Member.id raises US$1.1 million from East Ventures and Traveloka, helps brands to tap into Indonesia’s booming creator economy

Member.id, a loyalty service provider, marketing and technology firm, announced earlier today that it has secured US$1.1 million in a Series A round led by East Ventures with a strategic investment from Traveloka. The investment will help the company scale up its content creation capabilities to further accelerate its mission in changing the loyalty landscape in Indonesia and its vision in influencing customer behavior to positively impact business and society.

Member.id also announced its expansion into the creator economy with the addition of Travel Secrets, a travel content platform spearheaded by Marianne Rumantir and Luna Maya, as a part of the company. With Travel Secrets brought into the mix, the startup established a new content production division called TS Media.

The conception of TS Media will allow brands and companies to tap into Indonesia’s booming creator economy with clarity, equipping them with technology and expertise provided by Member.id.

Member.id focuses on providing strategy consulting, data analytics, and tech solutions to drive retention and uplift from existing customers. Meanwhile, TS Media will focus on creating content to raise awareness and activation through content, driving up customer acquisition for businesses.

“We are now able to offer clients and brands an end-to-end marketing solution from awareness, aspiration, activation, to retention and referrals. By creating quality content across several digital platforms, we have expanded our ability to create beyond travel-related content but have diversified into culinary, sports, lifestyle, beauty, fashion, finance and e-sports. We are expanding and creating new programs with new talent to cater to different audiences. This opens up more opportunities for new brands across different industries to work with us,” said Marianne Rumantir, CEO and Co-founder of Member.id.

Creator Economy

Member.id will use the new fund to scale its content production capabilities by bringing in more resources, new talent, and creating a more diverse library of digital content. Luna Maya, an actress and entrepreneur with 50 million+ social media following across multiple platforms, also joined the company as its Managing Partner, bringing her 20-years of experience in the media and entertainment industry.

Meanwhile, the strategic investment from Traveloka brings in the unicorn’s extensive networks of merchants and business opportunities for Member.id.

“The pandemic has triggered a behavior change among consumers, in which they spend significantly more time viewing content in social media. By creating content that is geared towards domestic tourism, we can be a significant force in driving additional demand for Traveloka. Meanwhile, Traveloka’s extensive network of merchants in the travel industry will bring us new revenue opportunities that are previously untapped. We strongly believe that this will be a win-win partnership for both companies,” said Robert Tedja, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Member.id.

The creator economy is flourishing in Indonesia, fueled by the country’s unique mobile-first behavior, boosting the rise of content creators with millions of followers across social media platforms. According to App Annie, Indonesians spend an average of 5.2 hours per day on mobile in 2020, the highest in the world. Every month, Internet users in the archipelago spent 25.9 hours on YouTube, 17 hours on Facebook, 17 hours on Instagram, and 13.8 hours on TikTok on average.

“As we start living in the post pandemic era, we are witnessing the shift of media consumption. One of the key trends is the rise of the creator economy, which is the extension of Member.id’s customer management solution. We are supportive and looking forward to working with Marianne, Robert and Luna on this platform,” said Willson Cuaca, Co-founder and Managing Partner of East Ventures.

“As one of the leading innovative consumer technology companies, Traveloka is committed to continue enriching lives in all markets where we operate. Member.id’s unique content driven strategy can open a new door of opportunity to Traveloka users and our travel and lifestyle business partners,” said Traveloka Group President Caesar Indra.