Influence of Promotion, Product Quality, and Brand Image on Purchase Decisions for Scarlett Whitening Body Lotion among UTM Jakarta Students: Mediating Role of Purchase Intention

Figure Ilustrasi AI

FORMOSA NEWS - Jakarta - Social Media Promotion and Brand Image Drive Gen Z Skincare Purchases Over Product Quality, Study Finds. Targeted social media promotion and a strong brand image play a far more decisive role in driving Generation Z’s skincare purchases than objective product quality, according to new research published in 2026 by researchers Shifa Maulydia and Viniyati Maftuchach from Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta. The study highlights a pivotal shift in consumer behavior within the booming personal care industry, demonstrating that psychological purchase intent fueled by digital marketing and brand reputation acts as the primary bridge connecting marketing efforts to actual sales.

The research comes at a critical juncture for Indonesia's cosmetics and personal care market, which has witnessed rapid expansion in recent years. Data from the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia indicates that the number of cosmetic enterprises in the nation grew from 760 in 2022 to 797 in 2023. This influx of brands has created a highly competitive, fragmented market where consumers face an unprecedented variety of products offering similar functional benefits, formulations, and price points.

To examine how young consumers navigate this crowded marketplace, Shifa Maulydia and Viniyati Maftuchach focused on Scarlett Whitening Body Lotion, a prominent domestic skincare brand heavily promoted across digital platforms. Despite Scarlett Whitening's widespread visibility and high brand awareness among younger demographics, market reports show intense competition from established brands like Marina, Vaseline, and Nivea. Understanding the psychological mechanisms that turn digital engagement into completed transactions is essential for beauty brands aiming to maintain market share among Generation Z a demographic where nearly 86 percent prefer skincare over decorative cosmetics.

To investigate these dynamics, the researchers at Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta designed a quantitative survey study grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The team collected cross-sectional survey data from 100 active undergraduate students at Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta using a purposive sampling approach. The respondents were selected specifically because they belong to Generation Z, actively use social media platforms, and have direct experience purchasing or using Scarlett Whitening Body Lotion. The collected data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to test complex direct and indirect relationships among promotion, product quality, brand image, purchase intention, and final purchase decisions.

The empirical analysis yielded several major findings regarding consumer purchasing behavior:

• Brand Image Drives Intent: Brand image emerged as the single strongest factor shaping purchase intention ($\beta = 0.701, p < 0.001$), proving that a favorable brand reputation significantly builds trust and emotional attachment among young consumers.
  
• Digital Promotion Ignites Interest: Promotional activities had a statistically significant positive effect on purchase intention ($\beta = 0.232, p = 0.003$), demonstrating that influencer endorsements, social media campaigns, and discounts effectively capture consumer interest.
  
• Product Quality Has No Direct Impact: Product quality did not exert a statistically significant influence on purchase intention ($\beta = 0.022, p = 0.754$) or direct purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.051, p = 0.531$). For Gen Z buyers, functional product quality is treated as a baseline expectation rather than a primary point of differentiation.
  
• Purchase Intention Is Essential: Purchase intention was identified as the key determinant directly driving actual purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.810, p < 0.001$).
  
• The Crucial Mediating Role: Neither promotion nor brand image directly converted into final purchases without first creating purchase intention. Purchase intention fully mediated the relationship between promotion and purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.188, p = 0.005$) as well as brand image and purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.568, p < 0.001$).
  

These findings offer practical implications for business strategy, brand managers, and digital marketers in the personal care sector. The study reveals that relying solely on superior product formulation is no longer sufficient to secure sales in highly competitive consumer markets. Instead, beauty enterprises must prioritize marketing strategies that actively build positive brand associations and engage consumers on digital platforms. By cultivating strong consumer willingness to buy, companies can more effectively translate digital promotional investments into measurable sales growth.

Author Profile
Shifa Maulydia, S.M. is a researcher and graduate from Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta, specializing in consumer behavior, marketing management, and digital brand strategy.
Viniyati Maftuchach, S.E., M.M. is a lecturer and academic supervisor at Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta, focusing her research on business management, strategic marketing, and consumer decision-making models.

Source
Shifa Maulydia,Viniyati Maftuchach. Influence of Promotion, Product Quality, and Brand Image on Purchase Decisions for Scarlett Whitening Body Lotion among UTM Jakarta Students: Mediating Role of Purchase Intention. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, Akuntansi dan Keuangan (JAMBAK). Volume 5, Issue 5 2026, Pages 99–118).
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/jambak.v5i1.13
URL: https://journaljambak.my.id/index.php/jambak