Brand Trust On Brand Love In The Automotive Industry : Brand Equity As a Mediating Variable

Kepercayaan Merek dan Kecintaan Merek di Industri Otomotif : Ekuitas Merek sebagai Variabel Mediasi

Abstrak

This research examines the relationships among brand trust, brand experience, brand equity, and brand love within Indonesia's automotive industry, based on responses from 374 consumers across five regions of Jakarta. Grounded in the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) framework and emotional branding theory.

Objective: This study analyzes direct and mediating effects of brand trust on brand love, with brand equity as the mediating variable.

Methodology: This study adopts a quantitative, causal, cross-sectional design within a post-positivist paradigm. Data were collected using a validated 4-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The study examines brand trust, brand experience, brand equity, and brand love, measured through their respective dimensions.

Research Results: Findings reveal that brand trust significantly and positively influences brand equity and brand love. Moreover, brand equity partially mediates these relationships, demonstrating its crucial role in translating trust perceptions into emotional attachment. The model showed strong reliability and validity (Cronbach's α > 0.80, AVE > 0.50, CR > 0.85).