How TikTok Indonesia Champions Diversity & Inclusion: A Look Into "Sama-Sama di TikTok"

At TikTok, one of our core values is to champion diversity and inclusion both in the workplace and on our platform. This means genuinely respecting and appreciating the differences between us, creating a welcoming and authentic community, and providing a space for people of all backgrounds to express their creativity and make their voices heard.

Reflecting the values of our company, our team in Indonesia launched a campaign earlier this year called "Sama-Sama di TikTok" ("Together on TikTok") that highlighted the incredible diversity of creators on our platform and the inclusivity of our community. To learn more about the campaign, we spoke with three members of Team TikTok behind the project: Angga Putra (Operations), Chatrine Siswoyo (Communications), and Fandhy Thesia (Marketing). In our conversation, they discussed the goals of the campaign, diversity and inclusion in Indonesia, and the impact of their work on the tech industry in Indonesia!

What was the goal behind "Sama-Sama di TikTok"?

Fandhy: "We wanted to change the Indonesian market's perception of TikTok as something that was only for one specific audience (like gen z and millenials). Our platform is one that everyone can get involved with, so we wanted the key elements of this campaign to show that TikTok is a safe place for people to explore and share their creativity! So from the start, 'Sama-Sama di TikTok' was a relatively simple but powerful initiative."

Angga: "This campaign also tried to spotlight the diversity of TikTok content itself. There's been so much content this year in entirely new verticals, and I've worked on the Operations team to implement new features that allow content to be shared outside a creator's followers and provide equal opportunity for growth. 'Sama-Sama' means togetherness and equality, so it was the perfect term to express the idea that whatever interests you have (comedy, beauty, etc.), you'll be able to thrive on TikTok."

Why is the message of diversity and inclusion important in Indonesia? How did TikTok approach it as a global company?

Chatrine: "In a world where social media platforms often increase division and push us apart, it's crucial to have inclusive communities like ours that can unite people across different backgrounds. Especially in Indonesia, which has a population with more than 600 different ethnicities and many different religions, diversity and inclusion is an important concept that extends far beyond the scope of our campaign. I was struck by how TikTok -- even as a global company -- recognized the importance of making the campaign relevant to the local environment, and empowered our team in Indonesia to create and implement it on our own."

Angga: "Inclusion is something we practice and value internally, and the 'Sama-Sama di TikTok' campaign is a great example. It was the first project in Indonesia where all the different departments (Operations, Marketing, Legal, etc.) came together to accomplish the same goal, and we managed to leverage vastly different perspectives and skill sets throughout the process. TikTok leadership placed a lot of emphasis on making sure our campaign would resonate on the local level and speak to our culture in Indonesia, which really gave our local teams the autonomy to drive the initiative in the right direction."

How did the campaign impact TikTok and the industry as a whole?

Fandhy: "The campaign definitely increased the awareness and popularity surrounding TikTok, and the attitude towards our content has become much more positive. As for the impact on the industry, this style of campaign -- merging both online and offline initiatives -- was quite new to Indonesia. For example, as part of the campaign we organized a flash mob that had a ton of energy and took place in public, which isn't common in Indonesia. Incredible moments like this really fixed in people's minds the diverse and inclusive nature of our community, and brought our existing creators even closer together."

Chatrine: "As Fandhy mentioned, the campaign really improved the perception of TikTok in Indonesia; now, people in and outside the media are talking about the diversity of content and creators we have, rather than painting TikTok solely as a dance app. For the industry, the campaign was also a breath of fresh air because many people in Indonesia had become tired and jaded about social media platforms due to inauthentic 'influencers,' misinformation, and so on. 'Sama Sama di TikTok' really showed how much different we are, and how we encourage everyone to be their genuine selves. My proudest moment was when a famous movie director here described TikTok as 'the face of Indonesia' -- I'd never heard anyone describe an app in those terms!"

What's it like to work at TikTok in Indonesia?

Angga: "TikTok is unique in that we have a global product and operate in many different countries. The challenges we face each day are dynamic, and we're constantly learning from what teams in other countries or regions have done to inform decisions in Indonesia; at the same time, we have tremendous autonomy on the local level to tailor and execute our own strategies! I also like how there's no rigid structure or sense of hierarchy, so communication is fast and efficient. I've never felt like I can't talk or collaborate with someone because of their seniority or function."

Fandhy: "I'm a relatively new team member, but I feel the culture speaks for itself -- for example, take our core value 'be candid and clear.' Unlike previous experiences in my career, I feel like I can speak up and voice my opinion at TikTok, and my proposals and solutions are actually heard and implemented. When the company is moving so fast and many of us work cross-functionally, we can't let our egos get in the way! It's all about appreciating common goals and including a wide range of perspectives in key conversations."

By driving the 'Sama-Sama di TikTok' campaign and bringing diversity and inclusion to the forefront of discussion in Indonesia, Angga, Chatrine, and Fandhy have shown the incredible impact we can make in our work at TikTok. If you'd like to join our team in Indonesia or elsewhere, visit our jobs page to browse open positions, and make sure to follow TikTok on LinkedIn for the latest updates. At TikTok, it's your turn to make a change!