https://injurity.pusatpublikasi.id/index.php/in 1006
THE INFLUENCE OF COMMUNICATION THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA ON BRAND EQUITY IN SHAPING NIKE PRODUCT
PURCHASE INTENTIONS
Rafi Wahyu Perdana, Raden Roro Ratna Roostika
Universitas Islam Indonesia, Indonesia
Email: 19311355@students.uii.ac.id, [email protected]
Abstract
By utilizing social media, companies can interact with consumers, making social media
communication created by companies an essential element of the company's promotional
mix. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of social media
communication on brand equity and brand attitude in shaping the purchase intention of
Nike products. This research employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis with
the assistance of AMOS software, involving a total sample of 223 respondents. The
results of this study show that firm-created content and user-generated content have a
positive impact on brand equity. User-generated content has a positive effect on brand
attitude, while firm-created content does not have a positive effect on brand attitude.
Furthermore, brand equity and brand attitude have a positive impact on purchase
intention. This study reveals that user-generated communication has a more significant
influence on purchase intent through brand equity and brand attitude. Brand equity and
brand attitude are crucial factors in the purchase intention of a product.
Keywords
:
firm created communication, user-generated content, brand equity, brand
attitude, purchase intention
INTRODUCTION
"The rapid growth of information technology has brought about a revolution in
business communication (Arrigo, 2018). Since the emergence of the first social media
networks around two decades ago, social media has continuously evolved worldwide in
innovative and meaningful ways to connect with consumers and brands (Keegan &
Rowley, 2017). Social media has become an integral part of everyday life for
communication, sharing information, and uploading content, as demonstrated in research
conducted by (Sadek et al., 2018). Now, media has transformed rapidly, and consumers
progressively use social networking sites to seek information about various products and
services (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2016). With the increasing number of internet and
social media users, it has become inevitable for major brands to understand online
consumer behavior (Kristiani et al., 2019).
Social media has transformed traditional brand marketing by shifting control and
brand management away from marketing managers, gradually replaced by consumer
influence, thus affecting the social benefits and trust that influence online purchase
intentions (Liu & Guo, 2017). The influence of social media on consumer behavior
patterns includes a series of steps, starting with the provision of information that
ultimately creates awareness and understanding of a brand (Bhandari & Rodgers, 2018).
Injuruty: Interdiciplinary Journal and Humanity
Volume 2, Number 12, December 2023
e-ISSN: 2963-4113 and p-ISSN: 2963-3397
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found that trust variables can shape purchase intentions in online consumers.
Furthermore, social media also affects consumer behavior during the purchase process
(Bilgin, 2018). In today's competitive landscape, brands play a highly significant role in
competing among companies producing similar goods or services. Brands have an
indelible distinction in the minds of consumers (Yaseen & Mazahir, 2019).
There are five variables that will be investigated by the researcher, namely
communication generated by the company, communication generated by users, consumer
purchase intention, brand attitude, and brand equity. It is expected that this can provide
new insights into consumer choices regarding product purchase decisions.
There is a positive and significant relationship between brand equity, one of its
dimensions being brand awareness, and purchase intention (Civelek & Ertemel, 2019).
Brand equity is influenced by social media brand communication generated by the
company, showing a positive impact (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2016). User-generated
content related to the brand has a significant influence on building brand awareness. In
other words, consumers are more interested in content created by users compared to
official content from the company in creating brand equity (Uddin et al., 2019).
Communication through user-generated social media has a positive impact on brand
equity, while social media communication generated by the company positively affects
brand equity. Brand equity and brand attitude have been shown to have a positive impact
on purchase intention (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2016).
This research aims to determine the relevance in Indonesia and various sources that
can be used as references, while avoiding duplication through discussions in previous
studies. The purpose of this study is to understand the influence of social media
communication on brand equity and brand attitude in shaping the purchase intention of
Nike products. This research also makes an effort to determine the relevance in Indonesia
and identify various sources that can be used as references while avoiding duplication
through discussions in previous research.
RESEARCH METHODS
In this study, the method employed is quantitative research, which is a way to test
theories and relationships between variables by collecting numerical data and analyzing
it using statistical methods (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). A quantitative approach is
applied in this research, focusing on inference and drawing conclusions based on the
probability of rejecting the null hypothesis (Azwar, 2011). The research was conducted
in Indonesia, with the research subjects being consumers actively using social media.
They are considered to have relevant knowledge about the Samsung brand to support this
research, hence the research location is in Indonesia. In the quantitative method, data was
collected through a questionnaire.
This study is centered on individuals in Indonesia selected through a sampling
process, as they constitute a relevant population for this research. To identify participants
who are active social media users but not users of Samsung products, the researchers used
this platform as the criterion. The research questionnaire was distributed online via
Google Forms. To measure the variables in this study, a Six-Point Likert Scale was
utilized, ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree”
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Figure 1: Conceptual Model of the Study; Source: Authors
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The survey was conducted through an online Google Forms survey, completed by
223 respondents. Descriptive classification results of the respondents show that 53.4% of
the respondents are male. The majority of respondents in this survey are between the ages
of 23 to 28 (45.3%). Most of them hold a Bachelor's degree, with 114 respondents or
51.1%. The data indicates that 81 individuals, or 36.3% of the respondents, spend less
than Rp2,000,000 to Rp5,000,000 per month. Regarding the purchase intensity of shoes,
109 respondents buy shoes more than once a year (48.9%). A total of 121 respondents
come from Java (54.3%).
Company-created social media communication (FCC) does not positively influence
brand attitude (BA).
Companies have full control over their social media communication, and it is
expected that this could impact brand attitude positively. However, the findings of this
study indicate that company-created social media communication does not have a positive
influence on brand attitude. This finding is in line with research conducted by (Arifani et
al., 2023). The expectation that companies can build brand attitude through company-
created social media communication or content is not always accurate. One dimension of
brand attitude is the social value of the brand, and that is one reason why company-created
social media communication does not always strengthen the equity held by the brand.
Therefore, even though Nike conducts marketing campaigns through their official
channels, it does not necessarily affect the brand attitude of Nike itself. The quality and
credibility of the messages conveyed play a crucial role in influencing individual actions
after receiving information. Brand attitude helps consumers make choices by evaluating
alternatives based on attributes and benefits of each product or brand, and in this way,
customers select products that best satisfy their needs and expectations (Rossiter, 2014).
User-generated social media communication (UGC) significantly and positively
influences brand equity (BE).
User-generated social media communication has a significant and positive impact
on brand equity. Similar findings were also revealed by Schivinski, (2013) in his research.
User-generated social media communication is not bound by company marketing
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activities, making consumers perceive it as more trustworthy, reliable, and engaging.
Furthermore, user-generated social media communication aligns with the dimensions of
brand equity. Therefore, if there are Nike product users creating content about their
experiences with Nike products, it can enhance brand loyalty, brand associations, brand
awareness, perceived quality, brand image, and also the social value of the brand, which
are dimensions of brand equity itself.
Brand attitude (BA) positively influences brand equity (BE).
Research conducted by Allen Broyles et al., (2010) supports this finding. It
indicates that brand attitude, which encompasses product attributes such as durability,
reliability, serviceability, features, performance, or overall quality, has a positive impact
on brand equity itself. If the attributes of brand attitude are found in a product, then
customers' evaluations of brand equity will increase. Moreover, brand attitude is driven
by a liking and a good reputation of the brand itself, which can strengthen the effect of
brand attitude on brand equity. For example, when someone is considering buying Nike
shoes, if they have a positive association with the Nike brand, it can reinforce the positive
information they receive about the specifications of Nike products.
Company-created social media communication (FCC) positively influences
consumer brand equity (BE).
The research findings indicate that using social media as a means of communication
by companies provides positive benefits for consumers' perceptions of their brands. This
aligns with the research conducted by Li and Bernoff in 2011. Consumers expect to find
content provided by companies, such as the Nike brand, to learn about product pricing
and advantages. By creating social media content, companies can expand their advertising
reach and trigger viral responses, thereby influencing consumers' overall brand attitudes
and evaluations, including attributes such as durability, defects, features, performance,
and product preferences. Therefore, it is recommended that marketing managers focus on
building beneficial brand relationships and integrating brand characteristics that shape
consumers' attitudes toward the brand. For example, Nike's social media communication
impacts consumers' evaluations of the quality of Nike products.
User-generated social media communication (UGC) positively influences consumer
brand attitude (BA).
From the results of this research, it can be concluded that the use of social media
by users can have a positive impact on consumer attitudes toward brands. This finding
aligns with the research conducted by Burmann and Arnhold in 2008. The more and
higher-quality user-generated social media communication there is, the more positive
consumers' attitudes toward the brand become. User-generated social media
communication is not tied to a company's marketing activities, making consumers trust it
more and be more inclined to accept reviews from users rather than from the company
itself. For example, if many users provide positive reviews of Nike products on various
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social media platforms, it can influence consumers' overall evaluations of the Nike brand
and increase their tendency to favor the brand.
Brand equity (BE) positively influences purchase intention (PI).
The findings of this research are consistent with previous studies, such as the one
conducted by Yoo and Donthu in 2001, which demonstrated that the higher the brand
value, the greater its impact on consumer purchase intentions. For Nike products,
consumers tend to consider product attributes such as the outsole, shoe design, material,
and durability when making their purchase decisions. Therefore, if these attributes receive
positive evaluations from consumers, the intention to purchase Nike products is likely to
increase.
Brand attitude (BA) positively influences purchase intention (PI).
This aligns with research conducted by Keller and Lehmann in 2003, where the
results indicate that the better the content disseminated on social media regarding overall
product information, which has a positive impact on customers' overall evaluations of a
product, the more it aligns with their intention to purchase that product. Positive brand
attitudes recognized by consumers lead to positive, unique, and strong associations.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the level of purchase intent for that product also
strengthens. For instance, various information circulating on social media about Nike
products, whether it's about product design or even celebrities wearing Nike products, can
enhance the equity of the Nike brand, and customers will be inclined to purchase Nike
products due to the brand's image and social value.
CONCLUSSION
The results of this study indicate a significant difference between the impact of
content created by companies for their brands and content independently generated by
users on brand purchase intent. User-generated content has a significant influence on
brand equity and brand attitude, while content created by companies only has a direct
impact on brand equity and purchase intent. Therefore, the selection and distribution of
content must be carefully considered to align with brand marketing strategies.
In this context, the research reveals two crucial findings. First, product information
can be received differently depending on the source, which expands our understanding of
how product information is perceived. The study also shows that brand image and social
value are important factors influencing the reception of brand information, in addition to
generic information such as features, durability, and performance. Furthermore, the
research confirms a positive relationship between social value and brand image overall
with purchase intent. However, the construction of social value and brand image as a
whole must be conceptually considered in the delivery of brand information.
A noteworthy finding in this research is that company's social media
communication does not directly impact brand attitude but can shape consumers'
perceived value through their brand equity. Although company-generated content may
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1011
only impact consumers' brand equity and not directly their brand attitude, it can still
influence brand attitude through consumers' attitude toward the brand. This study
demonstrates that consumers' evaluation of brand attitude, typically associated with
product descriptions, is also influenced by their overall brand evaluation. Therefore, when
considering the effects of content on brand information dissemination, the conceptual
framework should include the path effects of content created by the company on purchase
intent and the effects of overall evaluation on brand equity that affect purchase intent.
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Copyright holders:
Rafi Wahyu Perdana, Raden Roro Ratna Roostika (2023)
First publication right:
Injurity - Interdiciplinary Journal and Humanity
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
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