El John Improves Indonesian Nation Branding with Pageants’ National Costumes

El John Improves Indonesian Nation Branding with Pageants’ National Costumes

The Foundation of El John Pageants is keen to improve Indonesian nation branding after it has been existing since 2008, by promoting the pageants from throughout the country. Even two out of twelve pageants which belong to the Foundation, have won the 7^th Supermodel International in India (mid April 2017) for the category of national costumes. Luisa Andrea, Indonesian Miss Earth also won the third prize for Best National Costume regional Asia in Philippine in October 2016. “We should be proud of our decent national costume. Therefore our pageants have won several times for Best National Costume,” Johnnie Sugiarto, the Chairman of El John said.

Johnnie’s consistency in promoting Indonesian national costumes has occurred since he established the foundation in 2008. At that time, he argued with the franchisor in London about an inappropriate appearance during the show. “Two-pieces on the stage is not human. The pageants wore underwear and bra, while the audience wore formal dress such as evening gown. It is humiliating.”

He still insisted on abandoning two-pieces on the stage performance during the Pageants’ show. He felt that he needed to assure the franchisor about pageants’ proudness with their respective national costumes. The franchisor finally accepted his arguments. Since then, Johnnie manages to organize twelve pageants including Miss Tourism, Miss Intercontinental, Supermodel International, etc. the foundation holds the record comparing another foreign franchisor. El John Foundation holds the most pageants, namely twelve while the other country holds only two or three. “I bought the franchise prioritizing the quality and the benefit for Indonesian young generation. So I am not concern about the quantity, how many pageants I can manage. But if I think that is useful and give benefit to many people, I will buy and work it out.”

Besides national costumes, Johnnie is also concern about Indonesian culinary. Therefore the next pageant, namely Miss Tourism Indonesia 2017 will get involved in promoting Indonesian culinary. Johnnie feels a bit disappointed after knowing that many foreign culinary are more popular than Indonesia. If people go in big shopping mall, around 90 percent of café/resto serve foreign culinary. “the next Miss Tourism Indonesia will sign contract with Indonesian Tourism Ministry for a year. They will be icons of the ten destinations of new ‘Bali’. The Ministry needs to achieve the target of 15 million foreign tourist coming to Indonesia, but not only Bali. Therefore the pageants will be more busy getting involved in promotion activity for the new Bali. El John has worked together with the Ministry to bolster all aspects of tourism.”( Setiawan Liu / IM )