Strategic Endorsement Capability and Competitive Advantage in TikTok-Based Online Businesses: The Mediating Role of Brand Awareness and Online Engagement among Gen Z in Banten Province, Indonesia

The rapid growth of digital business has intensified competition in online markets, encouraging firms to seek effective strategies to achieve and sustain competitive advantage. While endorsement has become a common marketing practice, it is often viewed as a short-term promotional tool rather than a strategic organizational capability. This study examines the effect of Strategic Endorsement Capability on Competitive Advantage and investigates the mediating roles of Brand Awareness and Online Engagement. A quantitative approach was employed using survey data collected from 344 respondents who had been exposed to endorsement content on social media. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that Strategic Endorsement Capability has a positive and significant effect on Competitive Advantage, both directly and indirectly through Brand Awareness and Online Engagement. Among the mediating variables, Online Engagement demonstrates a stronger indirect effect than Brand Awareness. These results suggest that endorsement should be managed as a strategic capability rather than merely a promotional activity, as it can strengthen customer relationships, enhance brand value, and contribute to long-term competitive advantage in online business