Brand Development Through Subculture: A Case Study of Thanksinsomnia in the Indonesian Skate Scene

Muhammad Irfandy Zahari, Massageng Widagdhaprasana, S.I.P., MMktgComs

2026 | Skripsi | Ilmu Komunikasi

Penelitian ini mengkaji pengembangan merek melalui keterlibatan subkultural dengan menganalisis Thanksinsomnia dalam skena skateboarding di Indonesia. Berbeda dari perspektif branding konvensional yang menekankan pertumbuhan berbasis pasar, penelitian ini memandang pengembangan merek sebagai proses kultural dan relasional yang tertanam dalam budaya skateboarding. Menggunakan desain studi kasus kualitatif, data primer dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam semi-terstruktur dengan co-founder serta dua anggota tim branding, yang didukung oleh data sekunder berupa konten kampanye Instagram resmi dan film skate independen Because You Jealous. Data dianalisis menggunakan metode Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) dan diinterpretasikan melalui teori pengembangan merek, identitas merek, dan subkultur. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pengembangan merek pada Thanksinsomnia berjalan sebagai proses refleksif dan berbasis nilai, bukan sebagai strategi komersial yang linear. Skateboarding tidak hanya berfungsi sebagai segmen pasar, tetapi sebagai fondasi kultural yang membentuk nilai merek, praktik organisasi internal, serta komunikasi eksternal. Selain itu, autentisitas, penerimaan, dan legitimasi muncul sebagai hasil konstruksi sosial yang terus dinegosiasikan melalui partisipasi berkelanjutan, keterlibatan komunitas, dan konsistensi identitas dari waktu ke waktu. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa subkultur bukan sekadar alat promosi, melainkan kerangka utama yang membentuk, menegosiasikan, dan melegitimasi identitas merek.

This study examines brand development through subcultural engagement by analyzing Thanksinsomnia within the Indonesian skateboarding scene. Moving beyond conventional branding perspectives that emphasize market-driven growth, this research approaches brand development as a cultural and relational process embedded within skateboarding culture. Using a qualitative case study design, primary data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with the co-founder and two members of the branding team, supported by secondary data from official Instagram campaign content and the independently produced skate film Because You Jealous. The data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) and interpreted through theories of brand development, brand identity, and subculture. The findings reveal that brand development at Thanksinsomnia operates as a reflexive and value-based process rather than a linear commercial strategy. Skateboarding functions not merely as a marketing segment but as a cultural foundation that shapes brand values, internal organizational practices, and external communication. Furthermore, authenticity, acceptance, and legitimacy emerge as socially constructed outcomes that are continuously negotiated through sustained participation, community engagement, and identity consistency over time. This study demonstrates that subculture serves not as a promotional tool but as the core framework through which brand identity is formed, negotiated, and legitimized.

Kata Kunci : Brand Development, Subculture, Skateboarding Culture, Brand Identity, Authenticity, Legitimacy