The Influence of Brand Ambassadors, Brand Image and Product Quality on Purchasing Decisions for Mister Potato Snack Products in Surabaya

Ruri Indah Lestari¹, Hery Pudjoprastyono², Egan Evanzha Yudha Amriel³

^1,2,3 Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” East Java, Indonesia

ABSTRACT: In the food industry, especially in the type of snack or snack, Snacks are a food category that is currently available in many varieties and is well-liked by all consumers. By using 102 customers as research samples, this study aims to ascertain the impact of brand ambassadors, brand image, and product quality on purchasing decisions for Mister Potato snack products. In order to collect data for this study, questionnaires were distributed and analyzed using SEM PLS. Purposive sampling was the sampling method utilized in this investigation, which used a nonprobability sampling strategy. The findings demonstrated that Mister Potato snack food purchases in Surabaya are positively and significantly influenced by brand ambassadors, brand image, and product quality. It is possible to say that something is significant (positive) because it supports the hypothesis.

KEYWORDS: Brand Ambassador, Brand Image, Product Quality, Purchase Decision

I. INTRODUCTION

Competition in the economic field continues to develop, especially in similar companies, which makes companies required to have strategies that are able to seize and maintain market share. In this case, forms of economic behavior such as consumption activities cannot escape competition because it is one of the needs that must be met. Consumers’ consumption is influenced by both internal (i.e., self-reported) and external (i.e., environment-influenced) elements to achieve maximum pleasure.. Consumption activities are not only centered on staple foods but there are foods that are considered to be able to relieve hunger which is only temporary, one example is snacks or snacks.

Snack is a type of food that is quite popular with all groups of consumers ranging from children to adults because this type of food has a variety of flavor choices. To find out how well known the brand is and how many consumers choose snack brands can be seen from the TOP Brand Index data. The following TOP Brand Index data for the Processed Potato Chips Category in 2019-2022 is shown in Table 1

Table 1. TBI Processed Potato Chips Category 2019-2022 (See in PDF File)

Source : https://www.topbrand-award.com/

Brand Ambassadors are used by some large companies to represent a brand by using public figure models that have popularity among consumers. The attractiveness of a brand ambassador is brand ambassador is considered capable of attracting consumer attention so that companies can utilize it as a means of conveying information about a company’s products through this appeal (Ilaisyah, H., & Sulistyowati, R., 2020)

The existence of a positive or negative experience that has been had or the perspectives of other customers can both contribute to how a product is perceived by consumers.. In this case, quality can influence because good quality will create good perceptions and memories in the minds of consumers, according to Kotler & Armstrong (2012: 283) in (Prasetiyo & Andjarwati, 2021) product quality is how a product can function as its proper role. Fulfillment of quality standards for a good product must be applied because the good and bad quality of a product can influence purchasing decisions on that product.

1. LITERATURE REVIEW

Brand Ambassador

Brand ambassador is someone who collaborates with an organization that is responsible for informing the general public about a good or service (Kotler & Armstrong, 2014: 163) in Mistianingrum and Dermawan (2022). Meanwhile, according to Lea-Greenwood (2012) in Rian Darmawan et al (2019) Brand ambassadors are tools that can be used by several organizations in order to connect and communicate to the public in the hope of increasing sales volume within the organization. Indicators of brand ambassadors according to Rossiter and Percy (2001) in Saputro (2018): 1. Visibility, 2.Accessibility, 3. Attraction, 4. Strength

Brand Image

Brand image, according to Kotler & Lane (2016), is how consumers view a brand as a result of their associations with it.. Meanwhile, brand image is a consumer response or reaction to a brand based on the positive and negative characteristics of the brand that people can recall, according to Keller & Swaminathan (2020: 3). According to Keller (2016: 97), the following are signs of a positive brand image: 1. Brand Identity; 2. Brand Personality; 3. Brand Association; and 4. Brand Benefits and Advantages.

Product Quality

According to Tjiptono in (Mahsyar & Surapati, 2020), a product’s functioning, such as its durability, dependability, usability, repairability, and other features, is referred to as its quality. Product quality, on the other hand, is emphasized by Kotler and Armstrong in (Oktavenia & Ardani, 2018) as a competitive advantage. Therefore, a business that manufactures high-quality products will grow swiftly and eventually exceed its rivals in terms of profitability. Because a product will be more useful if it is manufactured with precision (Angelica & Soebiantoro, 2022). According to Fiani and Japarianto (2012) in Marpaung, et al., indicators of brand image: 1. Color, 2. Appearance, 3. Portion, 4. Aroma, 5. Taste

Brand Ambassador and Purchase Decision

Brand ambassadors, according to Greenwood (2012) in Lelly Brestilliani (2020), have an impact on consumer decisions since they are employed to boost sales through their ability to connect with and engage the public. Customers will be drawn to this knowledge, increasing their interest in the goods and serving as a catalyst for eventual purchase decisions. According to research (Herawati and Angga Sanita Putra, 2023) brand ambassadors have a good and considerable impact on consumers’ purchase decisions.

H1 ; The influence of brand ambassadors on Mister Potato snack product purchases in Surabaya is favorable.

Brand Image and Purchasing Decision

Because the brand name serves as the foundation for creating a thorough perception of a product’s quality, brands that have become ingrained in consumers’ thoughts can boost their trust in these products. In Nurul Evita (2017), Setyaningrum (2014: 6) states that brand image has a substantial impact on consumers’ purchase decisions. Customers are more inclined to make a purchase when they have a favourable perception of the brand. Customers are more likely to make a purchase in the long run when they have a favourable perception of a brand (Firmansyah, 2019: 42). The findings of the study by Nur Amalia (2019) show that brand image has a considerable and advantageous impact on purchase choices.

H2 : In Surabaya, consumer decisions about Mister Potato snack products are positively impacted by brand perception.

Product Quality and Purchasing Decision

The ability of a product to please clients on a physical and psychological level is referred to as its quality, which demonstrates any qualities or characteristics it possesses (Kotler and Armstrong 2016: 224). The greater the quality, the greater the ability to draw in customers. Quality is possible to streamline all marketing elements that have an impact on purchasing decisions, so according to Aaker (2010) there is an influence between purchasing decisions on purchase decisions. Consumer confidence in making purchases can be boosted by the product’s quality. The findings of the research (Suari et al., 2019) demonstrated that product quality has a considerable and advantageous influence on purchase decisions.

H3 : In Surabaya, purchasing decisions for Mister Potato snack products are positively impacted by product quality.

(See in PDF File)

Fig 1. Conceptual Framework

III.  RESEARCH METHODS

The distribution of questionnaires through an online Google Form was the research methodology, and both primary and secondary data were employed. The Brand Image (X2) measurement scale was employed in this investigation. (X1) Brand Ambassador Product Excellence (X3) Decision to Buy (Y) the ordinal scale H1 H2 H3 Likert scale measurement method. With 102 respondents as the sample size, the population of this study consisted of customers who had purchased and consumed Mister Potato snack goods while residing in Surabaya. Purposive sampling with a nonprobability sampling method was the sample strategy employed in this investigation. SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) component-based PLS (Partial Least Square) is the data analysis method employed in this study.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Of the 102 respondents who have answered the questions that have been given. It can be seen that the age of the most respondents is 22-26 years, namely 72 respondents or 70.6%, the most gender is female, namely 35 respondents or 34.3%.

Validity and Reliability Test

The amount of indicator variation conveyed by the hidden variable is denoted by the phrase “Average Variance Extracted” (AVE), which is a numerical value. Greater than 0.5 convergent AVE values show strong validity for latent variables.

To be considered consistent in measuring latent variables, composite reliability must be more than 0.7.

Table 2. Average Extracted (AVE) and Composite Reliability

   Source : Data Processed 2023

The Brand Ambassador variable (X1) scored 0.604506, Brand Image variable (X2) scored 0.630092, Product Quality variable (X3) scored 0.607398, and Purchasing Decision (Y) scored 0.728490 on the AVE test, indicating that the variables in this study generally have good validity..

The Brand Ambassador variable (X1) has a Composite Reliability value of 0.858465, the Brand Image variable (X2) is 0.871073, the Product Quality variable (X3) is 0.884377, and the Purchasing Decision variable (Y) has a Composite Reliability value of 0.914742. These four variables all have Composite Reliability values above 0.70, indicating that all of the variables in this study are reliable.

Table 3. R-Square

    Source : Data Processed 2023

R2 is equal to 0.787503.  It can be inferred that the model may account for the phenomenon of purchasing decisions, which have a variance of 78.75% and are impacted by independent variables such as brand ambassador, brand image, and product quality.  While the remaining 21.25% is explained by other factors (apart from Brand Ambassador, Brand Image, and Product Quality) that were not considered in this study.

Hypothesis Testing

Fig. 2 : T-Statistic Bootstraping (See in PDF File)

Source : Data Processed 2023

The magnitude of the factor loading value for each indicator, which is located above the arrow between the variable and the indicator, as well as the magnitude of the path coefficients, which are located above the arrow line connecting the exogenous variables and the endogenous variables, can both be seen in the PLS output image shown above. Additionally, the quantity of R-Square that is directly inside the circle denoting the endogenous variable (Purchase Decision variable) can be viewed.

Table 4. Path Coefficients (Mean, STDEV, T-Values, PValues)

Source : Data Processed 2023

DISCUSSION

The Influence of Brand Ambassadors on Purchasing Decisions

Based on the findings of the research, it is concluded that brand ambassadors influence consumers’ decisions to buy Mister Potato snacks in Surabaya. According to the results of the accepted hypothesis, this influence indicates that there is a connection between Brand Ambassador and Purchasing Decisions, and that as the Brand Ambassador increases, so will the decision to buy Mister Potato snack goods. The Power indicator shows the largest factor loading outcome. Whereas consumers are more likely to choose a product that has a brand ambassador, the fame and appeal of a celebrity can persuade others to purchase the goods they believe in..

The findings of this study are consistent with research by Wua Gloria Sterie, James D. D. Massie, and Djurwati Soepono (2019), which found that brand ambassadors influence consumer decisions favorably. Researchers Niza Utami, Purnama Ramadani Silalahi, and Khairina Tambunan found that brand ambassadors have a positive and significant impact on purchasing decisions both partially and concurrently in their research (Niza Utami, Purnama Ramadani Silalahi, and Khairina Tambunan, 2022).

The Effect of Brand Image on Purchasing Decisions

According to the research’s findings, consumers in Surabaya choose to buy Mister Potato snacks based on their perception of the brand. According to the results of the accepted hypothesis, which indicate that there is a correlation between brand image and purchasing decisions, as the brand image improves, more people will choose to buy Mister Potato snack goods. The largest factor loading result lies in the Brand Personality indicator, where consumers see in terms of the distinctiveness of a product so that it forms a personality that distinguishes it from other brands. Mister Potato provides packaging that is different from other snack products and easy to carry anywhere. So that the more distinctive the packaging of a brand or product that can form a brand image, larger the number of consumer purchase decisions that will be made.

Suparti and Feby Evelyna’s research from 2022 demonstrates the large and favorable relationship between product quality and purchase choices. Brand image has a good and considerable impact on purchasing decisions, according to (Iis Miati, 2020).

The Effect of Product Quality on Purchasing Decisions

Based on the findings of the research, it is concluded that Product Quality influences consumers’ choices to buy Mister Potato snacks in Surabaya. According to the results of the tested hypothesis, which indicate that there is a correlation between product quality and purchasing decisions, more people will choose to buy Mister Potato snack goods as product quality rises. The Portion indicator shows the highest factor loading result. Which is why Mister Potato has a percentage that complies with the requirements set forth, ensuring that customers are happy with the product being delivered. As a result of these benefits, customers will continue to make purchase decisions.

According to research by Maulana et al. (2021), brand image influences purchases in a favorable way. Research reveals that product quality influences purchase decisions in a good and significant way (Hadita et al., 2020).V. 

CONCLUSION

The following conclusion may be drawn from the test findings using PLS analysis to examine the impact of Brand Ambassador, Brand Image, and Product Quality on Purchasing Decisions for Mister Potato snack products:

1. A brand ambassador helped influence the choice to buy Mister Potato snack items in Surabaya. This demonstrates that the level of purchasing decisions increases with the quality of the Brand Ambassador deployed.
2. Mister Potato snack food purchases in Surabaya are influenced by brand image. This demonstrates that the quality of purchasing decisions increases with brand image.
3. In Surabaya, shopping decisions for Mister Potato snack products are influenced by product quality. This demonstrates that the level of purchase decisions increases with quality.

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