The Marketing Agency Talk

An Indonesian businessman threw 100 million rupiah ( (US$10,600 or 5,429 pounds) from an airplane on Sunday 1 June 2008 as part of a marketing ploy for his second book.

Tung Desem Waringin, author and motivational speaker whose first book, “Financial Revolution”, was a bestseller, is known for his unorthodox marketing methods. In 2005, he rode a horse along Jakarta’s main street dressed as a celebrated war hero to launch that book.

A spokesman for the organisers, Diki Sidik, said Jakarta police had refused to issue a permit for the event but Tung chose to go ahead with the plan outside the capital, Jakarta.

“Rather than spend a lot of money for unsuccessful marketing, better give the money to the people,” Sidik said.

Tens of millions of Indonesians live on less than US$1 a day and food and aid giveaways always draw large numbers. So his ploy is definitely a success as many rushed to a soccer stadium in Serang City, some 60km away from Jakarta, to catch the money rain. Well, A scramble started as he dropped 100 million rupiah in banknotes from the aircraft which fly over the stadium 4 times. There was even a report that a 13-year old was rushed to hospital after she lost consciousness chasing after the money. Still, I believe many people is a little happier now with a little more money in hand.

This ploy certainly is out of the box and crazy but it is still marketing - whether you like it or not.

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