Role
Researcher / Team Leader
Background & Context
In an increasingly competitive digital telecommunication market, by.U—Telkomsel’s digital provider brand targeting Gen Z, faced a major challenge: its relationship with users was purely transactional. Despite strong brand awareness and flexible data plans, engagement and loyalty were stagnating, with most users only opening the app when their data was about to run out.
Our team was challenged to redefine by.U’s loyalty ecosystem (uCoin, uStamp, and uStore) and design a marketing strategy that could turn one-off transactions into long-term emotional engagement for Gen Z users.
Problem Definition
The main problems identified in by.U’s loyalty system centered around weak emotional engagement, poor user experience, and low perceived value. Users viewed the brand as impersonal, offering standardized promotions with little acknowledgment of their individual preferences or behaviors.
Solution Summary
HERO stands for Hargai – Eksekusi – Rayakan – Optimalkan.
It’s a four-part loyalty transformation and communication framework designed to shift by.U from a functional to emotional brand relationship.
Hargai Perjuangan
Storytelling campaign #PahlawanKeluarga highlighting real Gen Z stories of financial resilience.
Emotional message: “by.U is here for the new generation of family heroes.”
Eksekusi Kampanye
Multi-channel rollout: billboards in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya + digital storytelling on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
Emotional hooks like “Dek, bisa transfer mama hari ini?” to resonate with young breadwinners.
Rayakan Kerja Keras
In-app gamification (claw machine & spin wheel) for instant rewards — vouchers, data bonuses, etc.
Personalized milestones: Promote birthday and monthversary gifts to enhance belonging and positive reinforcement.
Optimalkan Loyalitas
Quick-access loyalty banner for easier navigation.
Integration of uCoin, uStamp, and uStore into a unified ecosystem.
Outcomes & Impact
Feasible & Profitable: Generated strong financial metrics — NPV Rp 91.8 million, ROI 44%, and Payback Period 2.7 months, proving the campaign’s cost efficiency and scalability.
Emotional Brand Transformation: Shifted by.U’s image from a transactional digital provider to an empathetic companion brand that values Gen Z’s everyday struggles.
Scalable Marketing Framework: Combined ATL billboards and digital storytelling across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, establishing a model for future loyalty-driven campaigns.
