Organic Reputation Construction Through Stealth Marketing Based on Non-Academic Achievements: A Case Study of a Leading Islamic Junior High School

Abstract

This study analyzes how an educational institution builds its reputation through a stealth marketing strategy based on non-academic achievements at one Islamic Junior High School in East Java. The study uses a qualitative case study design, collecting data through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation, and analyzing it using a model of condensation, reduction, display, and data verification. The results indicate that the institution's reputation forms organically, not through formal promotion, but through the accumulation of student achievements, non-academic activities, and information shared through social media and word of mouth. These activities create strong social proof, thereby increasing public trust in the institution. The findings also indicate that students and alumni act as indirect agents of reputation distribution. The implications of this study strengthen the concept of stealth marketing in the educational context and contribute to developing a reputation model based on real activities and practical contributions for educational institutions to build an image without high promotional costs and with more authentic, sustainable positioning.