BRAND CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Abstract
This study investigates brand consciousness among university students, aiming to understand their brand preferences and the various factors influencing these preferences. Examining the major factors that influence students' purchase decisions—such as perception, peer and social pressure, brand self-identity, and the impact of family background—is the main goal of this study. A Likert scale questionnaire was employed to gather data, which helped identify how these factors contribute to brand consciousness among students. Pierre Bourdieu's Theory of Social Capital—more especially, his ideas of social, cultural, and symbolic capital—is the foundation of the study. These frameworks offer insights into the way’s social networks and peer influence shape brand preferences. According to Bourdieu, social capital plays a significant role in defining one’s consumption patterns, including the preference for branded products. A quantitative research design was applied, using probability sampling to select 100 respondents from various universities in Islamabad. To facilitate data collection, the survey was distributed through a Google Form link, which was shared with the students. The findings highlight that peer influence is a major factor in shaping brand identity, confirming that social groups and networks heavily dictate consumption choices. Hypothesis testing revealed significant associations between social and peer influence (independent variable) and brand consciousness (dependent variable). Furthermore, it was found that the influence of buying decisions strongly correlates with brand consciousness. Non-parametric tests were used due to the non-normal distribution of data, and the normality test confirmed this characteristic. The reliability statistics indicated a high level of reliability in the data, while Spearman’s correlation tests revealed significant correlations between variables. Although this study offers insightful information on brand consciousness, it also points to a knowledge vacuum about the long-term impacts of this consciousness on customer behavior. Future research could explore how prolonged exposure to branded products affects young consumers' financial habits and psychological well-being.
Keywords: Brand Consciousness, Consumer Behavior, Brand Identity, Social Influence
