Beyond Viral: Building Brands That Belong

In a landscape driven by trends, templates, and the pressure to go viral, many brands are built for attention, but not for relevance. In this masterclass, Bali-based strategist and creative director I Wayan Mahesa of Galang Bulan Studio challenges that approach, offering a grounded alternative: build from identity, not algorithms. He has spent much of his career working at the intersection of culture, community, and brand, particularly in spaces where those three either hold together or fall apart, through his time at Potato Head, as well as across F&B and creative projects such as Project: Black, Kura Kura Beer, and Santai Seltzer. Participants will explore how their story can become their strongest infrastructure, why small businesses hold an unfair advantage over big brands, and how to resist the illusion that the algorithm is in charge. This session is not about growing faster. It’s about building something that lasts, and more importantly, something that belongs.

Di tengah tren, template, dan tekanan untuk viral, banyak brand dibangun untuk menarik perhatian, tapi belum tentu relevan. Dalam masterclass ini, strategist dan creative director berbasis di Bali, I Wayan Mahesa dari Galang Bulan Studio, menawarkan pendekatan berbeda: membangun brand dari identitas, bukan dari algoritma. Sepanjang kariernya, ia banyak bekerja di bidang budaya, komunitas, dan brand, termasuk saat di Potato Head serta dalam berbagai proyek F&B dan kreatif seperti Project: Black, Kura Kura Beer, dan Santai Seltzer. Dalam sesi ini, peserta akan diajak melihat bagaimana cerita bisa menjadi fondasi terkuat sebuah brand, mengapa bisnis kecil justru punya keunggulan dibanding brand besar, serta bagaimana tidak terjebak pada anggapan bahwa algoritma yang menentukan segalanya. Sesi ini bukan tentang tumbuh lebih cepat, tapi tentang membangun sesuatu yang bertahan lama, dan yang lebih penting, benar-benar terasa milik sendiri.