In this trip, our group is distributed to investigate Magelang which is in the center of Java in Indonesia, then we participate many activities with Indonesia local people and also visit the framing areas. There are huge regions are planted the tobacco, sweet potato and chilis, and for this landscape I felt really amazing, because the agriculture industry is bigger than my imaging.

During the activities, we talked about why Indonesia farmer grow tobacco, then our group also researched many information. Because we are not local, we still do not know something actually, therefore, there is also some local people always near us then help us to deal with many problems. They told us that in fact, the profits for farmer to grow tobacco is really low, because producing cigarette need to proceed many steps, so farmer is the first step to produce the materials then sale them to the next stage which is cutter, then after cutting, the people who in the factory will sale it to the third step, therefore, the profits for farmer will be the lowest. After listening this, we are thought that why the profits are low, they still grow tobacco, then he told us, tobacco will be more easier to grow than other agriculture, and the cost will be low. Actually, after researching, tobacco can adapt to a wide variety of soils and also better in tropical climates, therefore, the climate in Indonesia create a suitable environment for growing tobacco.

Apart from that, before we start interviewing, we also focus on another point is the health of farmers, and we found that because of the profits from tobacco, whatever old or young people, almost them are happy to harvest tobacco, ages between 13-15 years old children are allowed to do “light work” on tobacco plantations during hours when school is not in session, so this child labor also cause serious health problems for kids. Then we also interviewed the local people about this phenomenon, and they said that, this is true, there are many children have healthy problems because tobacco.

From the interviewing, researching and activities, we learned many different things which we didn’t know before, but we thought that the agriculture could be one of main industries in Indonesia, however, because when I went to the villages, the local brought some sweet potato for us to taste, I thought it was really delicious and good, so they might can grow more chilis, sweet potato to instead of tobacco then get more profits. And these agricultures will not hurt their health and also could increase the quality of the food then reduce the tobacco destroy.

Reference:

Joe. C 2016, “Indonesian Children Face Hazards on Tobacco Farms, Report Says”, The New York Times, viewed on 19 December 2019, <https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/asia/indonesia-child-labor-tobacco-nicotine-pesticides.html>.

Kate. L 2018, “‘I’ve been sick in the chest’: Tobacco fields take toll on Indonesian children”, Vital Strategiess, The Guardian, viewed on 19 December 2019, <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/26/tobacco-indonesia-child-labour-harvest>.

Tobacco Farming 2019, PROCIGAR 1992, viewed on 19 December 2019, <https://procigar.org/tobacco-farming/>.

Designers always play a really important role in everywhere, and their products could make different parts connected with each other. In Indonesia, tobacco industry is also becoming bigger based on different kinds of designing. In this technological world, social media is one of the quickest way to spread information, therefore, it can be said that designers could control the marketing.

One of the biggest tobacco companies managing in Indonesia is PT HM Sampoerna/Philip Morris International (PMI), and it connected systematically sponsored music concert series (SoundrenAline) with the internet-based marketing activities. The community which this company targeted is teenagers, and it combined tobacco with music, creativity and self-expression. According to this case, Indonesia designers investigate the interest of teenagers, and aim at this group people to put the tobacco element into different aspects in the hobbies of them, such as poster, radio, everywhere advertising and more poplar social media. Therefore, when teenagers saw the designing, they will be attracted from what they are interests then the tobacco element will be passed on them, this is using creativity and empowerment messages to sale to teenagers.

Apart from that, I found that a news which is written by Robert Kozinets, it is mentioned that through investigation, Indonesia recruiting 2000 to 3000 followers ‘nano-influencers’ on Fackbook and Instagram then encourage them to post about their tobacco-sponsored adventures. In addition, he also found brand ambassador train camps which is operated by domestic tobacco company Gudang Garam. And in these camps, young ‘nano-influencers’ got generous fees then studied cigarette brands images and learn how to maintain their social media feeds. This case showed a strong connecting between designing and tobacco industry. Obviously, social media could spread information quickly, so they used this way to improve the tobacco industry even build the camps to maintain how to make the influence of social media become better, so they invested in young nano-influencers then they got more profits of tobacco.

“With social media, advertisements or any kind of persuasion will become more natural. A person can be persuaded without feeling that he or she has been persuaded.” Roby told the jakartapost. I thought designers design many kinds of things then apply in our life, a successful designer he will know what target want and need, and also know what the target interested, and how to make the design results in a better effect, such as Indonesia designers design advertising, campaign to increase tobacco profits then more success of this product, they will get more profits. Thus, the direction of products designed will cause how the tendency of future.

Reference:

Elly. B. F 2016, “Social media plays role in youth smoking, says expert”, The Jakarta Post, viewed on 18 December 2019, <https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/21/social-media-plays-role-in-youth-smoking-says-expert.html>.

Putu. A. S. A & Becky. F 2018, “Tobacco company in Indonesia skirts regulation, uses music concerts and social media for marketing”, THE CONVERSATION, viewed on 18 Decemeber 2019, <https://theconversation.com/tobacco-company-in-indonesia-skirts-regulation-uses-music-concerts-and-social-media-for-marketing-93206>.

Robert. K 2019, “Commentary: In Indonesia and more countries, social media and Big Tobacco are hooking a whole new generation of smokers”, CNA, viewed on 18 December 2019, <https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/big-tobacco-advertising-social-media-promote-smoking-influencers-11450142>.

The tobacco and cigarette industry is one of the biggest industries in Indonesia, and also it is also the second largest tobacco marketing in Asia after China. There are 255 million population in Indonesia, almost two thirds of people consume products that related to tobacco even cost their 5 % – 7 % incomes, this shows that the scale of cigarette industry in Indonesia is really huge. The 10 % of the tax which is took by the government in Indonesia is also depending on the tobacco industry, therefore, they even want to expand the cigarette industry.

Apart from that, the rate of teenagers smoking is made me shocked, there are 20 % teenagers are smoking and the ages becomes younger and younger. However, although the industry encourages the economy of the Indonesia, the tobacco is threatening the health of residents seriously. Unimaginable, the poster child of Indonesia tobacco culture is a 2 years old boy, he smokes 40 tobacco every day. Based on the Basic Health Research of Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (RISKESDAS), the prevalence of cancer is 10.9 % above 15 years old in 2018, this data is 7 % higher than 2013. And the head of Muhammadiyah Tobacco Control Center of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Winny Setyoungroho said, one of the reasons for increasing smoking people is smoking and shirkemas shows the consumption of tobacco is increasing from 32.8 to 33.8 for 15 years old. In addition, most of Indonesia people are more like Kreteks, this is a kind of mixture which is tobacco and cloves, and this is become one of the biggest culture in this country, and it is shared between friends, or being a gift for teenagers even child. Therefore, it means the environment has a big influence for people, for example, especially for teenagers, they are easier to be affected, and if there is one person smoking then it will has a big possibility that people around him also start smoking. The serious phenomenon also encourage the MTCC of UMY of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Central Java, East Java, and Muhammadiyah autonomy organizations to emphasized the ban of cigarettes.

There are many data showed the serious of problems, but it is still has no tendency that the population of smoking will decrease. The rate of smoking in most countries has already decreasing, but the amount of people who is smoking in Indonesia and under 18 years old from 7.2 % increase to 8.8 %. So from the researching, although the tobacco will take many negatives, maybe it is the strength of cultures, Indonesian sill be really difficult to solve this serious problem.

Reference

Jack. E 2011, In Indonesia, rampant smoking begins early age, SFGATE, viewed on 26 November 2019, <https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/In-Indonesia-rampant-smoking-begins-at-early-age-2368349.php>.

Jon. E 2016, Antismoking Coalition Gives Big Tobacco a Fight in Indonesia, ASIA PACIFIC, viewed on 26 November 2019, <https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/world/asia/antismoking-coalition-gives-big-tobacco-a-fight-in-indonesia.html>.

Meera. S 2017, Chain-smoking children: Indonesia’s ongoing tobacco epidemic, CNNhealth, viewed on 26 November 2019, <https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/30/health/chain-smoking-children-tobacco-indonesia/index.html>.

Nathalia. T 2018, ‘Disneyland for Big Tobacco’: how Indonesia’s lax smoking laws are helping next generation to get hooked, The Conversation, viewed on 26 November 2019, <http://theconversation.com/disneyland-for-big-tobacco-how-indonesias-lax-smoking-laws-are-helping-next-generation-to-get-hooked-97489>.

Tobacco & Cigarette Industry Indonesia 2016, Indonesia-Investments, viewed on 26 November 2019, <https://www.indonesia-investments.com/business/industries-sectors/tobacco/item6873>.

Una 2019, Smoking Escalates the Prevalence of Cancer in Indonesia, UMY, viewed on 26 November 2019, <http://www.umy.ac.id/en/smoking-escalates-the-prevalence-of-cancer-in-indonesia.html>.

Although smoking will cause serious health problem, the phenomenon of smoking still has not improved. However, on November 8^th, 2018, the American CDC reported the smoking rates fall to record low in the United States, of course they took a lot of methods to try their best to reduce it. One of the measures is workplace smoking bans. In my country, because they will not be punished, people are free, and they could smoke everywhere even it is said that there could not smoke.

In America, legislation that requires non-hospitality workplaces, restaurants and bars are completely smoke-free in 27 states and the district of Columbia, this policy also protect 58.7% of American population. In 1997, based on Executive Order 13058 “Protecting Federal Employees and the Public from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke in the Federal Workplace”, workplace smoking bans was actualized in all federal government buildings and in aircrafts. Thus, it can be seen that there are more places are listed in the smoke-free place, and the amount of people who smoke is reduced obviously.

As a result, in 1999, workplace smoking policies already become more prevalent and restrictive in America, there are more public places could not smoke, and if they did, they will be punished. According to the investigation of smoking data, workplace smoking bans made the smoking rate reducing 5 percent, and the consumption of smokers also reduced 10 percent. Therefore, this policy could have an obvious effect on smoking.

For this policy, it is true that the phenomenon is improved from the investigation and data in America, although the good result is not all depending on the workplace smoking bans, it must has an important effect and force to help people to smoke less. Those data could certificate the success of the policy. However, in this policy, one of the most important element is people, because there are many people live in a country, control themselves is also important. For example, although the smoke-free policy is published, there are still some workers smoke in workplace, and the amount pf males are more than females (CDC). Therefore, the success of this policy must have the support of citizen.

And if I design a campaign for controlling smoking, I would like to focus on advertising the harm of smoking and also recommend some medical science method to help people to quit smoking, and it could increase the rate of success.

References

Angelica. L 2018, CDC says smoking rates fall to record low in US, CNBC, viewed on 19 November 2019, < https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/08/cdc-says-smoking-rates-fall-to-record-low-in-us.html >.

Smoking by Industry, Occupation, & Gender, CDC, viewed on 19 November 2019, < https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/tobacco/tobaccosmoking.html >.

William N. E & Matthew C. F & Edward. M 1999, Do Workplace Smoking Bans Reduce Smoking?, American Economic Review, American Economic Association, Vol. 89, NO. 4.