The mediating role of brand awareness in the influence of electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) and content quality on purchase intention: A study of prospective 'Es Teh Indonesia' consumers in Denpasar City

The decline in the number of branches and sales volume within the contemporary beverage industry suggests a weakening of consumer purchasing intentions amid increasingly intense market competition. The present study seeks to evaluate the impact of electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) and content quality on purchase intention, while simultaneously investigating the mediating function of brand awareness. Utilizing a quantitative causal-associative design grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study gathered data from 270 respondents in Denpasar City via purposive sampling techniques. Empirical data were collected through structured questionnaires and subsequently subjected to analysis via Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Evidence suggests that E-WOM and content quality significantly enhance both brand awareness and purchase intention among the sampled population. Furthermore, brand awareness serves as a significant positive predictor of purchase intention, indicating that heightened brand recognition directly correlates with an increased willingness to buy. Additionally, the analysis confirms that brand awareness serves as a pivotal mediating mechanism, facilitating the indirect influence of electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) and content quality on the purchase intention of Es Teh Indonesia consumers. These findings indicate that effective management of consumer reviews and high-quality digital content is crucial in strengthening brand awareness, which ultimately enhances purchase intention. Beyond its theoretical implications, this study delivers pragmatic applications for management to refine digital marketing initiatives and bolster brand competitiveness within the beverage industry.