#HashtagAsiaAwards spills: Lia Sidik on the research-first approach to building brands

Mataram Paint Indonesia has been named a finalist in two categories at the Hashtag Asia Awards—Best Social Brand Launch/Relaunch and Best Social Media Partnerships: Influencers—highlighting how even traditional industries are increasingly embracing social-first marketing strategies. The recognition underscores the growing importance of audience insight, authenticity and locally relevant storytelling in driving brand engagement.

One of the key partners behind Mataram Paint’s branding journey is lia s. Branding & Design, founded by Lia Sidik (pictured above, middle). With more than 20 years of experience, the consultancy helps international companies understand the Indonesian market through brand research, strategic positioning and market intelligence. It has worked with organisations across the public and private sectors, from SMEs to universities and multinational corporations, including Mataram Paint, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia, Museum Nasional Indonesia, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland.

Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Sidik discussed why branding is shifting from image-building to reputation-building, how marketers can prepare for changing consumer behaviour, and why understanding people and local context remains the foundation of effective brand strategy. She also reflects on how her consultancy is evolving to meet these shifts while staying committed to research-led, long-term thinking.

This interview is part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s winners and finalists interview series for the Hashtag Asia Awards. To find out more about the awards, click here.

What are some social trends that have caught your attention?

One trend has stood out to me: people are becoming much better at detecting authenticity. Consumers today are exposed to thousands of marketing messages every day. They may not analyse every campaign, but they quickly sense when a brand is pretending to be something it isn’t.

That’s why I believe branding is becoming less about creating an image and more about building a reputation. A good product supported by consistent actions will always outperform a beautiful story with weak execution.

Another trend I find fascinating is that many international companies are beginning to realise that Southeast Asia is not one market. Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and China may be geographically close, but they are driven by different cultures, purchasing behaviours, and decision-making patterns. Companies that recognise these differences early are far more likely to succeed than those relying on a single regional strategy.

The brands that will thrive are not necessarily the loudest. They are the ones that earn trust by understanding the people they serve.

How can marketers prepare for the social evolution?

Marketers should spend less time chasing trends and more time understanding decisions. Technology, platforms, and algorithms will continue to evolve, but one thing remains remarkably stable: people make decisions based on trust, relevance, and perceived value.

My advice is to become curious before becoming creative. Invest in understanding your customers, your market, and your business context before investing in campaigns. Research is not a cost—it is one of the best ways to reduce expensive mistakes.

For companies expanding into Indonesia, this mindset is especially important. Assumptions that work well in one market do not automatically work in another. Local context often determines whether a strategy succeeds or fails.

The future belongs to marketers who ask better questions before they create better campaigns.

How are you evolving your organisation to keep up with the changes in social?

We don’t try to keep up with every social trend. We focus on understanding why people change.

At lia s. Branding & Design, we’ve strengthened three capabilities: deeper market research, AI-assisted analysis, and closer collaboration with business owners. Technology helps us process information faster, but strategy still comes from understanding people, business goals, and local context.

We also remain intentionally selective. We work closely with our clients rather than taking on as many projects as possible. Every business has its own challenges, so we don’t believe in template solutions. Our role is to understand each client’s market and build strategies that fit their reality, not the latest trend.

Social platforms will continue to change. Human behaviour changes much more slowly. That’s where we choose to invest our attention.

How do you feel about your achievement?

I see it as validation rather than a destination.

This recognition tells us that research-driven branding and long-term thinking still matter in a world that often celebrates speed over substance.

For our team, it’s also encouraging because we’ve always believed that every business deserves a strategy built around its own context—not a template. Seeing that approach recognised at the Asia Pacific level gives us even more confidence to keep doing meaningful work.

Awards may open doors, but trust is what keeps them open. That’s still the achievement that matters most to us.