Rebuilding Trust on the Tracks: Unveiling the Crisis Strategic Communication Cycle of Brand Equity and Participatory Culture in MRT Jakarta
Abstract
This study investigates how participatory digital communication shapes brand equity recovery during institutional crises in public-sector transportation. In the digital era, brand equity arises from both institutional messaging and public participation. Drawing on Keller’s Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) model and Jenkins’ participatory culture theory, it analyzes two 2025 MRT Jakarta disruptions: a public demonstration and QRIS payment failure. Employing a qualitative case study, the research examines social media communication, public responses, user-generated content, and media coverage across trigger, reaction, and recovery phases. Findings show MRT Jakarta’s transparent, empathetic, dialogic digital strategies turned disruptions into trust-building opportunities. Public participation—via reposting, crowdsourcing, humor, and advocacy—stabilized narratives and bolstered credibility. The study demonstrates that public-sector brand equity thrives not on operational perfection but collaborative meaning-making and digital empathy. By framing citizens as co-creators, MRT enhanced resonance and legitimacy. This extends brand equity theory to public digital governance and provides crisis communication insights for participatory media.
Downloads
References
Abbasi, A. Z., Rather, R. A., Hooi Ting, D., Nisar, S., Hussain, K., Khwaja, M. G., & Shamim, A. (2022). Exploring tourism-generated social media communication, brand equity, satisfaction, and loyalty: A PLS-SEM-based multi-sequential approach. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 30(1), 93-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/13567667221118651
Arunachalam, T., Sivakumar, M., & Raveendran, A. (2024). Young consumers' insights on brand association, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand image, brand loyalty and brand equity. XX International May Conference on Strategic Management – IMCSM24 Proceedings - zbornik radova, 428-436. https://doi.org/10.5937/imcsm24043a
Dinh, K. C., Viet, B. N., & Vo, H. N. P. (2023). Toward sustainable development and consumption: The role of the green promotion mix in driving green brand equity and green purchase intention. Journal of Promotion Management. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2023.2165209
Enes, Y. de S. O., Demo, G., Porto, R. B., & Zulato, T. S. (2024). What is next for consumer-based brand equity in digital brands? Research itineraries and new challenges. Sustainability, 16(13), 5412. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135412
Goyal, A., & Verma, P. (2022). The relationship between brand engagement, loyalty, brand equity, and purchase intention. Journal of Marketing Communications. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2022.2149839
Jenkins, H. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262513623/confronting-the-challenges-of-participatory-culture/
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., & Green, J. (2016). Participatory culture in a networked era: A conversation on youth, learning, commerce, and politics. Polity Press. https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=participatory-culture-in-a-networked-era--9780745688368
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299305700101
Liputan6. (2023, October 30). Mengenal MRT Jakarta: Sejarah, rute, dan cara membeli tiketnya yang perlu diketahui. Liputan6.com. https://www.liputan6.com/hot/read/5603241/mengenal-mrt-jakarta-sejarah-rute-dan-cara-membeli-tiketnya-yang-perlu-diketahui
Marland, A., Lewis, J. P., & Flanagan, T. (2017). Governance in the age of digital media and branding. Governance, 30(1), 125–141.
Nguyen Viet, B. (2022). The impact of green marketing mix elements on green customer-based brand equity in an emerging market. Asia Pacific Journal of Business Administration. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJBA-08-2021-0398
Parris, D. L., & Guzmán, F. (2022). Evolving brand boundaries and expectations: Looking back on brand equity, brand loyalty, and brand image research to move forward. Journal of Product & Brand Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-06-2021-3528
PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda). (2023). Annual Report 2023: Transformasi menuju ekosistem transportasi berkelanjutan. Jakarta: PT MRT Jakarta. https://jakartamrt.co.id/sites/default/files/2024-08/AR%20MRT%202023.pdf
PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda). (2025, March 13). MRT Jakarta uji coba fitur pembayaran QRIS Tap. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://jakartamrt.co.id/id/info-terkini/mrt-jakarta-uji-coba-fitur-pembayaran-qris-tap
PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda). (2025, November 6). MRT Jakarta kini bayar tiket lebih mudah dengan QRIS Tap & e-wallet. News Ambisius. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://news.ambisius.com/2025/11/06/nasional/mrt-jakarta-kini-bayar-tiket-lebih-mudah-dengan-qris-tap-e-wallet
Rahmawati, M., & Hidayati, N. (2023). Exploring Gen Z social media marketing engagement on brand experience, brand equity, and brand trust: The context of Muslim fashion. Jurnal Manajemen Teori dan Terapan, 16(3), 48761. https://doi.org/10.20473/jmtt.v16i3.48761
Warbung, C. J., Wowor, M. C., Walean, R. H., & Mandagi, D. W. (2023). The impact of social media marketing on beauty clinic brand equity: The case of zap Manado. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 8(4), e01389. https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2023.v8i4.1389
Yue, C. A. (2021). Navigating change in the era of COVID-19: The role of top leaders’ charismatic rhetoric and employees’ organizational identification. Public Relations Review, 47(5), 102118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102118
Copyright (c) 2026 Winda Galuh Desfianti, Angela Annabel, A. A. Aditya Kusuma Patera
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
