A featured contribution from Leadership Perspectives: a curated forum reserved for leaders nominated by our subscribers and vetted by the Construction Tech Review Advisory Board.
Pt Kino Indonesia Tbk
Strategic Procurement in the Marketing Era
Beryl Rose
In today’s rapidly evolving marketing landscape, procurement leaders are increasingly expected to balance commercial discipline with creative enablement. Managing marketing services procurement requires more than traditional sourcing expertise—it demands a deep understanding of brand building, media dynamics, and the creative process.
Experiences That Shaped a Procurement Leader
Prior to joining PT Kino Indonesia Tbk, I had the opportunity to work for several multinational companies across different industries, including skincare, nutrition and pharmacy, and food and beverage. Each of these organizations had distinct corporate cultures, and those experiences played a major role in shaping me as a professional. They influenced my way of thinking, my leadership style, how I approach problem solving, and ultimately how I manage the indirect marketing services category.
Joining Kino provided me with even greater opportunities to explore creativity and innovation within procurement. It allowed me to implement initiatives that I had previously envisioned but had not yet had the chance to execute. I am extremely grateful for the trust placed in me to openly share ideas that can drive cost efficiencies while also improving processes. That environment of openness and collaboration has made it possible to push procurement beyond traditional boundaries and position it as a strategic contributor to the business.
Balancing Cost Efficiency with Creativity and Quality
Having spent more than 15 years in indirect procurement, I firmly believe that managing marketing services requires a different perspective compared to traditional procurement categories. One of the key challenges is that creativity is inherently difficult to measure. How do you evaluate whether one creative idea is better than another? How do you quantify the value of strategic thinking or brand impact?
Because of these complexities, it is critical for procurement professionals managing this category to understand brand management principles. Without that knowledge, it is easy to overlook intangible elements that can significantly influence brand value and ultimately business performance.
That understanding also helps build stronger communication with marketing teams, who are typically procurement’s most important stakeholders in this category. When procurement professionals are able to speak the language of marketing, alignment becomes easier and trust grows stronger. Once that trust is established, procurement can truly function as a strategic partner.
Finding the right balance between cost and creativity requires shifting from a cost-centric mindset to valuedriven purchasing. Procurement professionals must look beyond simply securing the lowest price. In many cases, spending slightly more can deliver significantly greater value.
For example, one agency might propose delivering a project for $100,000, ensuring that the brand maintains its current market position. Another agency might quote $150,000 for the same deliverables, but when examining the team structure behind the proposal, it becomes clear that more seniorexpertise and significantly more man-hours are being allocated. In such a case, I would challenge the agency to aim for more than just maintaining the brand’s position. With that level of expertise, the expectation should be for the brand to grow and perform even better in the market.
In marketing services procurement, quality often outweighs cost. The real objective is not simply to save money but to ensure that the investment drives meaningful brand and business results.
Trends Shaping Marketing Procurement Strategies
One of the most noticeable influences today is the growing impact of China on consumer behavior and new business models across many industries. This influence can clearly be seen in the media and e-commerce space.
Platforms such as TikTok Shop have had a tremendous impact on the market. Their rise has significantly shifted procurement spend classifications and effectively created new procurement categories of their own. It is not just the platform itself that is influential, but also how quickly it has integrated into consumers’ daily lives.
At the same time, a new ecosystem of agencies and service providers has emerged to support sales through these platforms. Examples include affiliate marketing specialists, live streaming service providers, and TikTok Service Partners (TSPs). In addition, we are now seeing the rise of AI-driven video creators and other technologyenabled content solutions.
Building Strong Partnerships with Marketing and Agencies
In marketing services procurement, quality often outweighs cost. The real objective is not simply to save money but to ensure that the investment drives meaningful brand and business results.
Wherever I work, I consistently emphasize one key message: procurement should be seen as a strategic partner. Positioning procurement as a partner reinforces the idea that the function plays an equally important role within the organization. Adding the word "strategic" elevates that role even further—it signals that procurement should be involved early in discussions, contribute to planning processes, and provide reliable insights that support decision-making
The same principle applies to relationships with external agencies. I always emphasize that agencies are strategic partners as well. Once agencies recognize that their expertise is respected and valued, their behavior often changes positively. They become more open in sharing meaningful insights, more proactive in offering recommendations, and more comfortable providing honest feedback.
This dynamic ultimately leads to stronger collaboration and better outcomes for the brand.
Advice for Professionals Entering Marketing Services Procurement
For professionals who want to build expertise in indirect procurement—particularly in marketing services—having a background in marketing or brand management can certainly be advantageous. However, it is not a strict requirement.
What matters most is motivation and genuine curiosity about the marketing ecosystem. Procurement professionals should make an effort to understand how marketing works. This includes learning about the digital and media landscape, consumer buying behavior, and evolving industry trends.
Equally important are interpersonal skills. Marketing services procurement requires strong relationship management capabilities and excellent communication skills. Professionals must be able to bridge the perspectives of marketing teams, finance stakeholders, and external agencies while maintaining a clear focus on value creation.
Ultimately, those who succeed in this field are individuals who combine procurement discipline with an appreciation for creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning.
