The Effectiveness of Digital Marketing in Increasing Brand Awareness of the Joint Business Group (KUB) Mutiara Bahari Karawang

Studies Management and Finance Economics, of Journal 0504-2644 (online): ISSN 0490,-2644 (print): ISSN 5202 October 10 Issue 80 Volume 8.317 Factor: Impact ,11-i10-10.47191/jefms/v8 DOI: Article 7667 -6673 No: Page JEFMS, Volume 08 Issue 10 October 2025 www.ijefm.co.in Page 6673 The Effectiveness of Digital Marketing in Increasing Brand Awareness of the Joint Business Group (KUB) Mutiara Bahari Karawang Laili Savitri Noor1, Ati Hermawati2, Ateniyanti3, Bayu Retno W.4, Wardatus Shalilha5, Alyah Irvie Aranda.A.S6 1,2,3,4,5,6 Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Pancasila ABSTRACT: The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Group of Fishermen and Family Welfare Empowerment (PKK) members of Sungai Buntu Village produces frozen processed fish under the brand Mutiara Bahari. They aim to increase brand awareness, enhance customer engagement, and generate better sales through effective social media marketing campaigns. Mutiara Bahari's flagship products have a unique taste, which has gained significant popularity among the public, especially in Karawang Regency. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of digital marketing through social media (Instagram) in increasing the brand awareness of "Mutiara Bahari" frozen processed fish product. This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach. The research sample was selected using purposive sampling technique, totaling 60 respondents. Analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis by considering the diversity of approaches, findings, and interpretations. The results show that the digital marketing strategies implemented by the MSME group of fishermen and PKK members in Sungai Buntu Village using the EPIC model (Empathy, Persuasion, Impact, Communication) is proven effective. Furthermore, the brand awareness of the "Mutiara Bahari" frozen processed fish product increased due to the use of Instagram social media as a digital marketing tool implemented by the MSME Group of Fishermen and PKK members of Sungai Buntu Village. KEYWORDS: Digital Marketing, Brand Awareness, Mutiara Bahari Joint Business Group I. INTRODUCTION Indonesia represents a highly potential market for the digital economy, offering numerous advantages for MSME that are able to transform by leveraging digitalization. Digitalization will create efficiencies that make it easier for MSME to run their businesses, such as efficiency in production costs, transportation, warehousing, even promotions are sufficient through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. However, such activities must be carefully packaged to ensure maximum results. Digitalization is needed to expand the marketing networks, so that it can penetrate various regions or other countries, related to certain products and access to marketing can be further expanded. Business actors optimize online marketing and digital branding as communication tools with their target consumers. Given this situation, brand actors must respond quickly and appropriately by adjusting their sales strategies. Starting from focusing on digital marketing through e-commerce websites, social media, search engines, marketplaces sales, and forming a re-seller team to distribute products. Marketing is also related to promotion, and creativity in branding is an absolute necessity. Branding activities are diverse, ranging from “shop from home” campaigns, online branding, social media, official websites, creating online festivals by offering special discounts and more. With digital marketing, communication and transactions can be done at any time (real time) and can be accessed to all domestic markets and even global markets. Consumers can easily browse products online, most of the information about various products is already available on the internet, ease of ordering and consumers can compare one product with another (1). The MSME sector is also contributes significantly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has shown steady growth over the past five years. One of the MSME in Karawang Regency, namely a joint business group (KUBE) of fishermen and PKK members in Sungai Buntu Village, has frozen processed fish product such as Fish Nuggets, Dimsum, and Fish Balls under the brand "Mutiara Bahari". This group aims to increase brand awareness, enhance customer engagement, and generate higher sales through effective social media marketing campaigns. Mutiara Bahari's flagship products have a unique taste, which is becoming increasingly popular, especially among Karawang Regency residents, as orders increase. Consumers tend to choose familiar brands because they are considered safe, reliable, and of high quality. Based on this, the MSME group behind Mutiara Bahari aspires to expand its market reach. However, the challenge faced is how to increase Mutiara Bahari brand awareness in the increasingly The Effectiveness of Digital Marketing in Increasing Brand Awareness of the Joint Business Group (KUB) Mutiara Bahari Karawang JEFMS, Volume 08 Issue 10 October 2025 www.ijefm.co.in Page 6674 globalized digital era. Branding itself is the process of creating a unique identity and differentiating products or services that already exist in a highly competitive market. According to Kotler & Keller (2021), branding involves creating a strong and positive perception in the minds of consumers. The main elements of branding include logos, names, messages and consistent designs. Effective branding can increase product appeal, customer loyalty, and competitiveness (2). II. LITERATURE REVIEW Digital marketing has become a key component of modern marketing strategies. It utilizes various digital platforms and technologies to create, communicate, and deliver messages to target consumers. According to Rachmadi (2020), digital marketing is a strategy for marketing products and services using digital media as a primary channel Sulaksono & Nizar (2020) define digital marketing as a process of promotion and market exploration conducted online through various digital platforms such as social networks. This includes product marketing through digital media and the internet. There are many advantages in digital marketing compared to traditional marketing. Digital marketing is a type of marketing that utilizes digital devices and channels to market products and services and strengthen bonds with customers (11). Mahlawati et al., (2024) (12) stated that digital marketing has various benefits, including relatively low costs and the ability to attract customers continuously. Meanwhile, Fadly & Sutama (2020), stated that digital marketing is an effective strategy in utilizing the internet to reach a larger market (13). In this context, digital marketing is not just a marketing effort, but a program that is closely related to digital technology and communication to achieve marketing goals. Therefore, it can be concluded that digital marketing is a very important strategy in facing dynamic market changes and advancements in information technology. Effectiveness Measurement The effectiveness of a promotion can be determined through proper measurement. The EPIC model is a suitable model for measuring the effectiveness of a promotion. Freddy Rangkuti (2008) (15) revealed that the EPIC model, initiated by AC Nielsen (a marketing research company with a world-class reputation), has four critical dimensions: Empathy, Persuasion, Impact, and Communication. The EPIC Model has advantages in measuring the effectiveness of promotions compared to other models. This allows businesses to identify weaknesses in specific areas and implement targeted improvements to increase the overall effectiveness of promotions. Brand Awareness According to Nurfajri & Chali (2021), (20) brand awareness is a marketing term that describes the level of consumer recognition of a product by its name. It is often considered in marketing as a level of consumer awareness of a business. Brand awareness is used to measure the ability of potential customers to not only recognize a brand image, but also associate it with particular company's products or services. Research on brand awareness has grown internationally since 1997 as part of the expanding field of brand management. According to Anang Firmansyah (2019), (21) brand awareness refers to a consumer’s ability to recall or recognize a brand spontaneously or after being prompted with keywords. There are several key indicators that can be used to measure the success of brand awareness. Here are six indicators that you can pay attention to: 1. Brand Impression. This indicator measures the number of first impressions or responses that appear in the minds of consumers when they hear or see a brand. 2. Brand Recall. This indicator measures the extent to which consumers can remember the brand when they are given a certain stimulus. 3. Purchase Decision. This indicator measures the extent to which brand awareness influences consumers’ purchasing decisions. 4. Brand Recognition. This indicator measures the extent to which consumers can recognize the brand based on visual elements such as logos or slogans. 5. Brand Reach. This indicator measures the extent to which the brand can reaches its target audience. 6. Brand Consumption. This indicator measures the frequency and intensity of consumers use the brand's products or services. These indicators help evaluate how well a brand is positioned in the consumers minds and how effectively brand awareness drives consumer behavior. III. RESEARCH METHODS This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach, which utilizes qualitative data described in detail. Qualitative descriptive research is generally used to analyze a phenomenon, event, or social condition. It combines two methods: descriptive and qualitative. This research will present the data results as they are, without any manipulation. The research sample in this study uses a purposive sampling technique, based on specific considerations. The selected sample consisted of 60 respondents, primarily women (housewives) who had purchased the product and actively used Instagram. The majority of frozen food consumers were identified as mothers, making them a relevant target group. The selection of these respondents was based on the purpose of the study, on Instagram users in Sungai Buntu Village. The analysis was carried out with descriptive analysis by considering the diversity of approaches, findings, and interpretations, then conducting 1) normality and validity testing; 2) relative comparison analysis and 3) Likert-scale measurement. Additionally, Mean Score Analysis was applied The Effectiveness of Digital Marketing in Increasing Brand Awareness of the Joint Business Group (KUB) Mutiara Bahari Karawang JEFMS, Volume 08 Issue 10 October 2025 www.ijefm.co.in Page 6675 to compare the indicators of each variable in the research model. IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Research Object Profile. The Joint Business Group (KUB) engaged in the production of frozen processed fish product under the brand "Mutiara Bahari", was established in August 2024. The business has shown significant growth, largely driven by the involvement of PKK members, where many PKK programs require nutritious food consumption, creating demand that is met through the group’s production of fish nuggets, dim sum, and fish meatballs (Mutiara Bahari’s flagship products) (22). The group employs digital marketing strategies primarily through Instagram as its main promotional platform. Based on the results of descriptive data processing on digital marketing with the EPIC model (Empathy, Persuasion, Impact, Communication) as follows: Table 1. Effectiveness of EPIC Dimension Average Category Empathy (E) 4.07 High Persuasion (P) 3.93 Fairly High Impact (I) 3.80 Fairly High Communication (C) 4.05 High EPIC Average 3.96 High Based on table 4.1. above, it can be analyzed that of the four EPIC dimensions in measuring the effectiveness of social media advertising, the one with the highest value or most effective is the Empathy dimension of 4.07 compared to the other three dimensions. To find out the extent to which the advertisement displayed by the Joint Business Group (KUB) with the brand "Mutiara Bahari" is effective, the EPIC rate value is 3.96, this illustrates that the promotional media carried out through Instagram by the Joint Business Group (KUB) is very effective, because it is in the range of 3.26–4.00. The persuasion dimension explains what a promotion can do to convince consumers. The results show that the persuasion dimension achieved an average score of 3.93. This indicates that advertising content on social media has an impact and appeal to the advertised products. The advertising content displayed by the Joint Business Group (KUBE), with its frozen food products on Instagram, is believed to be able to attract interest and inspire trust among respondents, leading them to purchase the products offered. The impact dimension had an average score of 3.80. This indicates that the social media promotional advertising displayed by the Joint Business Group (KUB) for its Frozen Food products, with its various creative and engaging content designs, has created consumer desire to purchase the products offered. Promotions carried out through Instagram, by the Joint Business Group (KUB), where the Communication dimension is valued at 4.05, this indicates that this promotion is very effective and is able to communicate the main message and the impression left on consumers through Instagram social media. After analyzing the Effectiveness of Digital Marketing with the EPIC model using Instagram above, it can be said that the promotion of Frozen Processed Fish products from the Joint Business Group (KUB) brand "Mutiara Bahari" has been said to be Effective. Furthermore, the researcher will analyze Brand Awareness. Based on the results of descriptive data processing about Brand Awareness with the dimensions of Brand Impression, Brand Recall, Purchase Decision, Brand Recognition can be seen in the table below: Table 2. Descriptive Brand Awareness Dimension Average Category Empathy (E) 4.07 High Persuasion (P) 3.93 Fairly High The Effectiveness of Digital Marketing in Increasing Brand Awareness of the Joint Business Group (KUB) Mutiara Bahari Karawang JEFMS, Volume 08 Issue 10 October 2025 www.ijefm.co.in Page 6676 Impact (I) 3.80 Fairly High Communication (C) 4.05 High EPIC Average 3.96 High Based on the results of the Descriptive analysis in table 4.2, it can be seen that the Brand Reach dimension has the highest value of 4.11, where the measurement results state that the Frozen Food brand "Mutiara Bahari" can reach the target audience. The Brand Recognition dimension has a value of 4.08, where the measurement results state that consumers really recognize the brand when they see visual elements such as logos or slogans. Consumers are able to quickly recognize the brand "Mutiara Bahari" when they see or hear it. The Brand Consumption dimension has a value of 4.05, this value states that consumers often use frozen food products of the brand "Mutiara Bahari", and consumers make repeat purchases with large purchases of consumers consuming products of that brand. Consumers actively use the brand "Mutiara Bahari" in everyday life, this shows that brand awareness of the brand "Mutiara Bahari" has succeeded in encouraging consumer adoption and loyalty. Brand Recall has a value of 4.02, this value can measure well about consumers being able to remember the brand "Mutiara Bahari" when consumers are given certain stimuli. The Brand Impression dimension has a value of 4.01, this value can state that the first impression or response that appears in the minds of consumers when they hear or see the brand "Mutiara Bahari", is very positive. The Purchase decision dimension has a value of 3.96, this value measures brand awareness has a strong influence on purchasing decisions. Consumers choose the wellknown brand "Mutiara Bahari" over competing brands. If consumers choose the brand "Mutiara Bahari" consistently over competing brands, this shows that brand awareness "Mutiara Bahari" has successfully influenced their purchasing decisions. The results of the study show that digital marketing using social media (Instagram) by the Joint Business Group (KUBE) with Frozen processed fish products brand "Mutiara Bahari" can be said to be effective, right on target. This statement is proven by the results of the descriptive value of the Effectiveness of Digital Marketing with the EPIC model of 3.96 where the value is in the range of 3.26–4.00, and the results of the descriptive value of Brand Awareness of 4.04, where the value is in the range of 4.00– 5.00. This is proven by the Joint Business Group (KUBE) with Frozen Food products brand "Mutiara Bahari" the use of social media (Instagram) has been able to increase their Brand Awareness. V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS Conclusion. Based on the results of the research on the effectiveness of digital marketing in increasing brand awareness of the Joint Business Group (KUB) Mutiara Bahari in Karawang, the researcher can conclude as follows: 1. Digital marketing through Instagram, evaluated using the EPIC model, was proven effective. Because each dimension of EPIC showed numbers in the range of 3.26–4.00. 2. Brand awareness of Frozen Processed Fish Products brand "Mutiara Bahari" increased due to the existence of Instagram social media as a digital marketing tool implemented by the MSME Group of Fishermen and PKK members of Sungai Buntu Village as evidenced by a descriptive value of 4.04 which is in the range of 4.00–5.00. Suggestion. Based on the conclusions above, the researcher provides suggestions: 1. The use of digital marketing with Instagram needs to be improved in the Impact dimension, namely advertising content provides clear information about frozen processed fish products that are nutritious and healthy for the community. 2. For the Empathy dimension, it is very necessary to maintain the quality of the product and the appearance of advertisements on Instagram. 3. The Purchase Decision dimension on Brand Awareness must be improved by means of attractive promotional strategies with discounts or quantity discounts so that consumers always buy and use products from the brand "Mutiara Bahari". REFERENCES 1) Kotler, Keller (2021), Manajemen Pemasaran, Perencanaan, Implementasi dan Pengendalian, , Erlangga, Jakarta. 2) Santoso, B., & Ardiyansyah, A. (2023). Strategi Komunikasi Pemasaran Dalam Re Branding UMKM Di Kelurahan Kepanjenkidul Kota Blitar . 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