The Influence of Brand Awareness on Purchase Intention: Mediating effects of Loyalty, Perceived Quality and Brand Association

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between brand loyalty, perceived qualty, brand association and brand awareness on purchase intentions relating to Samsung Smart phones. Prior studies have explored brand equity dimensions and their direct impact on consumer behavior (Ravichandran, 2023; Sapkota et al., 2024), however, few have assessed the comprehensive mediating roles of Brand Loyalty, Perceived Quality, and Brand Association between Brand Awareness and Purchase Intention. The majority of research overlooks the behavior in emerging markets like Sri Lanka, where consumer patterns differ due to cultural and economic factors (Ravichandran, 2023). Furthermore, customer loyalty as a mediator is under-explored within emerging markets, despite foundational frameworks emphasizing its importance (Karami, 2022; Sapkota et al., 2024).

A deductive research approach guided by a positivistic research philosophy guided the study.The minimum sample size is 384 (Krejcie & Morgan, 1978) and data was collected from 456 respondents using a self administered questionnaire. A pilot study was conducted to determine the relaibility of the research instrument. Data was analysed using SPSS version 26 and demographic analysis, descriptive statitistics, correlation, regression, reliability & validity, mediation and hypothesis testing was conducted.

The main findings of this study reveal that brand awareness has a significant and positive influence on purchase intention. Brand recognition plays a key role in supporting emotional loyalty, perceived value, and favorable brand impressions. The continuous strong positive link to Purchase Intention is coherent with Muhaqi and Nurbasari (2023), who demonstrated that greater brand familiarity significantly strengthens consumer confidence and reduces perceived risk among Samsung smartphone. This suggests that building strong brand awareness is not only advantageous but essential for influencing consumer decision-making at emotional and rational levels. Brand loyalty has the strongest positive influence on purchase intention. Perceived quality did not demonstrate a direct influence on purchase intention. Therefore, These findings suggest that fostering loyalty and building strong brand associations must remain integral to Samsung's brand strategy in the Sri Lankan Market.

The main limitations of this study are that reliance on self-reported data introduces the possibility of response bias, particularly in consumer perception and loyalty. The study solely focused on Samsung smartphones, and findings may not be generalizable to other brands and product types.