The Rising of Rebranding Youth-Led Actions

I am not managing this post as a long explanation. This post is to express my awe of these accounts.

A social change, can it be an action concerning social issues in grassroots or merely a student organization focusing on developing youth, should have their brand. It is inevitably necessary since the rising of importance of rebranding itself. Imagine, organization who doesn’t have a characteristic, will be lost in people’s mind. You’d prefer choose an organization that seems professional to just an ordinary one, right?

Commonly, public relation team designs for this purpose. They want to make an organization has strong character. In the short run, this character will help to determine how professional the organization is and what its target thinks about it. This is critical because it mirrors vision brought by the leaders, and where the ship is headed to. Meanwhile, in the long run, this character is highly needed to attract every stakeholders.

For a for-profit organization, their stakeholders are their shareholders, such as governments, enterprises, big companies, and etc. If they lose their character or rebrand in false direction which may cause a false perception, they will eventually lose their money.

But in non-profit or not-for-profit organization, just like aforementioned organization, the character is also needed to attract more people joining their action. We are all might be know that this kind of organization is for good purpose. It is better that this good action is heard to as many people, isn’t it? Or even further, these people can help them escalating the brand of the organization. If this organization’s brand has been popular, it is easier to get money from sponsorship - one of the examples.

I am fascinated by several organizations - if the campaigns not stopping there, that shows best practices of this writing.

- Yeah Berkarya: A campaign of Faldo Maldini & Rosidi Rizkiandi for BEM UI 2012. It continued to propagate the ideas, projects, social issues, and propaganda. A little I know, they consist of a team with their specialization. Yasir Mukhtar as the designer and Iqbal Pirzada in charge in propaganda material supports. Now, they are in the making of another youth-led project named Im-Possible. Good luck!

- Yuk Bergerak: A campaign of Nyoman Anjani in her candidacy for President of KM ITB 2013. They are bringing out projects in more creative names. To be mentioned, Ekspedisi Pelita Muda as social volunteering work to society. By this new name, the project seems more attractive and fun. And more projects you should see.

- Melukis Indonesia: A campaign of Yorga as another candidate for President of KM ITB 2013. Yorga believes that to learn is to prepare future leaders. These future leaders bring hope to paint more colorful Indonesia, for the betterment. I wish it so.

- And many more you can mention..

All in all, these campaigns illustrates how great these youth are. When we look back on years before, we can see many organization hadn’t been this attractive. They believe on their good intention but this mainly because their white soul. By these brand new campaigns, I think those skeptical youths are more aware on this good action.

Youth, aged 15-24, consists of around 40% world’s population. This means, a small step of a young man will help a lot of people. Therefore, more youth involved in the positive initiatives, may it be a on hobby basis or even to reduce poverty, we can make impactful changes. With our idealism and high eagerness to make a contribution to Earth we are living in, youths are the most powerful group to be the jet-fuel generation. For each individuals, this good intention will benefit theirselves, in return. Experiences, communication skills, wider perspectives, and so on. The organization is the perfect place to learn. We can experience being a leader and sub-ordinate at the same time. We will feel stressful but at the same time, we are proud of ourselves. We are seeking a social issue to address and at the same time, found a better definition of ourselves. For the organizations, this means they will be more heard than ever.

To build the character the organization wants, a public relation team should have a strong basis of branding strategies. To design this, they should know their position and how the whole team of that organization wants to be looked alike. It will not be worked on single division, they also need collaboration with other division. It is not a day program. This requires consistency and commitment to build it together.

If you refuse to put your jacket off in the baggage check...

On your way from check-in counter to gate your plane is parking on, baggage chec counter always inhibit you. You must put your belongings on a rolling machine so that its content will be examined by security officers (it must be more than 1 person, for your security). You also have to put your belt, coat, jacket, shawl, and stuffs off and put it there. Then, you walk to a security metal machine so that the machine can examine you. After that, a real security man/woman will examine your body.
But sometimes, you are too lazy to put your jacket/coat off. It can be because of winter, or other reasons. I was. On my way in gate D07 Schiphol on Feb 20, 2013, I wore a thick black coat, a thin t-shirt, and a piece of warm clothes. I didn't intend to put my thick coat off. And as you have thought, the process of baggage check took longer time. Here is what I did:

I said to the security officer: 'I can't put my coat off because I am wearing not proper clothes. I am really sorry, can I?'
The security officer: 'Yes you can. Please go to that area (pointing to a small room with curtain)'
Then I went to that area and she asked me to put my coat off before she checked my body. One another security wiam also came in and brought my jacket to be examined by the machine.
And that's all. Nothing to be worried about.

Have fun!

If You Missed the Flight...

Whatever your reason is, your flight will not wait you to come. You must have been in the plane at time written on your ticket. No excuse, no apologize. But, what if you missed the flight? This is my experience when i missed KLM 1144 from Oslo to Amsterdam on Feb 19. In my case, I had already checked in.

1. If you already known you will miss your flight, but you are still not in the boarding gate, beware of your unconscious panic attack. Stay calm, or at least, make yourself calm, and think rationally what you plan to do IF the plane is not delayed for certain reason. You may want take another flight or plan another way to go the same direction. Tram, train, bus, ship, or maybe another flight which is not from the same airplane service.
2. After you know your plane has been just flying high, go to your airplane service gate. It is when you put your baggage in and check in to the flight.
3. If you plan to take another flight in the same airplane service, you will get penalty fee because you had been checking in and made the flight waitng for you. I am not sure on the second statement, it was said by a woman from the airplane service, and havent been proved yet.
4. Ask them where you can get your baggage. It should be in arrival.
5. Stroll along airport hall with your large baggage while you are going to departure gate.
6. Pay penalty fee and ask for new ticket
7. Put your baggage in (again). It supposed to have same weight.
8. And wait until your boarding gate is open. Do not repeat the same mistakes. If you think it is too long to wait, it is. Be a good passenger. Be more patient than paying penalty fee again.

Have a safe flight!