*Corresponding Author P-ISSN: 1412-1212 E-ISSN: 2541-2388 155 The Winners, 21(2), September 2020, 155-161 DOI: 10.21512/tw.v21i2.6812 The Influence of Promotion via LINE Messenger on the Attitude of Starbucks’ LINE Official Account Followers Vira Dessy Arisandi1; Santi Delliana2* 1,2Communication Department, Kalbis Institute Jl. Pulomas Selatan Kav. No. 22, RT. 4/RW. 9, Pulo Gadung, Jakarta Timur 13210, Indonesia 1virada467@gmail.com; 2anastasia.santi@kalbis.ac.id Received: 18th November 2020/ Revised: 01st February 2021/ Accepted: 01st February 2021 How to Cite: Arisandi., V. D. & Delliana, S. (2020). The influence of promotion via LINE messenger on the attitude of Starbucks’ LINE official account followers. The Winners, 21(2), 155-161. https://doi.org/10.21512/tw.v21i2.6812 Abstract - The research aimed to determine the effect of promotion through persuasive messages via LINE messenger applications on the attitude of Starbucks’ LINE official account followers. The analytical research applied the S-R (Stimulus- Responses) theory with quantitative approaches and survey methods by distributing questionnaires in analytical to 400 respondents, who are followers of Starbucks’ LINE official account. The research uses sociopsychological tradition focusing on individual social behavior, personal effects, perception, cognition, personality and traits. Research findings were based on the answers of respondents who strongly agree on cognitive, contextual, and affective indicators. The research comes up with results indicating that there is a strong influence of promotion via LINE messenger on the attitude of Starbucks’ LINE followers, where the magnitude is positive. The results find that customers receive Starbucks’ promotion messages with positive attitudes and feedbacks as well. It is suggested that future research consider to determine the occurrence of stages of customers’ purchase decision. Keywords: online promotion, follower attitudes, LINE messenger I. INTRODUCTION Society relies on the internet and technology, making the internet increase in public affairs, such as economics, education, and entertainment media. It is considered easy and convenient for users who want to live fast and instant. They use hi-tech smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices. Previously sending and receiving messages can only be done via Short Message Service (SMS), whereas nowadays people send messages through social media such as WhatsApp, LINE, Facebook, Instagram, etc. With social media, it tends to be easier for users to get information to shop. The total number of active social media users in Indonesia is 150 million, and the percentage of the total population is 56%. The total population in Indonesia is 268,2 million, according to data provided by We Are Social (Kemp, 2019). Social media may be referred to in Rulli (2017) as an information collection or place used by its users. The information is like a commodity that can be exchanged, produced, and distributed by users. With the number of growth and users, social media exists to entertain the community and help communicate with other cities efficiently without distance restrictions. The results show that the promotion of LINE Starbucks social media influences consumer purchasing decisions in Jakarta, with 50,3% for the variables studied. At the same time, other variables influence the rest. (Engriani, Fitriana, & Cetty, 2019). Some companies also use various social media to promote their products and services. If the target market is the millennial generation, social media is considered very influential. Millennial generations grow alongside modern technology, so social media becomes the primary medium for accessing information. The coffee consumption of Indonesian people tends to increase over the past few years. Nowadays, drinking coffee tends to be a lifestyle where someone can spend time having fun (Lesmana, 2019). Many companies are now choosing to use social media as one of the promotional media. It is because more affordable and effective cost can reach all people without geographical and time constraints. Consumers can quickly get information about the product or service (Martinus & Anggraini, 2018). The research discusses the LINE messenger’s involvement as a medium to disseminate persuasive messages by promoting Starbucks’ LINE official 156 The Winners, Vol. 21 No. 2 September 2020, 155-161 account. According to the Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), the meaning of convincing is to persuade people to do something. Buyers should be able to select their products (in this case, a smartphone), but customers should change their purchasing decisions precisely due to a persuasive message (Rakhman, 2019). Promotional activities seem to be increasingly important and necessary today. This is due to the distance that has increased between producers and consumers, the number of potential customers, and intermediaries' presence (Syam & Rachman, 2019). According to Jenkis in Rulli (2017), several media industry sectors have engaged active viewers as an extension of their marketing, which of course, is to get more meaningful feedback from their fans. They work closely with the audience to produce content and design processes. One aspect which develops from marketing or marketing in the era of media social is persuasive in time or space or use mass media by institutions business, organization non-profit, government or individuals to inform and persuade the public to goods, services, organizations, ideas as a target, target marketing or audience (Rulli, 2017). According to Ramadanty and Widayanti (2020), research results show high positive relationship between sales promotion and brand loyalty through LINE official account. The rapid growth of social media development leads to great brands’ advertising for their products or services (Tjandrawibawa, 2020). Starbucks is the biggest tavern coffee in the world. The first Starbucks in Indonesia was opened at Mall Plaza Indonesia on May 17th, 2002. This coffee shop has 326 branches in 22 cities in Indonesia. Starbucks is in the eighth position on the official LINE account rank as the most widely followed by Indonesian people. There were 8.500.829 followers tracked on Starbucks’ LINE official account on September 23rd, 2019. They get persuasive personal messages or e-coupons exchanged at Starbucks outlets throughout Indonesia every day. In addition to Starbucks, several compositors are food and beverage companies that join LINE official accounts, such as Excelso and Dunkin’ Donuts. Figure 1 shows examples of broadcast messages by Starbucks’ LINE official account: 1) E-coupons or vouchers that can be exchanged directly at Starbucks outlets; 2) persuasive messages such as Buy 1 Get 1 Free, discount up to 50%, and special price discounts for specific dates to customers who bring Starbucks official drinking bottles. Based on research by Romdhoni, Hasiholan, and Amboningtyas (2020), it can be concluded that the respondents are aware of what Starbucks is doing, which in the research discusses green products, green promotion, green processes, green physical evidence, and almost positive perceptions expressed by respondents towards all the marketing mix. With more than eight million followers on the Starbucks’ LINE and persuasive messages they have broadcasted to the followers, the research aims to find whether there is any consideration for potential customers and the influence that Starbucks give to people. These vouchers are given a date determined by Starbucks’ LINE to be valid for only one to two days since it is distributed to the followers. One example of a message for one week can be seen in Figure 1, in which messages always start with phrases that make customers feel special and lucky. The program is made for entertainment and Figure 1 Persuasive Messages on the Starbucks’ LINE Official Account 157The Influence of Promotion via..... (Vira Dessy Arisandi; Santi Delliana) commercial purposes, so persuasive objective can change the meaning of the program and the brands in the context of brand placement. This shift can lead to detachment and resistance in turn (Boerman et al., 2020). Therefore, it can be said that persuasive communication affects increasing the income of affiliate marketers through affective and conative cognitive applications (Hereyah & Hutajulu, 2021). According to Aruan et al. (2020), as a reference in organizing an event and using technological developments and digitalization to maximize publication to obtain maximum publicity, Miniso can use the Nine Steps of Strategic Public Relations. According to Mulyana (2017), the S-R (stimulus- response) theory is the most basic communication model influenced by psychological disciplines, specifically behavioristic flow. The method illustrates the existence of a stimulus-response relationship. Figure 2 Stimulus – Response Theory Source: Mulyana (2017) Figure 2 explains that the S-R theory shows communication as a straightforward action-reaction process. This theory's assumptions are verbal, nonverbal words, pictures, and specific actions that can stimulate others to respond in certain ways. This process can be reciprocal with many effects, each of which can change the next communication action. The S-R theory is useful for the research as it aims to look for promotional messages on the followers' attitudes of Starbucks’ LINE. The aspect used as a stimulus is a promotional message in LINE messenger application. The element used as a response in the research is the followers’ attitude of Starbucks’ LINE official account. That is how the stimulus of a promotional message can affect the position of followers. II. METHODS The research paradigm is positivism, which is counted on the philosophical stance of natural scientists working with observable reality within society, leading to generalizations (Alharahsheh & Pius, 2020). The characteristics of the science of positivism are: 1) Objectivism, which means theories about the universe must have freedom of values; 2) Phenomenalism, namely science, only talks about the observed universe; 3) Reductionism, i.e., the universe is reduced to observable facts; 4) Naturalism, namely the universe, are objects that move mechanically (Bungin, 2017). The research uses a quantitative approach to the type of analytical research. The quantitative approach views human behavior as a predictable and social reality, objective, and measurable. Therefore, quantitative research with valid and reliable instruments and appropriate statistical analysis causes the research results not to deviate from the actual conditions. In identifying the problem, to formulate them is the first and most critical stage of the study, as problem formulation guides all research courses. The researcher will lose direction in researching without exact problem wording (Ridha, 2017). One of the key characteristics of research using a quantitative approach is statistical analysis (Ridha, 2017). Explanation level research aims to explain the variables by fiber's influence or compare one variable with another variable. One explanation level has been grouped, focusing on associative research or relationships, where the research aims to determine the relationship between two or more variables (Siregar, 2013). The research uses survey method. According to Kerlinger in Siregar (2013), there are several characteristics of survey research: 1) the research object is conducted on large and small populations, where the data are samples taken from the total population; 2) survey research is carried out to generalize in-depth observations; and 3) the survey method does not require a control group, so does the experimental approach. The research uses explanation since it focuses on finding the causal relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. According to Siregar (2013), research that aims to explain the position of the variables studied and the influence or compare between one variable with other variables, one of which is grouped explanations while focusing on associative or relationship. Whereas the research aims to determine the relationship between two or more variables. The operational definition writing technique is to write a formula that states a decrease in concepts to practical standards, clear criteria, and does not raise hypothetical new questions. The following are operational variables for measuring variables in the research: Variable X : Promotion in the LINE messenger application Variable Y : Starbucks LINE official account followers' attitude Although the data are collected from a representative population (sample), generalizations are always emphasized (Ridha, 2017). As a result, data collection activities are best entrusted to instruments (including field data collectors). The research uses the non-probability sampling technique, which is random sampling by collecting many of the population whose results are drawn to several sample by Slovin formula (Bungin, 2017). Sampling is taken from among Starbucks’ LINE official account followers. Sample of the research uses 158 The Winners, Vol. 21 No. 2 September 2020, 155-161 the Slovin formula (Siregar, 2013). The calculation is provided: n = 8500829 (1) 1+(8500829)(0.05)2 n = 8500829 1+(8500829)(0.0025) n = 8500829 1+21252,07 n = 8500829 21253,07 = 399,98 rounded off to 400 Thus, based on the calculation, the samples are 400 respondents on Starbucks’ official account followers. The data are obtained from a survey method with a questionnaire filled out by respondents, those are adolescents who have joined Starbucks’ LINE official account. In the research, Google forms are filled in by respondents. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Correlation analysis is used to determine whether there is a relationship between two variables to determine the level of connection between the independent variable and the dependent variable, where: 1) Independent variable (X) is ‘promotion influence on LINE messenger applications’; and 2) Dependent variable (Y) is ‘the attitude of Starbucks’ LINE account followers’. The correlation value is Pearson's Correlation in Product Moment. Questionnaires are processed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Macbook to come up with the results, as seen in Table 1, showing that the significance value of the independent variable (X) with the dependent variable (Y) of 0,000, where the amount is smaller than the significance value of 0,05 which means there is a relationship. Thus, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the independent variable (X) to the dependent variable (Y). Based on the explanation of the relationship's strength, the value of r on the correlation between the independent variable (X) and the dependent variable (Y) is 0,747, where the cost is in the middle of the relationship. Thus, there is a moderate and positive relationship, which means that the link's form is unidirectional. If variable X rises, then variable Y also rises. After identifying the relationship's strength, the process continues to analyse the regression to predict how much dependent and independent variables will fluctuate. It is known constants from the results of the regression analysis between the influences of Starbucks’ LINE promotion (X) with attitudes of Starbucks’ LINE followers (Y). The regression equation is obtained: Y = a + bX (2) Y = 6,862 + 1,247X Information: Y = Dependent variable (promotion in Starbucks’ LINE) X = Free variable (attitude of Starbucks’ LINE followers) a = constant value b = Regression Coefficient From the results listed, there is a regression between the independent variable and dependent variable, i.e. Y = 6,862 + 1,247X. It can be concluded that each increase in score on the influence of Starbucks’ LINE promotion (X) will be followed by the rise in the rating of attitudes of Starbucks’ LINE followers (Y) by 1,247 in the positive direction with a constant of 6,862. Thus, the dependent variable and independent variable simultaneously decrease since the independent variable has a strong influence on the dependent variable. In other words, promotion on LINE messenger has a strong effect on the attitude of Starbucks’ LINE followers. It comes up with the result that the contribution of promotion (X) to the attitude of Starbucks’ followers (Y) variable is 0,558 or 55,8% in percentage, seen from the coefficient of determination in Table 1 is R Square. Simultaneously, the rest is explained by other variables not taken into account in the research. Thus, it can be concluded that the effect of promotion via Starbucks’ LINE on the attitude of Starbuck's official account followers is 55,8%. A t-test is performed to determine whether the promotion via LINE messenger affects Starbucks’ LINE followers. For this reason, it is necessary to compare t-counts and t-tables using a two-tailed test and, in the research, using a significance level of 5%. Table 1 Dependent Variable: The Attitude of Starbucks’ LINE Official Account Followers Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients T Sig. B Std. Error Beta 1 (Constant) 6,862 1,265 5,423 0,000 Effect of Promotion on the Messenger LINE application 1,247 0,056 0,747 22,421 0,000 159The Influence of Promotion via..... (Vira Dessy Arisandi; Santi Delliana) It is known that those social media variables have a t-count value of 22,421, while the t-table value for 400 respondents is 1,966 with df = 398 is 0,05. T-count is more significant than t-table, so it can be concluded that H0 is rejected, and H1 is accepted. The following decision making for hypothesis testing using t-test: If t-count> t-table = H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted If t-count