The grand finale of the PR INDONESIA Awards (PRIA) 2025 Decade Celebration was officially held on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at Graha Pos Indonesia, Bandung.
This event, a monumental milestone in the field of public relations (PR) in Indonesia, received 581 submissions from 209 institutions, spanning various categories such as Owned Media, Digital Channels, Crisis Management, Annual Reports, PR Programs, PR Departments, and SR Communication. PRIA 2025 also marked a decade of PR INDONESIA, carrying the theme "PR Inspiration for Indonesia’s Future."
As the most comprehensive PR performance competition in Indonesia, PRIA 2025 introduced new innovations by adding two additional categories and, for the first time, adopting international competition standards.
This initiative aims to empower PR professionals in Indonesia to compete at the global level. A panel of 16 judges, consisting of senior PR practitioners, journalists, academics, and PR experts, worked diligently to evaluate all submissions over four days, from January 7 to 10, 2025.
GNFI X, a communication consultant & agency under PT Garuda Nyala Fajar, won the Bronze Award in the Corporate PR Program category.
The award was given in recognition of the Rekam Maestro program, a collaborative initiative between GNFI X and the Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (now the Ministry of Culture).
Rekam Maestro Program: Preserving the Stories of Indonesia’s Cultural Masters
The Rekam Maestro program was designed to highlight and document the stories of Indonesia’s cultural masters, who play a crucial role in preserving local traditions, arts, and culture but often lack proper exposure.
Through this program, the public is encouraged to identify cultural masters in their regions, record their inspiring stories, and share them on social media. This initiative is not merely a one-way effort; it also fosters active audience participation in documenting and promoting these narratives, creating a space for dialogue and creative collaboration.
"We earned this award through the #MerekamMaestroBudaya program, which was initially carried out in collaboration with the Directorate General of Culture, now the Ministry of Culture. We dedicate this achievement to the Ministry of Culture and all cultural preservationists across Indonesia who continue to inspire through their efforts in safeguarding and advancing our cultural heritage," said Vicky Ferbian, Digital Communication Services Manager at GNFI X.
Challenges and Creative Solutions
In developing the Rekam Maestro program, the GNFI X team conducted research to understand the key challenges in cultural preservation in Indonesia. One of the main findings was the limited access for cultural masters to gain exposure beyond their communities.
Many cultural masters play a vital role in preserving performing arts, handicrafts, culinary traditions, and local rituals, yet their contributions often go unrecognized due to a lack of visibility on digital platforms.
Based on these findings, GNFI X leveraged social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok to amplify the stories of these cultural figures. Initial surveys revealed that young people have a strong interest in local culture, especially when presented in engaging digital formats.
This approach aligned with the success of previous programs with the Ministry of Culture, such as Lomba Gerak Tari Nusantara, which successfully captured the attention of young audiences through TikTok and Instagram video content.
Implementation and Program Impact
The Rekam Maestro program began with a socialization campaign through the social media accounts of GNFI and the Ministry of Culture. The public was encouraged to participate by submitting their works via a landing page, Instagram, TikTok, and the Kawan GNFI Telegram group.
To boost engagement, GNFI X produced storytelling-driven content featuring cultural masters from various regions, presented with compelling narratives and engaging data visualizations.
During the program's implementation, GNFI X received 462 video submissions from across Indonesia, covering categories such as performing arts, handicrafts, traditions, culinary heritage, and folk arts. The program also generated 626 related hashtags on Instagram and achieved 1 million views on TikTok and 8.2 million views on Instagram.
Participants came from various regions, with the majority from East Java and West Java, while also reaching areas such as Jambi, Maluku, Sulawesi, and Papua.
GNFI X's Commitment to Collaboration
Vicky added, "As the creative communication unit at GNFI, we (GNFI X) are committed to prioritizing collaboration and collective work in every activation program and campaign we run with our partners. We extend our gratitude to everyone who continues to trust us in designing and executing communication programs, as well as to the entire GNFI team for their unwavering dedication to every collaborative effort."
The Head of the Sub-Directorate for Cultural Promotion at the Directorate General of Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cultural Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture, Darmawati, expressed appreciation for GNFI's collaboration in the Rekam Maestro program.
"We appreciate GNFI’s collaboration in Rekam Maestro and hope it serves as an inspiring example of how media and government can synergize to support national programs. Effective communication is crucial in introducing cultural heritage to the public, and this must be supported by the right media channels. We hope this collaboration continues, bringing even more innovations to enhance pride and awareness of Indonesia's rich and magnificent cultural heritage," said Darmawati.
The Rekam Maestro program has not only successfully documented previously unrecognized cultural masters but also inspired younger generations to actively participate in the preservation of Indonesia's cultural heritage.
Through a creative and collaborative approach, GNFI X and the Ministry of Culture have demonstrated that cultural preservation efforts can be both engaging and relevant to today's youth.
About PR INDONESIA Awards (PRIA)
The PR INDONESIA Awards (PRIA) is Indonesia’s most prestigious competition for public relations (PR) performance. Since its inaugural event in 2015, PRIA has served as a platform for corporate and institutional communication professionals to evaluate their performance over the year.
In its 10th edition, PRIA 2025 introduces new innovations by adopting international competition standards, marking a significant step forward for the PR industry in Indonesia.
About GNFI X
GNFI X is the creative communication unit under PT Garuda Nyala Fajar, specializing in the development of communication programs through various approaches, including content and activations. With a strong spirit of collaboration, GNFI X continues to deliver innovative and impactful communication strategies, focusing on positive narratives and fostering meaningful engagement with audiences and partners.
