Pengaruh Viral Marketing terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Sunscreen Wardah melalui Brand Awareness sebagai Variabel Intervening (Studi pada Mahasiswa Universitas Diponegoro Semarang)

The industrial era 4.0 causes tough competition in the business, which needs to be more aggressive in marketing on social media, such as through Viral marketing. Sunscreen Wardah has tried to do viral marketing in order to increase consumer brand awareness, but it has not had a specific effect on sales of these products. So by looking at the existing problems, this research was conducted with the aim of knowing the Effect of Viral Marketing on Wardah Sunscreen Purchase Decisions through Brand awareness as an Intervening Variable which was tested based on variables but was described through the influence of each dimension/independent variable indicator. The number of samples was 100 respondents with non-probability sampling technique, namely purposive sampling. Data collection techniques were carried out through questionnaires, literature studies, and interviews. This type of research is explanatory research which is processed using SmartPLS 3.3.3 software with the results that the messenger (Celebrity endorser) variable in Viral marketing has an insignificant negative effect on the Brand awareness variable, The message variable (advertising message) has a significant positive effect on Brand awareness, The environment variable (Social media marketing) in Viral marketing has a significant positive effect on Brand awareness, the Brand awareness variable has a significant positive effect on Purchase Decisions, each Viral marketing dimension has a different influence on Purchase Decisions through Brand awareness. The dimensions of The messenger in the indirect effect on the Purchase Decision variable have an insignificant negative effect, The message in the indirect effect on the Purchase Decision variable has a significant positive effect, and The environment in the indirect effect on the Purchase Decision variable has a significant positive effect.Era industri 4.0 dan perkembangan teknologi mengubah perilaku konsumen yang semula biasa berbelanja secara langsung menjadi berbelanja online. Hal tersebut menyebabkan persaingan ketat dalam bisnis termasuk bidang kosmetik yang perlu semakin gencar melakukan pemasaran di media sosial, seperti melalui Viral marketing. Sunscreen Wardah telah berupaya melakukan Viral marketing demi meningkatkan Brand awareness konsumen, namun belum berpengaruh secara spesifik terhadap penjualan produk tersebut. Sehingga dengan melihat permasalahan yang ada, penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan mengetahui Pengaruh Viral marketing Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Sunscreen Wardah Melalui Brand awareness Sebagai Variabel Intervening yang diuji berdasarkan variabel namun dijabarkan melalui pengaruh dari masing-masing dimensi/indikator variabel bebas (independent variable). Jumlah sampel sebanyak 100 responden dengan teknik pengambilan sampel nonprobability sampling yaitu purposive sampling. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui kuesioner, studi pustaka, serta wawancara. Tipe penelitian ini ialah explanatory research yang diolah menggunakan software SmartPLS 3.3.3 dengan hasil variabel The messenger (Celebrity endorser) dalam Viral marketing memiliki pengaruh negatif tidak signifikan terhadap variabel Brand awareness, variabel The message (pesan iklan) berpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap Brand awareness, variabel The environment (Social media marketing) dalam Viral marketing berpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap Brand awareness, variabel Brand awareness berpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap Keputusan Pembelian, masing-masing dimensi Viral marketing memiliki pengaruh yang berbeda terhadap Keputusan Pembelian melalui Brand awareness. Dimensi The messenger dalam indirect effect terhadap variabel Keputusan Pembelian memiliki pengaruh negatif tidak signifikan, The message dalam indirect effect terhadap variabel Keputusan Pembelian memiliki pengaruh positif signifikan, serta The environment dalam indirect effect terhadap variabel Keputusan Pembelian memiliki pengaruh positif signifikan.