<![CDATA[ABSTRACT The increasing competition among Islamic educational institutions requires Islamic boarding schools to implement effective branding strategies that strengthen institutional identity while fostering public trust. This study aims to identify the branding strategy model of Al Furqon Al Islami Islamic Boarding School and analyze its implications for competitiveness and public trust. A qualitative approach with an intrinsic case study design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with ten informants, including the Kiai, Foundation Board, Public Relations Officer, teachers, administrative staff, students, parents, alumni, community leaders, and village government representatives, complemented by field observations and document analysis. Data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that the boarding school's branding strategy represents a synthesis of mission-centered branding and heritage branding, supported by a strong institutional identity reflected in its vision, scholarly tradition, Hanbali school distinctiveness, and values of simplicity. This strategy has successfully fostered a high level of public trust, particularly in the dimension of benevolence, thereby strengthening community loyalty. Nevertheless, the branding strategy is constrained by limited communication practices and insufficient integration with digital media, reducing its ability to attract new prospective students. The study concludes that strengthening strategic communication and optimizing heritage assets are essential to enhancing the competitiveness of Islamic boarding schools in the digital era while enriching the discourse on trust development within Islamic educational institutions. ABSTRAK Persaingan antarlembaga pendidikan Islam yang semakin kompetitif menuntut pondok pesantren memiliki strategi branding yang mampu memperkuat identitas lembaga sekaligus membangun kepercayaan masyarakat. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi model strategi branding Pondok Pesantren Al Furqon Al Islami serta menganalisis implikasinya terhadap daya saing dan kepercayaan masyarakat. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis studi kasus intrinsik. Data diperoleh melalui wawancara mendalam terhadap sepuluh informan yang terdiri atas Kiai, Pengurus Yayasan, Humas, Ustadz, Staf Administrasi, Santri, Wali Santri, Alumni, Tokoh Masyarakat, dan Pemerintah Desa, serta didukung oleh observasi lapangan dan telaah dokumen. Analisis data dilakukan menggunakan model interaktif Miles dan Huberman melalui tahap reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi branding pesantren merupakan sintesis antara mission-centered branding dan heritage branding yang didukung oleh identitas lembaga yang kuat melalui visi, tradisi keilmuan, kekhasan madzhab, dan nilai kesederhanaan. Strategi tersebut berhasil membangun kepercayaan masyarakat yang tinggi, terutama pada aspek kepedulian (benevolence), sehingga mampu mempertahankan loyalitas masyarakat. Namun, efektivitas branding masih terkendala oleh komunikasi yang belum optimal dan belum terintegrasi dengan media digital sehingga membatasi kemampuan pesantren dalam menarik calon santri baru. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa penguatan komunikasi strategis dan optimalisasi aset heritage menjadi langkah penting untuk meningkatkan daya saing pesantren di era digital sekaligus memperkaya kajian mengenai pembentukan kepercayaan pada lembaga pendidikan Islam.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
