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Death of Indonesian Copywriter Brings Scrutiny on Advertising Industry | Death of Indonesian Copywriter Brings Scrutiny on Advertising Industry |
(35 minutes later) | |
JAKARTA, Indonesia — The death of a hard-working Indonesian copywriter has generated a surge of anger in Indonesia, turning the young woman into an inadvertent symbol of the grueling, workaholic culture of the advertising world. | |
Shortly after clocking a mammoth 30-hour shift last weekend, Ananda Pradnya Paramita, 27, a copywriter for Young & Rubicam Indonesia, fell into a coma at a South Jakarta pizzeria. | |
Ms. Paramita, who referred to herself as Mita Diran on social networks, was taken to hospital but died the following day. | Ms. Paramita, who referred to herself as Mita Diran on social networks, was taken to hospital but died the following day. |
Her revealing final post on Twitter, “30 hours of working and still going strooong,” has prompted accusations that her agency pushed her over the edge with its work demands. | |
On a corporate message of condolence posted on Young & Rubicam Indonesia’s Facebook page, commenters accused the agency of exploitation and criminal negligence. | On a corporate message of condolence posted on Young & Rubicam Indonesia’s Facebook page, commenters accused the agency of exploitation and criminal negligence. |
Geets Harris, an associate creative director at Ogilvy & Mather in Kuala Lumpur, joined the thread to criticize advertising executives for what she said was their myopic preoccupation with the bottom line. Her employer, Ogilvy & Mather, is owned by the British advertising multinational WPP, which also owns Young & Rubicam. | Geets Harris, an associate creative director at Ogilvy & Mather in Kuala Lumpur, joined the thread to criticize advertising executives for what she said was their myopic preoccupation with the bottom line. Her employer, Ogilvy & Mather, is owned by the British advertising multinational WPP, which also owns Young & Rubicam. |
“Advertising culture MUST Change,” she wrote, adding that she knows “many creative who visit hospitals more often than they do the client.” | “Advertising culture MUST Change,” she wrote, adding that she knows “many creative who visit hospitals more often than they do the client.” |
Ms. Harris later sent an open letter to Young & Rubicam and WPP in which she proposed an 11-point plan to improve conditions in the advertising industry. The creative director urged no more than two hours of overtime per day and the elimination of short deadlines. | Ms. Harris later sent an open letter to Young & Rubicam and WPP in which she proposed an 11-point plan to improve conditions in the advertising industry. The creative director urged no more than two hours of overtime per day and the elimination of short deadlines. |
Young & Rubicam Indonesia has stressed the agency adheres to the country’s labor law, which prohibits more than three hours of overtime per day. | Young & Rubicam Indonesia has stressed the agency adheres to the country’s labor law, which prohibits more than three hours of overtime per day. |
“Up until now, we’re still trying to find out what really happened internally,” said Sie Zin Lie, a Young & Rubicam spokeswoman. “We are deeply affected by the loss of Mita, and we pray for the family to have the strength to be able to get through this difficult time.” | |
Daniel Tjoe Sunaryo, 32, a former creative director who worked in a Jakarta ad agency for 10 years, said that in the industry, “Whatever you do is never enough.” | Daniel Tjoe Sunaryo, 32, a former creative director who worked in a Jakarta ad agency for 10 years, said that in the industry, “Whatever you do is never enough.” |
Working in advertising is akin to being in the “front row of capitalism,” he said, and “there is always room for new clients, new accounts. Even if quotas are met.” | Working in advertising is akin to being in the “front row of capitalism,” he said, and “there is always room for new clients, new accounts. Even if quotas are met.” |
Mr. Sunaryo recalled spending nights at the office to meet deadlines — he has since quit to become a yoga instructor — and said that within ad agencies there was a sense of pride about being a workaholic and pushing beyond the limits. | |
Ms. Paramita’s own Twitter feed paints her as vibrant but sleep-deprived young woman who was also familiar with long hours. In her posts , she joked about moving her bed to the office and of her diet of coffee and energy drinks, all under the hashtag #AgencyLife. | Ms. Paramita’s own Twitter feed paints her as vibrant but sleep-deprived young woman who was also familiar with long hours. In her posts , she joked about moving her bed to the office and of her diet of coffee and energy drinks, all under the hashtag #AgencyLife. |
“Weekend? What Weekend?” she asks in one tweet. In another post from April she said that her boss asked her why she was still in the office at 3 a.m. on her birthday. | “Weekend? What Weekend?” she asks in one tweet. In another post from April she said that her boss asked her why she was still in the office at 3 a.m. on her birthday. |
Other posts show that she appeared to have resigned herself to the realities of the job. | Other posts show that she appeared to have resigned herself to the realities of the job. |
“So it’s 2AM, Friday night and I’m at the office, nibbling on junk food with 9 other creative,” she tweeted in October. “I’m actually okay with this.” | “So it’s 2AM, Friday night and I’m at the office, nibbling on junk food with 9 other creative,” she tweeted in October. “I’m actually okay with this.” |
It is unclear whether the copywriter’s death was related to her workaholic lifestyle, but those in the industry say it is unlikely that she was forced to work 30 hours straight. | |
Cynthia Agustina, a commercial producer who has worked closely with advertising agencies for more than a decade, said that while all-nighters were an occupational hazard, conditions had improved in recent years. | |
“I don’t think she just pulled a 30-hour shift because she had to, but also because she wanted to,” Ms. Agustina said. “And I don’t know any company that says, ‘I don’t care what you do, just deliver.’ ” | “I don’t think she just pulled a 30-hour shift because she had to, but also because she wanted to,” Ms. Agustina said. “And I don’t know any company that says, ‘I don’t care what you do, just deliver.’ ” |
Ms. Agustina said the the heavy workload could reflect how multinational companies are depending more on their Asian workforces during these rough economic times. | Ms. Agustina said the the heavy workload could reflect how multinational companies are depending more on their Asian workforces during these rough economic times. |
Young & Rubicam employs 6,500 employees across 91 countries, and its Indonesia branch works with clients such as Chevron, Ford and LG, according to its website. | |
Ms. Paramita’s stepfather, Zafrul Yani Sjahrial, himself an advertising executive, has also admitted that long hours are the industry norm but that Young & Rubicam is not to blame for his daughter’s death. | |
“If people want to blame anybody, it’s the whole industry, not one company,” Mr. Yani told The South China Morning Post. | |
Ms. Paramita’s mother said her daughter died from a ruptured blood vessel in her brain, while one colleague attributed her death to overconsumption of energy drinks. | Ms. Paramita’s mother said her daughter died from a ruptured blood vessel in her brain, while one colleague attributed her death to overconsumption of energy drinks. |
The Association of Indonesian Advertising Companies is scheduled to meet Young & Rubicam on Monday to discuss her death, while one legislator, Djamal Aziz, said the Parliament would summon the company’s executives to discuss the matter. | |
The agency closed its office on Dec. 16, the day of Ms. Paramita’s funeral at Jeruk Purut cemetery in Jakarta. | The agency closed its office on Dec. 16, the day of Ms. Paramita’s funeral at Jeruk Purut cemetery in Jakarta. |