Examining How Brand Awareness Drives Performance in Tanzanian Telecommunication Companies: The Mediating Role of Brand Reputation and the Moderating Effect of Brand Attitude

Abstract

This study examines the influence of brand awareness on brand performance in Tanzanian telecommunication companies by analysing its direct effect and indirect effect through brand reputation, as well as the moderating role of brand attitude. Using stratified and systematic sampling, data were collected from 314 employees across four major telecommunication companies in Dar es Salaam. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the hypothesised relationships. The results reveal that brand awareness has a positive and significant effect on brand performance both directly and indirectly through brand reputation, confirming the mediating role of reputation. Brand reputation also significantly enhances brand performance, highlighting its importance as a key relational mechanism. Furthermore, brand attitude negatively moderates the relationship between brand awareness and brand performance. However, brand attitude does not significantly moderate the relationship between brand reputation and performance. This study concludes that brand awareness is a precursor of brand performance, directly or through brand reputation, depending on customer attitudes. Study contributes to theory by extending the Resource-Based View (RBV) through the integration of mediating and moderating mechanisms that capture consumer-driven brand dynamics. Practically, it highlights the need for managers to combine awareness-building with strong reputation management while considering variations in customer attitudes.