EMOTIONAL BRANDING AS A MARKETING STRATEGY: ANALYZING ITS EFFECT ON SMARTPHONE PURCHASE DECISIONS AMONG GEN Z

Abstract

Emotional branding has become a vital strategy for companies aiming to build strong consumer relationships, especially in the smartphone industry where technical features alone are insufficient to influence purchase behavior. However, limited quantitative studies have examined its direct effect on Generation Z in Indonesia. This study investigates the influence of emotional branding on smartphone purchase decisions among Gen Z consumers. A quantitative approach was applied, with data collected from 129 respondents using structured questionnaires. Descriptive results show that most respondents perceive emotional branding positively, indicating its important role in shaping purchase considerations. Simple linear regression analysis reveals that emotional branding significantly affects purchase decisions (β = 0.850, t = 18.216, p < 0.001), with a coefficient of determination (R² = 0.723), meaning that 72.3% of the variance in purchase decisions can be explained by emotional branding. The findings highlight that emotional elements such as brand personality, storytelling, and consumer attachment are crucial in driving purchase decisions. Practically, this study suggests that smartphone marketers should strengthen emotional-based strategies to create deeper consumer engagement.