THE POWER OF DIGITAL INFLUENCE: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVES BRAND AWARENESS AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS AMONG GEN Z

The Indonesian cosmetics industry faces intense competition, with local brands like Skin Mandatory struggling to maintain consumer purchase intention in e-commerce settings. This study aims to examine how influencer credibility, influencer attractiveness, and online customer reviews shape consumer attitudes, and their subsequent impact on brand loyalty, brand awareness, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), and purchase intention. A quantitative approach was employed, collecting data from 400 respondents who purchased Skin Mandatory products via e-commerce platforms using an online questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The findings confirm that influencer credibility, attractiveness, and online reviews have a significant impact on consumer attitudes, which in turn drive brand loyalty, brand awareness, and eWOM, ultimately influencing purchase intention. However, influencer attractiveness and eWOM showed weaker effects, likely due to a mismatch with the brand’s natural skincare image and low consumer engagement in sharing online recommendations. The study concludes that Skin Mandatory should align influencer selection with its brand identity and enhance eWOM through user-generated content campaigns to boost purchase intention. These findings offer practical strategies for local cosmetic brands to strengthen consumer engagement in competitive e-commerce markets.

This study aims to empirically examine the impact of perceived discount, celebrity endorsement, and influencer’s credibility on consumers’ purchase intention. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling, so that a sample of 160 respondents was obtained, and the analysis was carried out using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesis. The results of the study showed that 1) There is no positive effect of perceived discount on purchase intention 2) There is a positive effect of celebrity's endorsement on purchase intention. 3) There is no positive effect of influencer’s credibility on purchase intention. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji secara empiris pengaruh persepsi diskon, celebrity endorsement, dan influencer’s credibility terhadap intensi pembelian pada e-commerce. Teknik pengambilan sampel yang digunakan adalah purposive sampling, sehingga diperoleh sampel sebanyak 160 responden, dan analisis dilakukan dengan menggunakan Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) untuk menguji hipotesis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapat pengaruh positif dan signifikan persepsi diskon terhadap intensi pembelian, terdapat pengaruh positif celebrity’s endorsement terhadap intensi pembelian, namun influencer’s credibility tidak berpengaruh positif terhadap intensi pembelian.

Consumer buying behavior is significantly influenced by branding strategies, particularly sensory branding and brand awareness. This study explores the impact of sensory branding and brand awareness on consumer purchasing decisions, emphasizing the mediating role of perceived quality and the moderating effect of consumer experience. The research adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze survey data from consumers who have engaged with brand advertisements and sensory marketing efforts. Findings indicate that while advertisements enhance brand awareness, they do not directly lead to brand loyalty, challenging traditional marketing assumptions. Sensory branding significantly improves perceived quality, reinforcing its role in shaping consumer perceptions. However, perceived quality alone does not guarantee long-term loyalty, highlighting the necessity of emotional engagement and personalized consumer experiences. The study contributes to branding literature by integrating theoretical models such as the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework and Aaker’s Brand Equity Model, providing insights into how brand awareness, sensory engagement, and perceived quality interact in consumer decision-making. Practical implications suggest that businesses should move beyond traditional advertising strategies to focus on multi-sensory engagement, consumer co-creation, and personalized branding experiences. Future research should further explore emotional branding and digital consumer engagement strategies to strengthen long-term brand loyalty. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study analyzed data from 350 respondents, revealing that brand awareness explains 23.6% of the variance (R² = 0.236), while consumer buying behavior is influenced by advertisement (β = 0.407, p < 0.001) and brand awareness (β = 0.087, p < 0.047)​. Furthermore, the study found that brand loyalty accounts for 35.9% of variance (R² = 0.359), with advertisement significantly contributing to brand loyalty (β = 0.420, p < 0.001)​

Despite its popularity, Emina, a cosmetic product, has yet to break into the league of top brands. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the factors influencing consumer purchase intention. Specifically, the study examines the direct and mediated effects of electronic word of mouth and celebrity endorsement on purchase intention, with brand image as a mediating factor. The study involved 200 respondents selected through a non-probability sampling method using purposive sampling techniques. Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire distributed via Google Forms. The analysis employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess the research model, and hypothesis testing was carried out using the Smart PLS version 3.2.9 analysis tool. The findings reveal that electronic word of mouth and celebrity endorsement positively and significantly impact brand image. Electronic word of mouth alone does not influence purchase intention, while celebrity endorsement and brand image positively and significantly affect purchase intention. Furthermore, electronic word of mouth and celebrity endorsement positively and significantly impact purchase intention when mediated by brand image.

The rapid evolution of Indonesia’s coffee industry has fostered innovative business models such as Café on Wheels, exemplified by Jago Coffee’s mobile operations using electric vehicles (EVs). Despite its novelty, this model faces challenges in maintaining consumer interest and market competitiveness. This study analyzes the impact of Content Marketing, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), and Perceived Quality on Brand Awareness and Purchase Intention, with Brand Awareness as a mediating variable. Employing a quantitative survey method, data were collected from 399 active social media users (Instagram and TikTok) and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings indicate that both Content Marketing and eWOM significantly enhance Brand Awareness and directly influence Purchase Intention. Perceived Quality positively affects Brand Awareness but exhibits no significant direct impact on Purchase Intention. However, Perceived Quality indirectly contributes to Purchase Intentions through Brand Awareness. These results underscore social media engagement’s pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior within mobile coffee ventures. The study recommends that businesses like Jago Coffee prioritize Brand Awareness strategies via engaging digital content and user-driven eWOM to sustain growth and strengthen consumer loyalty. Future research should explore longitudinal impacts and additional mediating factors.

Purpose: User-generated content (UGC) affected consumer trust and purchasing intention in social commerce platforms. It evaluated the growing influence of user-generated content on online consumer behavior and how online trust mediates the association between UGC and purchase intention. This study intended to understand how different types of UGC affect consumer trust and buy intentions, moving beyond previous studies' focus on individual UGC parts. Methods: A quantitative study design was utilized, employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Data were gathered via an online survey disseminated among persons in Vietnam who regularly engage with social commerce platforms. The questionnaire employed established multi-item scales derived from previous research to assess UGC, online trust, and buy intention. Findings: The findings demonstrated that user-generated content favorably impacted online trust, which subsequently enhanced purchase intention. UGC is essential for establishing trust and influencing purchasing decisions in social commerce. The model elucidated a significant variance in online trust and purchasing intention. Originality: This study shows how trust mediates the relationship between UGC and buy intention in social commerce, improving understanding of online consumer behavior. It stresses the importance of good UGC for consumer trust and purchase intention, giving valuable data for social commerce platforms and marketers. Future research may examine these findings in different cultures and examine other factors affecting consumer trust and purchase intention.

The research objective was to determine the direct effect of social media marketing and celebrity endorsers on purchase intention, then to determine the direct effect of social media marketing, celebrity endorsers, brand awareness on purchase intention and the final objective is to determine the indirect effect of social media marketing, celebrity endorsers on purchase intention through brand awareness. Data collection was carried out through a survey with a questionnaire. Distribution of questionnaires using the Google form via social media. The population in this study are all people who know Erigo products. Questionnaires collected as many as 160 respondents. The sampling technique is non-probability with a purposive sampling procedure. In this study using a quantitative approach. The results of the research analysis, namely social media marketing, celebrity endorsers have a positive effect on purchase intention. social media marketing, celebrity endorser, brand awareness has a positive effect on purchase intention. Social media marketing has a positive effect on purchase intention through brand awareness and celebrity endorsers have a positive effect on purchase intention through brand awareness. The results of the study are expected to provide input to everyone to find out about social media marketing and celebrity endorsers which can increase product brand awareness and raise the intention to buy Erigo products.

Technological advancements have catalyzed the evolution of diverse marketing strategies, innovations, and activities aimed at bolstering product promotion. This study specifically investigates the roles of live streaming and online customer reviews as digital catalysts influencing Generation Z's purchase intention for products available on the Shopee e-commerce platform, with brand awareness serving as a mediating variable. Drawing on a survey of 216 Generation Z respondents in Makassar, this quantitative study adopted a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. Data were collected via questionnaires utilizing a 5-point Likert scale. The primary findings reveal that live streaming significantly and directly fosters Generation Z's purchase intention, underscoring the efficacy of this interactive format in stimulating immediate purchasing decisions. Interestingly, online customer reviews did not exhibit a direct influence on purchase intention. However, mediation analysis indicated that both live streaming and online customer reviews substantially contribute to enhanced brand awareness. Furthermore, brand awareness proved to be a critical mediator, fully bridging the relationship between both live streaming and online customer reviews and Generation Z's purchase intention. This suggests that while live streaming acts as a more direct driver of purchase intention, online customer reviews play a crucial role in building long-term brand equity, which subsequently triggers purchase intention. This study offers theoretical insights into Generation Z consumer behavior within the digital environment and provides practical implications for marketers to design synergistic strategies that leverage the power of live streaming and online customer reviews in e-commerce.

Introduction: This study examines the definitional linkages between brand awareness, digital influencer marketing, word-of-mouth (WOM) communication, and purchase intentions within digital marketing contexts. The primary goal is to explore how these elements influence consumer purchasing decisions in the era of digital marketing. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, understanding the interplay between these factors becomes increasingly critical for marketers aiming to enhance customer engagement and drive sales.Methods: An online survey was distributed to 344 MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) owners, collecting data relevant to their perceptions of digital marketing, brand awareness, and their interactions with digital influencers and WOM communication. The research employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for statistical analysis, using SmartPLS software to evaluate the relationships among the studied variables.Results: The findings indicate that digital influencer promotions, brand awareness, and WOM communication all exert strong positive effects on consumer purchase intentions. Specifically, digital influencer marketing and WOM interactions are significantly correlated with heightened brand awareness, which in turn positively influences consumer decisions to purchase. These results highlight the importance of leveraging digital marketing strategies that incorporate these elements to drive consumer buying intentions.Conclusions: The study demonstrates that digital marketing strategies based on brand awareness, influencer promotions, and WOM interactions can significantly enhance consumer purchase intentions. The findings offer new insights into how digital marketing approaches shape user behavior, providing valuable guidance for marketers to optimize their online marketing efforts. Further research should explore how these factors interact across different cultures and geographic regions, offering a broader understanding of their impact on global consumer behavior.

This research aims to analyze The mediating role of brand trust in influencing the relationship between perceived price and celebrity endorsement on purchase intention for Tridaya Tour and Travel Umrah packages. The type of research used in this research is explanatory research, with the research method being an explanatory survey that emphasizes quantitative methods. The sample is 175 pilgrims who have used and intend to use the Tridaya Tour and Travel agency to go for Umrah. The sampling technique was purposive sampling. The data analysis method uses Structural Equation Modeling - Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). The research results show that perceived price has a significant effect on brand trust, celebrity endorsement has a significant effect on brand trust, brand trust has a significant effect on purchase intention, perceived price has a significant effect on purchase intention, celebrity endorsement has a significant effect on purchase intention, perceived price has a significant effect on purchase intention with brand trust as mediation , and celebrity endorsements have a significant effect on purchase intention with brand trust as mediation.

This study examines the influence of digital marketing on purchase intention for the IndiHome product, with brand awareness serving as an intervening variable. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies in enhancing customer purchase intention and strengthening brand awareness. The research employs the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method with a quantitative approach. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to 100 IndiHome customers in Palangka Raya. The results indicate that digital marketing has a significant impact on purchase intention, both directly and indirectly through increased brand awareness. These findings highlight the importance of effective digital marketing strategies in enhancing brand awareness and driving customer purchasing decisions. The implications of this study can assist PT Telkom in optimizing its marketing strategies to improve IndiHome's competitiveness in the telecommunications industry.

The technological developments, population growth and the food needs of the Indonesian people in consuming food. Online grocery stores are growing to meet people’s needs in the digital era. That is what makes INAGRI as an online grocery sales company continue to innovate in agriculture. Starting to change online shopping behavior can be a huge potential market, but INAGRI faces many people who don’t know the INAGRI brand as an online grocery store company, so INAGRI’s sales have not reached the target. Therefore, what factors influence someone to know brand awareness really needs to be known. To create a successful marketing strategy, companies must analyze business problems with internal and external environmental analysis. External environment analysis consisting of; PESTEL (Politics, Economics, Social and Technology, Environment, Law), Porter 5 strengths, competitor analysis and consumer analysis using questionnaires and internal focus analysis on the marketing mix known as the 4P marketing mix and STP (Segmenting, Targeting and Positioning). The root cause of the problem says that brand awareness is not high enough, so purchase intention is also not high enough. This research is a quantitative study using Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) data analysis with the help of Smart PLS 4.0 software. Primary data was obtained from distributing questionnaires to 220 respondents. The results of data processing show that the variables Sales promotion, advertising, brand interactivity have a positive effect on brand awareness. Only content quality has no effect, then brand awareness also has a positive effect on purchase intention. Recommended marketing strategy recommendations are Providing product promotions with brand interactivity and creative advertising, collaborating with influencers, optimizing and making Video TikTok and Instagram sales marketing through social media, participating in marketing events to increase brand awareness and improve the quality of human resources by attending training digital marketing for INAGRI employees.

Despite burgeoning global sustainability efforts, the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in China faces persistent hurdles, highlighting a critical need to unravel the intricate psychological and brand-related factors that drive consumer purchase decisions. This pioneering study addresses this gap by innovatively integrating customer-based brand equity (CBBE) with the robust theory of planned behavior (TPB), offering a comprehensive framework to predict EV adoption. Drawing on responses from 379 potential EV consumers across six major cities in China, this research employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0. A two-stage analytical strategy is adopted—validating the measurement model, followed by a rigorous assessment of structural paths including direct, mediating, and moderating relationships among key constructs. Results reveal that all four CBBE components—brand awareness, brand association, perceived quality, and brand loyalty—significantly influence attitude, confirming their critical role in shaping consumer perceptions. The findings demonstrate that attitude, perceived behavioral control, brand association, perceived quality, and brand loyalty significantly influence purchase intention, while subjective norms and brand awareness show no direct effect. Mediation analysis confirms that attitude partially mediates the effects of brand association, perceived quality, and brand loyalty on purchase intention, but not brand awareness. Furthermore, perceived price negatively moderates the relationship between attitude and purchase intention. This research offers groundbreaking insights into brand equity and consumer psychology’s role in accelerating EV adoption. This model provides unprecedented theoretical contributions by linking CBBE and TPB for sustainable consumption. For practitioners, it delivers actionable, evidence-based strategies enabling automakers and policymakers to significantly boost EV market penetration, forging a more sustainable future. This work is a powerful roadmap for unlocking the EV market’s full potential in China and globally.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of social media marketing and celebrity endorsers on purchase intention, with brand awareness acting as a mediating variable. This study employs a purposive sampling method involving 170 respondents residing in the Greater Jakarta area (Jabodetabek) who have previously purchased and consumed Chatime beverages. The data were collected through an online survey using Google Forms and analyzed using PLS-SEM with the help of SmartPLS 4 software. The results of this study show that social media marketing has a positive effect on brand awareness. Furthermore, celebrity endorsers are also proven to have a positive influence on brand awareness. Brand awareness, in turn, significantly affects purchase intention. Social media marketing has a significant impact on purchase intention, while celebrity endorsers do not have a direct significant effect on purchase intention. However, social media marketing significantly affects purchase intention through brand awareness, and celebrity endorsers also have a significant indirect influence on purchase intention through brand awareness. This study is expected to serve as a basis for consideration and evaluation for the company in efforts to enhance brand awareness through various strategies, such as social media marketing and the use of celebrity endorsers, with the ultimate goal of increasing customers' purchase intention. The results of this study provide evidence of the implications of consumer behavior theory, indicating that purchasing decisions are influenced by several factors, including those related to the variables in this research namely media influence, product branding, and social groups..

This study aims to examine the influence of social media marketing on brand image, brand awareness, and perceived quality in skincare product users. Research methods using quantitative approach descriptive causality. The sample consisted of 105 respondents who are active skincare users on instagram. Data were collected through online questionnaires and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that social media marketing has a significant and positive influence on brand image, brand awareness, and perceived quality, which can increase purchase intention. These findings indicate that an increase in social media marketing can increase consumer purchase intention. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that skincare companies are advised to continue to optimize social media marketing strategies to build a positive brand image, increase brand awareness, and strengthen perceived quality in order to create consumer desire to buy products.