KOMUNIKASI STRATEGIS PERGURUAN TINGGI SWASTA DALAM MEMBANGUN BRAND EQUITY (STUDI KASUS: UNIVERSITAS KATHOLIK SOEGIJAPRANATA)

Abstract

KOMUNIKASI STRATEGIS PERGURUAN TINGGI SWASTA DALAM MEMBANGUN BRAND EQUITY (STUDI KASUS: UNIVERSITAS KATHOLIK SOEGIJAPRANATA) Abstraksi Brand Unika Soegijapranata berhasil mempengaruhi calon mahasiswa dalam memilih perguruan tinggi. Di tengah persaingan yang ketat antar perguruan tinggi, Unika Soegijapranata mampu mempertahankan dan menaikkan jumlah mahasiswa baru. Keberhasilan tersebut merupakan hasil dari upaya membangun brand equity melalui komunikasi strategis. Melalui teori Brand Equity dari David A. Aaker, peneliti mencoba memberikan gambaran komprehensif komunikasi strategis yang dilakukan oleh Unika Soegijapranata dalam membangun brand equity dan bagaimana persepsi calon mahasiswa terhadap Unika Soegijapranata. Membangun brand equity memerlukan empat faktor utama, yaitu awareness, percieved quality, loyalty dan associations. Membangun brand equity dibutuhkan komunikasi strategis sebagai penopangnya. Komunikasi strategis terdiri dari pesan persuasif dan aktivitas komunikasi strategis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan brand equity yang dibangun Unika Soegijapranata berhasil mempengaruh persepsi calon mahasiswa. Aktivitas komunikasi strategis dilakukan dengan public relations (PR), iklan, publisitas dan word of mouth. PR dan word of mouth menjadi aktivitas dominan untuk mempengaruhi calon mahasiswa sementara publisitas dan iklan untuk meningkatkan awareness. Kata kunci: komunikasi srategis; brand equity; persepsi. PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION IN DEVELOPING BRAND EQUITY (A CASE STUDY: SOEGIJAPRANATACHATOLIC UNIVERSITY) Abstract Unika Soegijapranata’s brand has succeeded to influence college student candidates in choosing their colleges. In the middle of the high of this competition among colleges, Unika Soegijapranata could hold and increase the number of new college students. That success is a result by the attempt to develop brand equity by strategic communication. By Brand Equity theory from David A. Aaker, the writer try to give comprehensive illustration about strategic communication that has been done by Unika Soegijapranata in developing brand equity and how the perception of college student candidate toward Unika Soegijapranata. Developing brand equity is influenced by four main factors. There are awareness, percieved quality, loyalty and associations. Developing brand equity also needs strategic communication as the basic. Strategic communication consists of persuasive messages and strategic communication activity. Result of study shows brand equity which is built by Unika Soegijapranata is success to influence college candidates’ perception. Strategic communication activity is done by public relations (PR), ads, publicity and word of mouth. PR and word of mouth become major activities to influence college student candidate while publicity and ads are used to increase awareness. Keywords: strategic communication, brand equity, perception.