Integrating Da'wah Values into Instagram Branding: A Phenomenological Study of Dalwa Collection’s Communication Strategy for Building Brand Awareness

Abstract

This study examined how Dalwa Collection employed an Instagram-based da'wah communication strategy to strengthen brand awareness among Muslim audiences. The topic is significant because social media has increasingly become a site where commercial branding, religious messaging, and audience engagement intersect, particularly for brands that seek to position themselves through Islamic values. The study aimed to analyze the communication strategy used by Dalwa Collection through the Instagram account @dalwacollection.co and to understand how that strategy shaped audience awareness and perceptions of the brand. A qualitative design with a phenomenological approach was employed. Data were drawn from in-depth interviews with five informants consisting of a manager, a social media staff member, and three consumers, supported by documentation and content analysis of Dalwa Collection’s Instagram posts. The findings showed that Dalwa Collection combined promotional communication with subtle da'wah messages through visually attractive content, educational captions, short videos, Islamic quotations, and Instagram Reels. This strategy generated positive audience responses, strengthened emotional connection, and fostered a brand image perceived as Islamic, elegant, stylish, and beneficial. At the same time, the study identified recurring constraints related to content ideation and the need to balance visual appeal with the integrity of da'wah messages. Theoretically, the study shows that brand awareness in value-based digital branding is shaped not only by exposure and recognition, but also by the successful integration of moral meaning, audience relevance, and interactive communication.