Public Relations, E-WOM, and Direct Selling Effects on Trust Through Brand Awareness: A Study of bank bjb in the Banyumas Residency

Abstract

The increasing competitiveness of Indonesia's banking sector has driven regional banks to expand beyond their home territories, as exemplified by bank bjb's entry into the Banyumas Residency, Central Java. However, preliminary research revealed that bank bjb's brand remains largely unfamiliar among local residents, undermining both marketing effectiveness and consumer trust. This study aims to examine the influence of public relations, e-WOM, and direct selling on brand awareness, as well as the mediating role of brand awareness in its effect on trust. A quantitative approach was employed, with data collected through an 
online questionnaire distributed to 117 respondents selected through purposive sampling across the Banyumas Residency. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate that all proposed hypotheses were accepted, demonstrating that public relations, e-WOM, and direct selling have a positive effect on brand awareness. Furthermore, brand awareness was found to have a positive effect on consumer trust and successfully mediated the influence of public relations and e-WOM on consumer trust. These findings provide theoretical contributions by extending the application of the research model within the banking sector and offer practical insights for bank bjb in developing effective strategies to enhance brand awareness and strengthen consumer trust in the Banyumas Residency.