Strategi Pemasaran Digital UMKM Kuliner Korea Kaepjjang.id dalam Meningkatkan Brand Awareness di Media Sosial Instagram

Abstract

This research discusses the digital marketing strategy implemented by Kaepjjang.id, a Korean culinary SME, in enhancing brand awareness through Instagram. One of the main challenges faced by SMEs in Indonesia is inconsistency in content creation and underutilization of Instagram’s interactive features. This condition leads to low audience engagement and ineffective brand awareness improvement. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method through a literature study of books and scholarly articles published between 2015-2025, focusing on digital marketing, SMEs, social media, and brand awareness. The findings indicate that Kaepjjang.id's strategy covers three main aspects: strengthening visual identity through K-Food aesthetics that combine Korean culture with local tastes, maintaining continuous digital interaction by implementing content patterns that foster closer relationships with the audience, and optimizing Instagram features such as Reels, Stories, and Highlights to increase brand recall. These findings support Aaker’s (1991) theory, which emphasizes that repeated and interactive digital experiences can build emotional connections with consumers. This research produces a digital marketing strategy model that can be applied to themed culinary SMEs, emphasizing the importance of cultural adaptation, authentic visual narratives, and active customer engagement in building brand image and credibility.