As a higher education institution that plays a role in the transformation of digitalization, Media Production Study Program, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI) carried out community service (pengmas) on the use of digital media as a promotional channel for various products of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) produced by residents of Panggang Island, Thousand Islands.
This island is one of the suitable locations to be the main axis in the Thousand Islands for the program. There are approximately 40 MSMEs there, so that the output of this community service can later benefit the improvement of Indonesia’s economic quality. Vocational UI introduced digital branding as one of the marketing strategies for MSME players on Panggang Island.
This activity was carried out in the form of training held at Pulau Panggang Village Office in front of 30 people who attended on August 30, 2022. Digital branding activities started from creating a name for their business to creating a logo that can become the identity of the businesses of Pulau Panggang residents.
The steps in the digital branding process are to first determine the goals, values, Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and target audience of the business. The MSME participants, who are engaged in the food, marine and convenience store businesses, were enthusiastic because this was the first time a university had come to share knowledge with them. As Mulyaningsih said, “I am grateful to the brothers and sisters from the Universitas Indonesia. It really makes the residents of Panggang Island happy for this activity because this is indeed a new thing for us to learn about digital branding. Hopefully, in the coming years we can come back again for new knowledge and can strengthen friendship.”
In addition, Panggang Island residents were also educated on how to use social media for marketing their business products. “We also provide an understanding of the importance of their logo and trademark management in Intellectual Property Rights. This will have many benefits, such as legal protection, legally valid proof of brand ownership, adding to the value of product assets, and others,” said Head of Community Service Team of Vocational UI Ngurah Rangga Wiwesa, M.I.Kom., CICS, MIPR.
Representing the beneficiaries, Secretary of Panggang Island Village Jamalludin expressed his gratitude for the activities that had been organized. He hopes that the community can utilize and apply social media as a medium for promoting their business products as presented by Vocational UI Service Team.
The activity, supported by Directorate of Community Service and Empowerment (DPPM), also received a positive response from the local community. Mulyaningsih, as a representative of Family Welfare Empowerment (PKK) Team of Pulau Panggang Village, said, “We are very happy and welcome the arrival of the Vocational UI Service Team. We gain a lot of new and of course useful knowledge for the community. We hope that UI can continue to hold similar programs in Panggang Island in the future,” she said.
