Studi Komparatif Pengaruh KOL Marketing terhadap Consumer Decision Making melalui Brand Image dan Brand Trust pada Produk Men’s Facewash

Abstract

Industri skincare di Indonesia tumbuh pesat dengan proyeksi pendapatan sebesar US$10,55 miliar pada tahun 2026 yang berimplikasi pada diversifikasi strategi pemasaran. Salah satu strategi pemasaran digital adalah Key Opinion Leader, namun efektivitasnya diduga berbeda antar merek dengan posisi kompetitif yang berbeda. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis dan membandingkan pengaruh KOL Marketing terhadap consumer decision making melalui brand image dan brand trust sebagai variabel mediasi pada dua merek men's facewash, yaitu Kahf dan Barber Daily dengan representasi KOL masing-masing Ricky Harun dan dr. Tirta. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode survei terhadap 353 responden laki-laki generasi z di wilayah Jabodetabek, dianalisis menggunakan PLS–MGA dengan model double parallel mediation. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa KOL marketing berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap consumer decision making pada kedua merek, namun efektifivas Barber Daily lebih tinggi dibandingkan Kahf. Brand image terbukti memediasi pada kedua merek, sementara brand trust hanya terbukti memediasi pada Barber Daily. Temuan ini mengindikasikan bahwa efektivitas strategi KOL tidak bersifat universal, melainkan dipengaruhi secara signifikan oleh posisi kompetitif merek.

The skincare industry in Indonesia is growing rapidly with a projected revenue of US$10,55 billion in 2026, which has implications for marketing strategy diversification. One digital marketing strategy is Key Opinion Leaders, but its effectiveness is thought to differ between brands with different competitive positions. This study aims to analyze and compare the influence of KOL Marketing on consumer decision making through brand image and brand trust as mediating variables in two men's facewash brands, namely Kahf and Barber Daily with KOL representations, respectively, Ricky Harun and dr. Tirta. The study used a quantitative approach with a survey method of 353 male respondents of generation z in the Greater Jakarta area, analyzed using PLS–MGA with a double parallel mediation model. The results showed that KOL marketing had a positive and significant effect on consumer decision making in both brands, but the effectiveness of Barber Daily was higher than Kahf. Brand image was proven to mediate in both brands, while brand trust was only proven to mediate in Barber Daily. These findings indicate that the effectiveness of KOL strategies is not universal, but is significantly influenced by the brand's competitive position.