Personal Branding dalam Konteks Demografi dan Kepercayaan Politik pada Pemilihan Calon Legislatif

This study aims to analyze the influence of demographic variables, namely gender, education, income, generation, and occupation, as well as the role of personal branding on the level of voter trust in legislative candidates (caleg) in Electoral District IX, West Java, namely Sumedang, Majalengka, and Subang Regency in West Java Province. Personal branding in the political context is a systematic strategy for shaping a personal image. This strategy is believed to strengthen positive perceptions and increase political trust. This study uses a quantitative approach with Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLogit) and involves 1006 respondents selected via multistage random sampling. The results show that gender or gender congruence often influences public perception. In the context of personal branding, legislative candidates who display masculine attributes —assertiveness, leadership, and courage — tend to receive higher levels of trust, and occupation has a significant influence on voter trust. Social programs can increase prospective voters' trust when campaign messages are tailored to the economic interests of occupational groups. Personal branding among legislative candidates who campaign in the economic field, such as concern for people's economic well-being, tends to build trust with the voting public. At the same time, education, income, and generation do not show a significant influence. This study's findings have practical implications for future legislative candidate campaign strategies, providing insights into how to effectively build trust with the voting public.