Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand

Ambassador, Korean Wave, Brand Image

Mediated by Buying Interest

Diva Ayu Pradani and Liana Mangifera(B)

Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta, Indonesia

lm122@ums.ac.id

Abstract. This study aimed to determine whether purchasing decisions can be

influenced by brand ambassadors, Korean waves, and brand image and can be
mediated by the interest in buying Scarlett Whitening products among students in
Surakarta. This research is a quantitative study using a non-probability sampling
technique using a purposive sampling method by distributing questionnaires in the
form of Google from university students in Surakarta. Data was successfully col-
lected, which met the qualifications of 217 respondents—processed using Smart-
Pls 3 software. In this study, data management was carried out, namely validity
testing, reliability testing, and hypothesis testing. There were 10 hypothesis testing
with the results of brand ambassadors, brand image, and purchase intention directly
influencing the purchasing decision of Scarlett whitening products.Meanwhile, the
Korean Wave had no effect either directly or indirectly on interest and purchasing
decisions. The role of mediation in this study shows that brand image is the only
one that is successfully mediated by purchase intention. The results of this study
can be used as a reference for Scarlett whitening product marketing so that they
can continue collaborating with brand ambassadors to attract consumer attention
and increase sales. Purchases because consumers are usually more concerned with
the product’s image than trends or figures who become brand ambassadors.

Keywords: Brand Ambassador · Korean Wave · Brand Image · Buying Interest ·

Purchase Decision

1 Introduction
The trend of buying beauty products is increasing due to the covid-19 pandemic, which
makes most Indonesians do beauty treatments. This is also influenced by changes in
lifestyle and new trends in society (Adisty, 2022). According to the Statista report, the
value of revenue from the beauty industry in 2020 is US$7 billion or Rp. 100.02 trillion,
This Industry Revenue is expected to increase by 7.26%, reach US$8.6 billion in 2023
and continue to grow by 5.64% to $9.07 billion in 2024 (DataIndonesia.id, 2022). With
this opportunity, many young Indonesian entrepreneurs are running a business in the
beauty sector, one of which is Indonesian artist Feliciya Angelista, who has a beauty
business with Scarlett Whitening products, which was founded in 2017 and has been

© The Author(s) 2024

H. Maulana et al. (Eds.): ICOEBS 2022, AEBMR 247, pp. 670–685, 2024.
https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-204-0_56
 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 671

certified by BPOM, so it is safe to use every day. Scarlett whitening products consist of
three types, namely facial care products, body care and hair care products.
To remain consistent in selling products, companies need to know about consumer
behavior so that companies can create appropriate communication patterns through
advertising (Lestari et al., 2019). Advertising is a medium to build brand awareness
and provide consumers with information (Wang & Hariandja, 2016). This is one of the
reasons companies give a budget for advertising. To promote products, companies can
use brand ambassadors to increase sales widely. The marketing strategy of working with
brand ambassadors is not new. This strategy has been used for a long time and is effective
for many companies to launch a product (Lestari et al., 2019). In the modern era, with-
out a brand ambassador, it isn’t easy to sell products so that consumers can remember
products. Marketers determine the right people for the right products and in the right
market so the brand can maintain stability in a competitive global (Wang & Hariandja,
2016). A Brand Ambassador must have positive behavior at work and in the community
because they will affect a brand’s personality. This will affect the public’s perception of
the brand image.
Brand Image includes the number of opinions, experiences, and attitudes of con-
sumers towards a company or organization and its brand relative to its competitors.
Brand image is significant because it affects consumer preferences and buying interest
(Shahram Gilaninia, 2012). According to (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2015), Purchase inten-
tion is a model of human attitudes toward goods that is suitable for measuring attitudes
toward specific groups of goods, services, or brands. Purchase interest can also influ-
ence purchasing decisions, meaning that the higher the consumer’s buying interest, the
greater the purchase decision. Consumers make purchasing decisions when they have
confidence in the product. However, if the impulse does not match the consumer, they
will consider an alternative before making a purchase decision (Dewi, 2019).
Scarlett whitening products marketing uses Korean actors as their brand ambassadors
to attract consumers’ attention. Scarlett whitening has worked with South Korean actor
Song Jong Ki and TWICE grub as brand ambassadors for Scarlett whitening products.
This is based on the fact that most Indonesian people face the Korean Wave (Hallyu)
phenomenon. This phenomenon began around the 1990s when South Korea became
an ally of the Republic of China. Meanwhile, the Korean Wave’s influence emerged
in Indonesia in the early 2000s (Rahmawati, 2020). Using a brand ambassador and
taking advantage of developing trends will form an image of the brand, which ultimately
encourages consumer interest to purchase.
Several studies have successfully examined the variables of brand ambassador,
Korean Wave, brand image, and purchasing decisions (Setyani & Azhari, 2021)
researched to know the effect of the Korean Wave on the intention to buy Korean skin-
care products (Lestari et al., 2019) conducted research intending to see the impact of the
Korean Wave, brand ambassadors and brand image on purchasing decisions with objects
the original Korean brand, Innisfree, (Azzahra & Sudrajat, 2021) researched the influ-
ence of the attractiveness of Korean idol brand ambassadors on purchasing decisions for
nature republic products. Some of these studies used products from Korea as research
objects to strengthen the influence between variables, while this study used the original
Indonesian brand Scarlett Whitening as research objects. Tests on Scarlett whitening
672 D. A. Pradani and L. Mangifera

products have been carried out (Aliffia & Purnama, 2022) with the title the influence of
brand ambassador Song Jong ki on the brand image of Scarlett whitening products. I
added independent variables and used different samples and locations. So the purpose
of this study is to determine whether purchasing decisions can be influenced by brand
ambassadors, Korean waves, and brand image and can be mediated by interest in buying
Scarlett Whitening products among students in Surakarta.

2 Literature Review

2.1 Buying Decision

Purchase decisions are a series of physical and mental activities experienced by cus-
tomers when purchasing products (Wibowo & Priansa, 2017). In this stage, the consumer
has identified the product, and the company needs to develop an overall purchasing deci-
sion structure to assist consumers in purchasing. The key to purchasing decisions is when
someone faces a problem related to unfulfilled needs and desires. After knowing the prob-
lem, the individual collects various information about what he is looking for or what
the problem is. Then the individual has alternative options to overcome the difficulties
and make judgments against different issues. The individual makes a purchase decision
with alternatives that have been collected, and the behavior showed after the purchase
(Kotler & Keller, 2016).
According to (Swastha, 2008), purchasing decision indicators are decisions about
the product type. Before making a purchase, consumers identify whether the product
they buy is suitable and follow their needs. Decisions about brands several factors that
influence consumers in making purchasing decisions, one of which is the brand image
attached to the consumer’s memory of the product brand. Because providing a positive
impression on the product can build consumer confidence and encourage purchases.
Decisions about the product’s shape and attractive product packaging usually attract
consumers’ attention. Decisions about places of sale, in the digital era like now, con-
sumers tend to choose to shop online so that business actors can take advantage of
technological advances so that consumers get convenience and comfort in buying prod-
ucts. Decisions about the number of products purchased, product variations, and product
quality determine the number of consumer purchases with various product variations.
Decisions about the time of purchase, consumers usually buy products according to
their wishes and needs, so business actors are required to meet consumer needs anytime
and anywhere. In decisions about payment methods, business actors must know what
methods make consumers comfortable and easy. Product variety and quality determine
the number of consumer purchases with various product variations, and consumers tend
to be curious about other products. Even though the product does not have product
variations, business actors can take advantage of the advantages of these products so
that consumers can buy more than one product. The decision to buy a product gives the
impression that the product is already known to the broader community, and this goal
encourages consumers to trust the product.
 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 673

2.2 Buying Interest

According to (Kotler & Keller, 2016), Purchase interest is a behavior that occurs in
response to an object that supports some input information, brings consumers to the
stage where a person is interested in a product, and shows an individual’s desire to make
a purchase decision. Before deciding to buy a product, consumers see the value of the
product they are interested in, if the product has significant benefits compared to their
efforts to get the product, the consumer will be compelled to make a purchase, and vice
versa if the help of the product is not commensurate with the effort, the consumer is
reluctant to buy the product.
In measuring purchase interest, transactional interest is a person’s tendency to buy
a product. Buying interest arises after an alternative evaluation process consisting of
a series of choices regarding a product or service to be purchased. Referential interest,
namely the tendency of someone to refer a product to others, consumers who are satisfied
with the results of a product tend to recommend it to the people around them. This
phenomenon is usually called word of mouth and will continue to flow, making the
product more widely known. The behavior of a person with a primary preference for a
product is known as preferential interest. This preference cannot be altered unless the
desired outcome occurs. The behavior of a person who is always looking for information
about the product he is interested in and looking for information to support the product’s
positive characteristics is referred to as exploratory interest. The information consumers
want to know can be seen from the ratings obtained. The greater the rating of a product,
the more excellent the opportunity to appear on the first page of a search on Google so
that consumers can quickly get the information they want. This shows that the product’s
popularity or value will affect the interest in buying a product. In addition, consumers can
find quality information when deciding to purchase products through online customer
reviews, which consumers usually give after getting and using the products that have
been purchased.
The difference between buying interest and purchasing decisions is in consumer
behavior. If someone is interested in a product but does not carry out the buying process,
this is referred to as buying interest. In contrast, someone who is interested in a product
and makes a buying process is a buying decision. Buying interest and purchasing deci-
sions are related to one another. Usually, before making a purchase decision, consumers
are first interested in or intend to buy the product. This is supported by research (Solihin,
2020) which states that purchasing interest positively affects purchasing decisions. From
this statement, this research implies that:
H7: There is a significant influence between the variables of buying interest on
purchasing decisions.

2.3 Brand Ambassador

A brand ambassador is the tool companies use to communicate and connect with the
public and how they leverage sellers (Lea-Greenwood, 2012). There are four indicators
of brand ambassador according (Royan & M, 2004). Visibility is the level of popularity
of the brand ambassador. This popularity is essential. Usually, someone famous has
many fans in the real world and cyberspace, so the more popular a brand ambassador is,
674 D. A. Pradani and L. Mangifera

the more widely the product is promoted. Credibility is a way for a brand ambassador
to convince consumers of the advertised product. The brand ambassador is the first
person to shape consumer perceptions of a product buying decision. Attraction is the
nature and appearance of a customer brand ambassador who considers a superior product
quality because their favorite personality has supported it. Customers start this support
as an indicator of exceptional quality so that consumers are interested in the products
offered. Power is the strength that exists within a brand ambassador. For example, a
brand ambassador is considered to have an attractive appearance, such as healthy and
clean skin, so they will usually promote skin care products with the aim that consumers
will follow what is worn by a brand ambassador in the hope that their skin will be clean
and healthy. Brand memory too.
The success or failure of a brand ambassador in conveying information about a
product depends on each person’s perception. The role of the brand ambassador is to
encourage product involvement by enabling customers to try, touch, taste, and select sam-
ples to take home to try the product. In addition, customers can get to know the products
offered to buy (Wang & Hariandja, 2016). Using Brand Ambassadors helps consumers
identify and differentiate brands. Usually, ambassadors use well-known artists, celebri-
ties, influencers, singers, and athletes. Brand ambassadors ensure that the products used
are always superior so that consumers perceive what they wear or buy as good items to
arouse consumer interest. But sometimes, the end of the brand ambassador’s contract
with a product can create a negative response to the product. A study (Azzahra & Sudrajat,
2021) revealed that brand ambassadors significantly influence purchasing decisions. The
research was supported by research from By (Kharisma & Hutasuhut, 2019). This study
shows that the brand ambassador variable positively and significantly influences buying
interest. Therefore, brand ambassadors can influence consumer interest and purchasing
decisions (Boswarva, 2012). From this statement, this research implies that:
H1: There is a significant influence between the Brand Ambassador variables
on purchasing decisions.
H2: There is a significant influence between the Brand Ambassador variables
on buying interest.
H8: There is a significant influence between the Brand Ambassador variables
on the purchase decision mediated by buying interest.

2.4 Korean Wave

According to (Prasanti & Dewi, 2020), The term “Hallyu,” or Korean Wave, describes
the global spread of South Korean culture to various countries in the world in the early
1990s. Hallyu means flow/wave. Hallyu contains much cultural content, including K-
pop, K-pop, TV dramas, movies, cooking, beauty, literature, language, local culture,
and fashion. Culture is one of the factors that can influence consumer behavior, so
business actors must follow the flow of cultural developments and consumer behavior
to innovate in the marketing process. There are three indicators of the Korean Wave,
according to (Lita & Cho, 2013). Namely, understanding is the process of finding out
the extent of one’s understanding of the Korean wave phenomenon, which is included in
this understanding is whether someone knows that the K-pop drama and music that they
have seen/heard is one of the spreads of the Korean wave culture. Attitude and behavior,
 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 675

namely finding one’s mood and behavior towards the Korean wave phenomenon, whether
they study this phenomenon after they hear or see Korean music and drama or become
connoisseurs without wanting to know this phenomenon further. After studying Korean
culture, someone usually follows the lifestyle of Korean people, such as food, drinks,
clothes, and body care products. This is the concern of the company to make updates in
the field of marketing and product development on the phenomena that are trending in the
community. Perception (perception), that is, finding out one’s opinion about the Korean
wave phenomenon. This perception can be positive and negative, for example, someone
thinks that the Korean wave phenomenon is unique and interesting to study further,
then this perception is positive and vice versa, if someone considers this phenomenon
unattractive and unimportant, then perception it is negative.
The Korean Wave phenomenon can touch emotions such as empathy and sympathy,
and this emotional touch has brought a positive image of the product being promoted.
This is supported by several researchers, such as research conducted (Sagia & Situ-
morang, 2018). Based on the regression analysis, the Korean Wave variable has a positive
and significant effect on the purchasing decision variable. This shows that the Korean
wave phenomenon can influence consumer purchasing decisions. Research conducted
by (Oscar & Keni, 2019) shows that the Korean wave variable affects the consumer
buying interest variable. People’s buying interest is driven by a developing trend based
on their needs related to the ongoing trend. It encourages people to make purchases to
follow the style of their idol. From this statement, this research implies that:
H3: There is a significant influence between Korean Wave variables on
purchasing decisions.
H4: There is a significant effect between the Korean Wave variable on buying
interest.
H9: There is a significant effect between Korean Wave variables on purchasing
decisions mediated by purchase intention.

2.5 Brand Image

Brand image can affect consumer judgment because of the public’s perception or per-
ception of the brand (Siregar & Simanjuntak, 2020). According to (Takaya, 2019), the
brand image represents all recognized brands. It is built from data, past brand experi-
ences related to brand image, actions in the form of belief, and empathy for the brand.
Products with a positive brand image tend to encourage consumers to make purchases.
There are three indicators of a brand image according to (Sutisna, 2003). Corporate
image is a collection of consumers’ perceptions about the company’s attributes. Before
buying a product, consumers usually see what company produces the product they want.
If consumers already have a good image of the company they will trust and make a
purchase.
User Image Before buying a product, consumers usually look for information about
the product by asking people around who have used the product or find out from social
media. In addition, if the product has good results for consumers, it can build a user image.
Product Image is the most crucial thing in product marketing. Usually, consumers ignore
the company’s and the user’s image but cannot overlook the product’s image because
this product directly deals with consumers. The positive image attached to a product
676 D. A. Pradani and L. Mangifera

certainly describes the benefits and quality of the product. This makes consumers feel
confident and believe that the product can provide help to consumer desires. Consumers
not only use the brand as a name, symbol, or term, but consumers also use the brand as a
distinguishing element between one product and another (Putri & Harti, 2022). Usually,
consumers make purchasing decisions based on the product’s brand image. Furthermore,
consumers will prefer a brand whose image matches their own self-concept. According to
self-concept theory, a person’s self-concept is a collection of perceptions about himself,
including characteristics, abilities, shortcomings, personality, and appearance (Wang &
Hariandja, 2016).
Research conducted by (Siregar & Simanjuntak, 2020) shows the Brand image vari-
able positively and significantly affects purchasing decisions. Researchers suggest that
companies pay attention to the brand image factor because it is essential in attracting
consumer interest, especially in terms of brand characteristics that are easy to pronounce
so that it is easy for consumers to remember. Research conducted (Takaya, 2019) shows
a positive influence on the brand image variable on buying interest. This study’s results
support Kotler and Armstrong’s theory that brand image conveys high product quality to
consumers. Shoppers who always buy the same brand can learn about the same features,
benefits, and rates every time they purchase. Consumers who have a positive image of
the brand are more likely to buy. A product with a good idea in the community will
undoubtedly attract consumers. From this statement, this research implies that:
H5: There is a significant influence between brand image variables on purchas-
ing decisions.
H6: There is a significant influence between brand image variables on buying
interest.
H10: There is a significant influence between brand image variables on
purchasing decisions mediated by purchase intention (Fig. 1).

Brand
Ambassador
(X1)

Korean Wave Buying Interest

(X2) Purchase
(Z) Decision
(Y)

Brand Image
(X3)

Fig. 1. Conceptual Model

 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 677

3 Research Methods

This research is a survey research with a quantitative approach. The survey is a primary
data collection method where researchers have prepared several questions for respon-
dents (Suhartanto, 2014). In marketing, the survey method is popular because this method
can collect standardized raw data. For example, researchers can obtain specific and accu-
rate data (Suhartanto, 2014). For structural equation modeling using SEM-PLS analysis,
All bootstrap indices applied for statistical significance and path coefficient analysis were
measured using SMART-PLS 3 software. All indicators were analyzed and tested against
the specified threshold (Mangifera & Mawardi, 2022).
Variable is a concept that has at least two variations in value (Suharjo, 2013). The vari-
ables in the study are divided into three, namely, the independent variable, the dependent
variable, and the mediating variable. Respondents in this study were student consumers
of Scarlett Whitening products in Surakarta. The measurement scale used is the Likert
scale. The Likert scale is the most popular data collection technique in research, and the
Likert scale is designed to measure how strongly the subject agrees or disagrees with
5-point scale questions (Kussudyarsana et al., 2019).
The population is the total number that includes all the members studied (Kussud-
yarsana et al., 2019). The people in this study were all student consumers of Scarlett
whitening products in Surakarta. The sample is a part taken from the population. The
model selects elements from the people (Kussudyarsana et al., 2019). The sample in this
study was 217 respondents, according to (Sekaran & Bougie, 2017). In determining the
sample size, more than 30 and less than 500 samples are considered suitable for most
studies. The sampling technique in this study is non-probability sampling with purpo-
sive sampling method, which is a non-probability sampling method based on specific
criteria. The respondents’ criteria in this study were consumers of Scarlett Whitening
products who were currently studying at one of the universities in Surakarta.

4 Results and Discussion

4.1 Characteristics of Respondents

The results of this study were in the form of responses to a questionnaire totaling
217 respondents from student consumers of Scarlett Whitening products in Surakarta.
The profiles of respondents in this study were divided into gender, age, and income.
Respondent profiles can be seen in Table 1.
Based on the data obtained, respondents who filled out the questionnaire were pre-
dominantly female with a presentation of 91.2%, while men were 8.8%, respondents
aged 17–20 years were 24.9% old, 21–25 years 68.2%, and age >25 years by 6.9%. The
monthly income or pocket money of students in Surakarta also varies from <500,000
with a percentage of 43.8% and 500,000 to >1,000,000, each having the same rate of
28.1%. Initially, respondents knew Scarlett whitening’s products varied from friends,
advertisements, and social media to beauty vloggers.
678 D. A. Pradani and L. Mangifera

Table 1. Respondent Profile (n = 217)

No Category Classification Amount Percentage

1. Gender Woman 198 91.2%
Man 19 8.8%
2. Age 17–20 54 24.9%
21–25 148 68.2%
<25 15 6.9%
3. Income <500,000 95 43.8%
500,000–1,000,000 61 28.1%
>1,000,000 61 28.1%
4. Origin of Knowing Scarlett Friend 88 40.6%
Whitening Products Advertisement 102 47%
Social media 174 80.2%
Beauty Vlogger 131 60.4%
Etc 9 4.1%
Source: Primary data processed (2022)

4.2 Data Analysis Results

Structural assessment begins by examining the R-squared value of each endogenous

variable value as the predictive power of structural models (Saputra, 2018). Changes in
R-squares (R2) values can be used to determine the magnitude of the variance in latent
variables in explaining indicators (Kicky Camallya Arista & Khusnul Fikriyah, 2022).
The results showed that R Square Adjusted was greater than 0.5, which means good.
Buying Interest Analysis offers the R-squared value of 0.704 and the purchase decision
R-squared value of 0.616. This shows that purchase intention has a strong influence on
purchasing decisions (Table 2).
Then it can be continued to the next test, which is to determine the value of Cronbach’s
Alpha, Composite Reliability, and AVE in order to know that the construct is reliable. A
construct that can be said to be reliable must have a value of 0.7. This can be seen from
the value of Cronbach’s Alpha, Composite Reliability, and AVE. The results obtained
from this study, namely Cronbach’s Alpha and Composite Reliability, have a value
of 0.7, meaning that the existing constructs have a high or reliable correlation. Then
the results of the AVE value that is >0.5 means that the error level in each variable
is low for clearer results, The results of this study obtained Cronbach’s Alpha value

Table 2. Structural Model Representation

R Square R Square Adjusted

Buying Interest (Z) 0.704 0.700
Purchase Decision (Y) 0.617 0.610
Source: Primary data processed (2022)
 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 679

from brand ambassadors of 0.905, Korean Wave of 0.894, the brand image of 0.867,
purchase decision of 0.857, purchase intention of 0.896. Composite Reliability Value
Brand ambassador 0.923, Korean wave 0.917, Brand image 0.896, purchase decision
0.891, purchase intention 0.918. While the value of the AVE brand ambassador is 0.603
Korean wave is 0.612 brand image is 0.521 purchase decision is 0.538 purchase intention
is 0.616. From these results, it can be concluded that all variables are reliable because
the value of Cronbach’s Alpha and Composite Reliability has a value of ≥0.7 and the
AVE value is >0.5, meaning the level of error in each variable is low, which can be seen
in Table 4 (Table 3).
As shown in Table 5, discriminant validity is used to measure how far a constituency
differs from other constituencies. The results of Collinearity Statistics (VIF) test the
multicollinearity test using the unique effect of each VIP variable. 5 Avoid violating the
multicollinearity test.

Table 3. Measurement Model and Construct Validity

Variable Cronbach’s Alpha Composite Reliability Average Variance Extracted

(AVE)
Brand Ambassador 0.905 0.923 0.603
Korean Wave 0.894 0.917 0.612
Brand Image 0.867 0.896 0.521
Buying decision 0.857 0.891 0.538
Buying Interest 0.896 0.918 0.616
Source: Primary data processed (2022)

Table 4. Discriminant Validity Representation using Fornell–Larcker Process

Brand Korean Wave Brand Image Buying Buying

Ambassador decision Interest
Brand 0.776
Ambassador
(X1)
Korean Wave 0.787 0.782
(X2)
Brand Image 0.697 0.621 0.721
(X3)
Purchase 0.656 0.552 0.717 0.734
Decision (Y)
Buying Interest 0.627 0.561 0.837 0.742 0.785
(Z)
Source: Primary data processed (2022)
680 D. A. Pradani and L. Mangifera

Hypothesis testing can be seen from the value of the t-statistic and the probability
value. To test the hypothesis using a statistical value, the alpha is 5% with a t-statistic
value of 1.96%. In the structural test, all independent variables can be accepted if they
have a t-statistics value t-table 1.96 and a P-Values value of 0.05.
Table 5 shows that construction has both direct and indirect effects. With t-statistics
of 3.519 and p-values of 0.000, it can be concluded that in the H1 test, brand ambassadors
have a significant influence on purchasing decisions. As a result, H1 is accepted because
ambassadors directly impact purchasing decisions. This supports the research done by
(Kicky Camallya Arista & Khusnul Fikriyah, 2022) and (Rahmadhani et al., 2022). The
results of the H2 test. The test between brand ambassadors on buying interest has no
direct effect with t-statistics of 0.786 and p-values of 0.432, which means that brand
ambassadors do not directly affect buying stake, so these results do not support research
(Kharisma & Hutasuhut, 2019) where the study states that the brand ambassador now
has a positive effect on purchase intention. The results of the H3 and H4 tests, namely

Table 5. Hypotheses Acceptance Summary

Hypothesis Variable Relationship Original T-Statistic P Values Information

Sample
Hypothesis Brand Ambassador → 0.303 3,519 0.000 Supported
1 Purchase Decision
Hypothesis Brand Ambassador → 0.064 0.786 0.432 not supported
2 Buying Interest
Hypothesis Korean Wave → Purchase 0.000 0.002 0.998 not supported
3 Decision
Hypothesis Korean Wave → Buy 0.031 0.468 0.640 not supported
4 Interest
Hypothesis Brand Image → Purchase 0.506 8.142 0.000 Supported
5 Decision
Hypothesis Brand Image → Buying 0.773 12,636 0.000 Supported
6 Interest
Hypothesis Purchase Interest → 0.435 4,435 0.000 Supported
7 Purchase Decision
Hypothesis Brand Ambassador → 0.028 0.776 0.438 not supported
8 Buying Interest →
Purchase Decision
Hypothesis Korean Wave → Buying 0.013 0.436 0.663 not supported
9 Interest → Purchase
Decision
Hypothesis Brand Image → Buying 0.337 4.040 0.000 Supported
10 Interest → Purchase
Decision
Source: Primary data processed (2022)
 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 681

the Korean Wave on purchasing decisions and the Korean Wave on buying interest, both
have no effect with t-statistic values of 0.002 and 0.468 while the p-values are 0.998 and
0.640, which means that the Korean Wave does not directly affect interest and interest.
Purchase decision, so H3 and H4 are rejected. This supports research from (Lestari et al.,
2019) which states that the Korean Wave hurts purchasing decisions. Testing H5 and
H6, namely brand image on buying interest and brand image on purchasing decisions,
directly have a positive effect with t-statistic results of 8.142 and 12.636 with p-values
of 0.000 which means that brand image can directly affect consumers’ interest and
purchasing decisions, so that H5 and H6 are acceptable. This supports research from
(Rahmadhani et al., 2022) and (Dewi, 2019).
Testing H7, namely buying interest on purchasing decisions, directly has a positive
effect with t-statistics of 4.435 and p-values of 0.000 which means buying stake can
directly influence purchasing decisions so that H7 is accepted. This supports research
(Solihin, 2020) which states that purchase intention positively affects purchasing deci-
sions. H8 testing is the mediating role of buying interest on the influence of brand
ambassadors on purchasing decisions with t-statistics of 0.776 and p-values of 0.438,
which means buying stake cannot mediate brand ambassador variables on purchasing
decisions, so H8 is rejected. These results do not support research (Kharisma & Huta-
suhut, 2019) which states that there is a mediating role of buying interest on the influence
of brand ambassadors on purchasing decisions. The H9 test is the mediating role of buy-
ing interest on the effect of the Korean Wave on purchasing decisions with the results of
t-statistics of 0.436 and p-values of 0.663, which means that buying stake cannot mediate
the Korean wave variable on purchasing decisions, so H9 is rejected. The H10 test is the
mediating role of buying interest on the influence of brand image on purchasing deci-
sions with the results of t-statistics of 4.040 and p-values of 0.000, which means buying
stake successfully mediates the impact of brand image on purchasing decisions, which
means H10 is accepted, so these results support research from (Purwati & Cahyanti,
2022).

5 Discussion
Based on the results (Fig. 2), the brand ambassadors chosen by Scarlett whitening prod-
ucts, namely Song Jong Ki and TWICE, can directly influence student consumers in
Surakarta to make purchases of Scarlett Whitening products, which means that the pub-
lic recognizes the popularity of Song Jong Ki and TWICE and even their names have
been known before becoming brand ambassadors in Indonesia. Indonesia. The infor-
mation conveyed by the brand ambassador can be accepted and trusted by consumers.
Besides that Song Jong Ki and TWICE are also suitable to be brand ambassadors for
Scarlett whitening products. So, one of the reasons consumers buy Scarlett Whitening
products is knowing Song Jong Ki and TWICE as brand ambassadors. This shows that
promoting products through brand ambassadors needs to be done to market the product
widely.
682 D. A. Pradani and L. Mangifera

Fig. 2. Equation results. Source: Primary data processed (2022)

This can happen in testing the Korean Wave on purchasing decisions and intentions
because some respondents do not understand that K-pop dramas, movies, and songs are
a core part of the Korean Wave, even though they often see/hear dramas and movies. And
Korean songs, some respondents think that the Korean Wave is not related to Korean
culture. Some respondents believe that Korean culture is not unique and interesting to
study further, so they enjoy it. So that consumers in this research are consumers who
are smart in making purchasing decisions because they are not solely influenced by
phenomena that are trends in society.
In testing the brand image hypothesis on interest and purchasing decisions, there is a
positive influence both directly and indirectly, which means that respondents agree that
the Scarlett Whitening brand has high popularity and is the best beauty brand in Indonesia
because it has many benefits for skin health. The Scarlett Whitening product’s brand
image is improving because there has been no bad news about the product, so consumers
are increasingly convinced to buy the product. Marketing of Scarlett Whitening products
is prioritized for teenagers to adults because, at this time, skin health is considered a
significant thing. Besides that, the marketing of Scarlett Whitening products is more
focused on social media so that consumers can easily find information.
In testing buying interest, respondents are interested in Scarlett whitening because
it has a variety of products so that consumers do not get bored quickly. Respondents
also agree that the Scarlett whitening product is quality and encourages consumers to
recommend it to the people around them. The ease of obtaining products and providing
various payment methods encourage consumers to make purchases. Buying interest
directly affects purchasing decisions. Besides that, the mediating role of buying interest
applies to the influence of brand image on purchasing decisions, which means that
without buying a stake, if the brand image of a product is good, it will attract consumers
to make purchasing decisions directly.
 Purchase Decision Influenced by Brand Ambassador 683

6 Conclusion
The findings of this study have a direct positive influence on brand ambassador pur-
chasing decisions but are not mediated by purchase intentions. This can benefit business
actors in the beauty sector to be more selective in choosing the exemplary brand ambas-
sador for their products. Korean Wave does not influence buying decisions and cannot be
mediated by buying interest. This shows that most of the Scarlett Whitening consumer
students in Surakarta are savvy consumers in making purchasing decisions because they
are not solely influenced by phenomena that are trending in society. They buy Scar-
lett Whitening products because of the superior product quality they experience. Brand
Image has the most substantial result in this study. Therefore, companies must maintain
their already-established image because consumers are usually more concerned with
quality products rather than trends or figures who become brand ambassadors. Brand
image can be formed by improving product quality and ease of transaction so that prod-
ucts can be owned by everyone, as well as innovating in the beauty field so that consumers
are more interested and can compete with similar competitors. Purchase intention has a
direct positive effect on purchasing decisions, meaning that someone who has an interest
in a the product tends to make a purchase.

6.1 Limitations and Future Research

Research on purchasing decisions influenced by brand ambassadors, Korean waves,
brand image, and mediated by buying interest in consumer students Scarlett Whitening
in Surakarta was only conducted in one city with a sample of 217 respondents, so the
results of this study cannot be generalized to groups of subjects with a large number of
respondents. A suggestion from a more extensive researcher could use several different
venues with a larger sample size and other variable indicators. The results obtained in
this study are not necessarily the same if done elsewhere with different products or
variables. It is hoped that future research can use more samples and other objects. The
lack of awareness of the respondents in this study to fill out the questionnaire adequately
caused the data obtained to be less than optimal so that further researchers could assist
respondents in filling out the questionnaire. Some of the shortcomings of this study
are expected to be perfected by further research by including other variables, such as
consumer loyalty to a product and customer satisfaction in a product.

Acknowledgments. The writer thanks all skincare consumer users. Scarlett is chosen for its
accessibility in sharing information and experience and presents obstacles and expectations so that
the writer can submit them into research Suggestions for all those associated with the consumer’s
decision to believe in skincare Scarlett whitening.

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