Penta Helix Multistakeholder Framework and Fogg Behaviour Model tools to explain the systemic marketing design employed to garner public interest and influence policy changes.
The case of pollution in Jakarta also clarifies the need for a shift towards sustainability, innovation, and large-scale transformations to address environmental challenges. This aligns with the idea that policy designs, including balanced policy mixes, can fulfil various goals, interests, and priorities, involving multiple actors to address numerous challenges. The integration of new strategies based on different design methods provides a different overview of understanding policy problems that address long-term vision and strategy, which is crucial for addressing sustainability concerns. This paper examines the unique case of how a marketing ploy coupled with citizens’ voices on social media convinces a sustainability narrative in a country.
KEYWORDS: pollution, sustainability policy, Indonesia, citizens’ voice, systemic marketing