Article Sidebar

Download
Download PDF

Main Article Content

Abstract

The development of social media has changed the pattern of marketing communication, one of which is through a soft selling strategy based on implicit advertising that displays products subtly as part of the audience's content, lifestyle, and daily experience. This study aims to analyze the influence of soft selling strategies based on implicit advertising d'Alba Spray Serum on the buying interest of Generation Z in Padang City, with lifestyle and brand image as mediating variables. This study uses an associative quantitative approach with a sample of 174 Generation Z respondents in Padang City who were selected through purposive sampling techniques, namely respondents who actively use social media and have been exposed to soft selling content of d'Alba products but have never made a purchase transaction. Data was collected through a five-point Likert scale questionnaire and analyzed using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method with the help of SmartPLS software. The results of the study show that the soft selling strategy based on implicit advertising has a positive and significant effect on buying interest, lifestyle, and brand image. Lifestyle and brand image have also been proven to have a positive and significant effect on buying interest, and significantly mediate the influence of implicit advertising-based soft selling strategies on buying interest. These findings confirm the importance of an implicit marketing communication approach in building lifestyle perceptions and brand image to drive buying interest in Generation Z.

Keywords

soft selling; implicit advertising; lifestyle; brand image; buying interest

Article Details

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Nabila, A. F., & Abror , A. (2026). The Influence of Implicit Advertising D’Alba Spray Serum’s Implicit Based Soft Selling Strategy on Generation Z’s Interest in Buying Skincare Products in Padang City. Economics and Digital Business Review, 7(2), 790–807. https://doi.org/10.37531/ecotal.v7i2.4141
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX

References

  1. Abdul, M., Septyadi, K., Salamah, M., & Nujiyatillah, S. (2022). Literature review of consumer purchase decisions and buying interest in smartphones: Prices and promotions. Journal of Educational Management and Social Sciences, 3(1), 301–313.
  2. Amelia, S. R., Nisya', S. M. A., & Muzdalifah, L. (2023). The influence of brand image and country of origin on consumer buying interest. Journal of Creative Student Research (JCSR), 1(1).
  3. Amin, N. F., Gaplan, S., & Abunawas, K. (2023). General concepts of population and samples in the study. Journal of Pillars: Journal of Contemporary Islamic Studies, 14(1), 15–31.
  4. Aminullah, R. X., & Kristiyono, J. (2021). Internet marketing strategy Demandailing Café in building a digital brand on Instagram. Communicare: Journal of Communication Studies, 8(2), 165–178. https://doi.org/10.37535/101008220216
  5. Asrita, S., & Rhizky, D. P. (2020). Discourse on Tropicana Slim product placement in a branded web series. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 22(1), 109–123.
  6. Bandono. (2022). The Influence of the Work Environment on the Job Satisfaction of State Civil Apparatus at the UPT Library of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta. Journal of Library and Archives, 2(2).
  7. Basmantra, I. N., Dewi, I. A. I. P., & Widhiasthini, N. W. (2022). The influence of digital marketing and lifestyle on the decision of mobile learning users (Ruang Guru) in industry 4.0. Journal of Economics and Business, 9(2), 224–235.
  8. Chaihanchanchai, P., & Anantachart, S. (2023). Beyond traditional demographic profile: Generation Y lifestyle typologies in Thailand. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44, 683–692.
  9. Chen, Y., & Smith, A. N. (2025). Increasing the engagement with sponsored influencer videos: Design strategies for structure and content. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 1–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/10864415.2025.2515725
  10. d’Alba. (n.d.). White Truffle First Spray Serum. Retrieved June 23, 2026, from https://dalba.com/collections/dalba_best/products/dalba-white-truffle-first-spray-serum
  11. Dam, S. M., & Dam, T. C. (2021). Relationships between service quality, brand image, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(3), 585–593. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no3.0585
  12. Dewi, V. K., Sutiono, H. T., & Harjanti, S. (2024). The influence of social media marketing and e-WOM on purchase intention with brand image mediator in ‘The Originote’ skincare. Journal of Business and Organization Management, 3(2), 165–184.
  13. Ervania, C., & Suranto. (2022). Marketing communication strategies in building brand image at Syafa'at Mmacomm Agency. Literature: Journal of Communication Sciences.
  14. Faizaty, N. E., & Laili, R. (2021). The impact of soft selling in digital marketing on purchasing decision-making. Jimek: Scientific Journal of Economics Students, 4.
  15. Fuad, M. N., Hidayatullah, S., & Robbani, N. (2026). The influence of soft selling strategies and emotional branding in building brand image in Kafani's death supply store. Journal of Management and Economics, 3(1), 396–404.
  16. Hadi H, A., Pualam, F. M., Nursito, S., & Haris, A. (2023). The influence of lifestyle and trends on the buying interest of coffee drinks mediated by knowledge products. Solution: Journal of Economic and Business Studies, 18(2), 96–107.
  17. Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis. Pearson Education Limited.
  18. Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using R. Springer.
  19. Harijanto, T., Daulay, T., Astuti, D., Surya, E. D., & Mesra, B. (2023). Analysis of promotion and service quality on customer loyalty at PLN Tanjung Pura ULP mediated by customer satisfaction. International Journal of Management, Economic and Accounting, 1(2), 433–443.
  20. Hermawan, D. (2020). Influencer marketing in digital era: Does it really work? International Journal of Management, Entrepreneurship, Social Science and Humanities, 3(2), 50–67.
  21. Jailani, M. S. (2023). Data collection techniques and educational scientific research instruments on qualitative and quantitative approaches. Ihsan: Journal of Islamic Education, 1, 1–9.
  22. Keller, K. L., & Swaminathan, V. (2020). Strategic brand management: Building, measuring, and managing brand equity. Pearson.
  23. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing management (15th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
  24. Kurniawati, A. L. (2022). The effect of skincare base soft selling messages on product buying interest (Survey on Instagram followers @Itsmybase). The Commercium, 5(2), 85–94.
  25. Kuswibowo, C., & Murti, A. K. (2021). Analysis of the influence of brand image, promotion, and electronic word of mouth on buying interest in online shop applications. Journal of Industrial and Logistics Management, 5(1), 53–61.
  26. Liu, J. (2025). Implicit communication and cultural symbols in advertising: An applied analysis from the perspective of media semiotics. Advances in Social Behavior Research, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7102/2025.22339
  27. Magfirah, N., & Aprianti, K. (2023). The influence of product knowledge and lifestyle on product buying interest. JREA: Journal of Economic and Accounting Research, 1(3), 184–198.
  28. Manikasanti, L. G. M. P., & Suardana, I. B. R. (2024). The effect of e-WOM, lifestyle, and social media marketing on purchase intention with trust as an intervening variable in skincare for male Gen Z. Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics, 7(3), 7978–7992.
  29. Monesa, F., & Simanjuntak, E. V. R. (2024). The impact of soft-sell appeal in TikTok on the attitude towards the ads. WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics, 21, 1890–1900. https://doi.org/10.37394/23207.2024.21.154
  30. Natania, K. E., Prasida, T. A. S., & Bezaleel, M. (2023). Instagram filter as a soft selling promotional medium for Semilir Hamlet. Nirmana Journal of Visual Communication Design, 23(2), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.9744/nirmana.23.2.89-98
  31. Noviah, S. R. (2023). Soft selling: Definition, purpose, and how to apply it to sell insurance. That's it. https://www.qoalaplus.com/media/bisnis-dan-strategi/pemasaran/soft-selling/
  32. Nurhidayat, A., & Jati, R. P. (2026). From soft selling to audience meaning: Analysis of Generation Z's reception of Jiniso x Aqeela Calista's collaboration on TikTok. Sosmaniora: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(2), 1241–1252. https://doi.org/10.55123/sosmaniora.v5i2.8254
  33. Okazaki, S., Mueller, B., & Taylor, C. R. (2010). Measuring soft-sell versus hard-sell advertising appeals. Journal of Advertising, 39(2), 5–20. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367390201
  34. Purwati, A., & Cahyanti, M. M. (2022). The influence of brand ambassadors and brand image. Iqtishaduna: Scientific Journal of Our Economy, 11(1), 32–46.
  35. Puspita, N. D., Jesika, S., & Pratiwi, W. (2026). The influence of consumptive behavior and lifestyle on interest in buying fashion products through TikTok Shop e-commerce in Bungo Regency. Cano Ekonomos Scientific Journal, 15(1), 38–46.
  36. Putri, N. M. A. P., & Intentilia, A. A. M. (2025). Safari Pangus content storytelling communication as a soft selling approach on Instagram. Journal of Communication Science Dynamics, 11(2), 378–389.
  37. Rahma, D. N., Alrasyid, H., & Taqwiem, A. (2025). The influence of lifestyle, halal labeling, and religiosity on the interest in buying student cosmetics in Malang City. Economic Journal, 8(1), 447–457.
  38. Rahma, Y., & Walisyah, T. (2026). Soft selling as an influencer marketing communication strategy in shaping Gen-Z’s consumer behavior. Journal of Islamic Education and Social Humanities, 6(3), 1521–1529.
  39. Ramadani, D. A., & Wibowo, A. A. (2026). Representation of Gen Z's lifestyle in Good Day x Rizky Febian x Mahalini commercial. Nirmana Journal of Visual Communication Design, 26(1), 47–55.
  40. Editor, T. (2022). 63 percent of West Sumatra residents have accessed the internet, along with BPS data per district and city. Langgam.id. https://langgam.id/63-persen-warga-sumbar-telah-mengakses-internet-berikut-data-bps-per-kabupaten-dan-kota/
  41. Rehman, F., Javed, F., Nawaz, T., Ahmed, I., & Hyder, S. (2014). Some insights in the historical prospective of hierarchy of effects model: A short review. Information Management and Business Review, 6(6), 301–308.
  42. Rossanty, Y., Siregar, O. M., Reylina, A., & Graciela, D. J. (2025). The influence of soft selling on TikTok social media and celebrity endorsements on purchase decisions. Innovation and Creativity in Economics, 8(6), 197–210.
  43. Sadewo, P., Hanila, S., & Febliansa, M. R. (2025). The influence of live streaming using the soft selling method on the purchase interest of thrift fashion products among Gen Z in Bengkulu City. Jurnal Ilmiah, 2(1), 45–56.
  44. Salim, S. A., & Sofri, N. A. (2022). The relationship between soft sell advertising and online purchase intention. Research in Management of Technology and Business, 3(1), 95–111.
  45. SARDIA. (2024). The Influence of Soft Selling, Content Marketing, and Live Streaming Strategies on Consumer Buying Interest [Thesis, Parepare State Islamic Institute].
  46. Sari, K., Sumarwan, U., & Munandar, J. M. (2024). The effect of TikTok social media influencer, brand image, and lifestyle on purchase intention of local skincare products. Indonesian Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, 10(1), 181–190.
  47. Simamora, I. H., & Suryani, W. (2025). The influence of hard selling and soft selling marketing methods on the TikTok application on the interest in buying skincare products in TikTok users. RIGGS: Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Business, 4(3), 4458–4464. https://doi.org/10.31004/riggs.v4i3.2655
  48. Suardita, I. W. P., & Santika, I. W. (2026). The role of brand image in mediating the influence of social media marketing on purchase intention. E-Journal of Management, 15(3), 280–294.
  49. Sugiyono. (2013). Qualitative quantitative research methods and R&D. Alfabeta.
  50. Sugiyono. (2022). Quantitative, qualitative and R&D research methods.
  51. Sun, H., Xu, H., Sun, S., Li, H., & Wang, S. (2025). Beyond visual appeal: The impact of multisensory experience of hotel marketing and review images on sales. International Journal of Hospitality Management (Advance online publication). https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875241310818
  52. Surbakti, M. K. R., Wijayanto, G., & Pailis, E. A. (2022). The influence of influencers, lifestyle, and brand image on impulse buying in e-commerce (Case study on the millennial generation of Pekanbaru City). Journal of Applied Humanities, 4(2).
  53. Suwandi, D., Pebrianti, W., & Listiana, E. (2023). TikTok marketing and influencer review on Azarine sunscreen purchase intention: The mediation of brand image. Enrichment: Journal of Management, 13(1).
  54. Valencia, P., Soegiarto, A., Sari, W. P., Fatimah, A. N., & Rizky, M. F. (2025). The influence of Instagram soft selling content @gramediadigital on interest in buying Gramedia Digital products. Journal of Computer, Information and Technology, 5(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.53697/jkomitek.v5i1.2499
  55. Virgiananda, A. S. (2024). The influence of The Originote skincare product soft selling content on TikTok on brand advocacy intention of Communication Studies students of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya [Thesis, Sunan Ampel State Islamic University].
  56. Wardani, A. A. K., & Istiyanto, B. (2022). The role of brand ambassadors, brand image, and price on consumer buying interest (A case study of Samsung x BTS co-branding). Edunomics, 6(1), 551–557.
  57. Wardhana, A. (2024). Consumer behavior in the digital era. Eureka Media Script.
  58. Widiyanti, A. P., Sukarno, A., Rosyada, F. Y., Koranti, K., & Artanti, A. (2025). Viral marketing, brand awareness, and lifestyle: The impact on purchase decisions through buying interest. Journal of Trends Economics and Accounting Research, 5(4), 455–463. https://doi.org/10.47065/jtear.v5i4.2006