Pengaruh Brand Ambassador terhadap Brand Image dan Keputusan Pembelian Produk Susu L-Men di Kota Bogor

Abstract

Susu merupakan sumber protein penting, namun produksi domestik Indonesia belum mampu memenuhi kebutuhan yang terus meningkat. Konsumsi susu tinggi protein di Kota Bogor cukup tinggi, khususnya pada pria muda. L-Men menghadapi persaingan ketat dan penurunan Top Brand Index (TBI), sehingga diperlukan strategi pemasaran melalui brand ambassador. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh brand ambassador terhadap brand image dan keputusan pembelian. Sampel berjumlah 118 responden pria dengan teknik purposive sampling. Analisis menggunakan SEM-PLS dengan SmartPLS 4.0. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa brand ambassador berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap brand image (ß= 0,650) dan keputusan pembelian (ß = 0,347), serta brand image berpengaruh positif terhadap keputusan pembelian (ß = 0,461), sehingga pengaruh langsung brand ambassador terhadap keputusan pembelian relatif lebih kecil dibandingkan pengaruh tidak langsung melalui brand image. Dengan demikian, brand ambassador lebih efektif berperan sebagai pembentuk brand image yang kemudian memediasi dan memperkuat keputusan pembelian konsumen.

Milk is an important protein source, yet Indonesia’s domestic production remains insufficient. High-protein milk consumption in Bogor is relatively high, especially among young men. L-Men faces increasing competition and declining Top Brand Index (TBI), requiring marketing strategies through brand ambassadors. This study examines the effect of brand ambassadors on brand image and purchase decisions. The sample consists of 118 male respondents using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using SEM-PLS with SmartPLS 4.0. Results show that brand ambassadors significantly influence brand image (ß = 0.650) and purchase decisions (ß = 0.347), while brand image also significantly affects purchase decisions (ß = 0.461), as a result, the direct effect of brand ambassadors on purchase decisions is relatively smaller than their indirect effect through brand image. Therefore, brand ambassadors are more effective as builders of brand image, which in turn mediates and strengthens consumer purchase decisions.