Optimizing Customer Brand Engagement via Digital Marketing Strategy, Social Media Influencers, and Brand Equity: A Study on Ortuseight

Fajar Firmansyah; Popy Rufaidah

doi:10.24843/MATRIK:JMBK.2026.v20.i02.p04

Authors

Fajar Firmansyah Universitas Padjajaran, Bandung, Indonesia
Popy Rufaidah Universitas Padjajaran, Bandung, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24843/MATRIK:JMBK.2026.v20.i02.p04

Keywords:

social media influencers (SMIs); brand equity; customer brand engagement.

Abstract

The growth of digital technology has established social media as a primary consumer touchpoint for brands utilizing influencer endorsements. This study examines how social media influencers and brand equity jointly affect customer brand engagement with Ortuseight running shoes in Indonesia. To address this objective, a survey was conducted with 202 current Ortuseight users, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that both social media influencers and brand equity positively and significantly influence customer brand engagement, though brand equity exerts a substantially stronger effect. Specifically, brand equity dimensions serve as primary drivers of long-term engagement, whereas influencer credibility and communication prompt active consumer interaction. Overall, these findings provide valuable strategic insights, suggesting that long-term brand equity building exerts a stronger influence on engagement than influencer campaigns alone, offering clear guidance for local brands’ digital strategies.

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