STRATEGI KOLABORASI DENGAN KEY OPINION LEADER DI MEDIA SOSIAL UNTUK MENINGKATKAN BRAND AWARENESS: STUDI KASUS PADA PT KOSMETIKA GLOBAL INDONESIA

Advances in digital technology have significantly transformed the way companies communicate with their audiences. Data shows that 212 million Indonesians use the internet, with 84.6% active on Instagram and 77.4% active on TikTok. Amid these conditions, the beauty industry has become one of the sectors most actively leveraging collaborations with Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) as part of their digital marketing strategy to boost brand awareness. However, not all KOL collaborations succeed, approximately 37% of KOL campaigns fail to meet their targets due to a mismatch between the KOL audience and a brand target market. This phenomenon indicates that the success of KOL collaborations depends heavily on the accuracy of the strategy, not merely on the popularity of the chosen figure. PT Kosmetika Global Indonesia (Kosmesia), a contract manufacturer of cosmetics under J99 Corp, also implements a collaboration strategy with KOLs to strengthen brand visibility and positioning amidst the industry’s competitive landscape.
This study employs a qualitative approach based on the constructivist paradigm and the case study method. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. Theories related to digital marketing, KOL marketing, the VISCAP model, and brand awareness theory serve as the analytical framework to understand the planning, implementation, and evaluation of collaboration strategies.
The research findings indicate that Kosmesia KOL collaboration strategy involves three main stages: planning, implementation, and structured evaluation. This collaboration has proven effective in increasing brand visibility and audience engagement, particularly in terms of brand recognition. However, the evaluation system is still dominated by short-term metrics such as reach and engagement, so it does not yet fully measure brand recall and top-of-mind awareness. Thus, the KOL collaboration strategy is considered effective in increasing brand recognition, but it still requires strengthening in measuring the long-term impact on brand memory and perception.