Navigating Audience Data Fragmentation for Advertising Success in Indonesia

In an increasingly digital world, advertisers in Indonesia face the challenge of engaging consumers across multiple screens. According to a report from Nielsen, a leading global measurement and data analytics company, more than 70% of Generation Z and Generation Y in Indonesia now own both smartphones and televisions, with smart TV adoption on the rise, particularly among urban and younger households. This shift has transformed the media landscape into a vibrant multi-screen ecosystem, where fragmented attention presents both challenges and opportunities for brands seeking to connect with consumers effectively.

The current media environment is characterized by diverse consumption behaviors, including shifting, stacking, and meshing. Shifting refers to audiences transitioning from one screen to another during their day, such as watching a television show and later researching a product on their mobile device. Stacking occurs when users engage with multiple screens simultaneously for unrelated activities, such as scrolling through social media while watching a movie. Meshing involves using secondary devices to enhance the main screen experience, such as looking up an actor’s biography while viewing a series. According to Nielsen's research, these behaviors can actually serve as pathways to product discovery and sales, particularly among younger Indonesians.

The Nielsen Consumer & Media View data indicates that Gen Z individuals are 42% more likely than the average Indonesian to discover products through multi-screening, while Gen Y follows closely behind with an 8% increase in likelihood. This behavior underscores the necessity for synchronized multi-screen campaigns, where advertisements on television are paired with digital retargeting efforts via platforms like TikTok and e-commerce incentives. Such strategies can effectively capture consumer momentum and drive conversions among these high-value demographics.

However, while consumers expect a seamless brand experience, advertisers struggle with holistic media measurement. Nielsen's 2025 Annual Marketing Report highlights a significant gap, revealing that only 37% of marketers in the Asia-Pacific region measure their digital and traditional media spending in a unified manner. Fragmentation across media channels complicates data collection and analysis, leading to budget misallocation, inefficient frequency of ads, and inconsistent messaging across different demographic and geographic segments.

For brands to thrive in Indonesia's complex media landscape, they must evolve from platform-centric thinking to audience-centric strategies. This shift in focus enables marketers to create a more integrated approach that aligns advertising efforts with consumer behavior, ultimately driving sustainable growth. In conclusion, while the Indonesian media landscape presents numerous complexities, it also offers a wealth of opportunities for brands willing to adapt and innovate. By leveraging comprehensive audience insights and employing unified measurement techniques, marketers can turn the current challenges of data fragmentation into avenues for increased engagement and profitability.

As the media environment continues to evolve, staying ahead of these trends will be crucial for advertisers looking to capture the attention of Indonesian consumers effectively. Nielsen stands ready to assist brands in navigating this new normal, offering insights and tools to transform audience behavior into tangible business results.

**Sources:** 1. Nielsen Consumer & Media View, National Urban, Q1 2025. 2. Nielsen 2025 Annual Marketing Report, Nielsen Company, 2025.