Social Media Marketing and Purchase Intention among Generation Z in Ambon: The Mediating Role of Brand Awareness

Abstract

Social media offers food and beverage (F&B) businesses a means of communicating with digitally engaged consumers, although the mechanisms connecting social media marketing to purchase intention warrant closer examination. This study investigates the relationships among social media marketing, brand awareness and purchase intention among Generation Z consumers exposed to F&B marketing in Ambon City, Indonesia. A quantitative explanatory survey with purposive eligibility criteria was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The original analysis reports positive relationships from social media marketing to brand awareness (β = 0.706, t = 20.063), brand awareness to purchase intention (β = 0.361, t = 5.173), and social media marketing to purchase intention (β = 0.565, t = 8.713), each with a reported p-value below 0.001. The model explains 49.8% of brand awareness and 73.8% of purchase intention variance. Multiplying the two component paths yields an indicative indirect coefficient of 0.255; however, its bootstrapped confidence interval and significance were not provided, so statistical mediation remains unconfirmed. The findings emphasise the combined importance of memorable brand communication and direct persuasive content for local F&B marketers. Confirmation of the final sample details and indirect-effect inference is required before publication.