RELATIONSHIP BRAND CHARACTERISTICS, COMPANY CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSUME R-BRAND CHARACTERISTICS WITH BRAND LOYALTY (Case Study of Sarimi Consumers in Samarinda)

This study is to determine the relationship between brand characteristics, company characteristics and consumer-brand characteristics with brand loyalty to Sarimi customers in Samarinda. The technique of collecting data in this study was by collecting a questioner. The types of data used in this study are primary and secondary data. The number of samples in this study were 100 people who are Sarimi consumers. Data obtained using the validity and reliability test, as well as the Spearman trial with the SPS S program. Brand Characteristics, Company Characteristics and Consumer-Brand Characteristics have a significant and strong relationship with Brand Loyalty.


Introduction
Instant noodles are flour-based foods. Instant noodles are produced as practical food in the way they are processed and can be stored for a long time. Along with the development of the era of instant noodles have been considered to be fast food and even as a staple food for some people. So that quality and customer satisfaction are the main goals of instant noodle producers so that customers remain loyal to the brand of instant noodles that are produced. In Indonesia the development of instant noodles shows its progress, as evidenced by the emergence of instant noodle producers and the widespread circulation of instant noodle brands in the community. This research determines to find out the relationship between Brand Characteristics, Company Characteristics, Consumer-Brand Characteristics on Brand Loyalty. Predictability also depends on product attributes and brand value. When a consumer predicts about a brand while being used by other consumers, then he shows that he predicts about the product (Afzal, Khan, & Rehman, 2010). Brand predictability increases confidence because consumers know that unexpected things will not happen when used.

Brand Competence
A competent brand is a brand that has the ability to solve consumer problems and to meet their needs. Consumers can find out about the competence of a brand through direct use or word of mouth communication (Afzal et al., 2010) . Buyers can find out the brand after using or hearing from others. When the customer feels that the brand can meet the needs, then he can be involved in purchasing decisions.

Company Characteristics
The characteristics of the company behind the brand can influence the level of consumer confidence in the brand.

Trust in Company
When an entity is trusted, smaller entities underneath tend to also be trusted. Thus consumers who put their trust in companies tend to trust their brands (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Company Reputation
If the company behind a brand is known to be fair, consumers will feel safer in obtaining and using the brand of the company (Lau & Lee, 1999). (Doney & Cannon, 1997) identify intentionality as one of the ways in which trust is developed in buyer and seller relationships. Intentionality refers to the interpretation and judgment of one party and the motives of the other party. When consumers consider the company behind a good brand and act in the best interests of consumers, consumers will trust the brand (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Company Integrity
The company's integrity behind a brand is consumers' perception that the brand adheres to a set of acceptable principles, such as keeping promises, being ethical, and being honest. If the company behind a brand has integrity, the brand might be trusted by consumers (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Consumer-Brand Characteristics
Relationships of both parties affect in a relationship. Thus the characteristics of consumer brands can affect consumer confidence in a brand.

Similarity Between Consumer Self-Concept and Brand Personality
Research in interpersonal relationships shows that the similarity of characteristics between two parties can provide a tendency to believe. If the physical or personality attributes of a brand are judged to be similar with consumers' self-images, consumers tend to trust them (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Liking Brand
Liking shows a certain preference that one party has towards another party because the other party finds the other party pleasant. So that consumers can build relationships with a brand, consumers must like the brand first. When consumers like a brand, consumers will be bound to find out more about the brand and can trust it (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Brand Experience
Brand experience refers to consumers' encounters with brands in the past, especially in the field of use. As consumers gain more experience with a brand, consumers can understand the brand better and grow to trust it more. This experience is not limited to positive experiences, because any experience increases the ability of consumers to predict brand performance (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Brand Satisfaction
Brand satisfaction is defined as cumulative satisfaction as an overall consumer evaluation based on total consumer purchases and experience with brand products or services (Grisaffe & Nguyen, 2011). When a consumer is satisfied with a brand after using it, this situation is similar to fulfilling a promise. Because the brand has kept its promise, consumers can trust it more (Lau & Lee, 1999). Peer Support Displacement is one of the ways in which trust is developed (Doney & Cannon, 1997) . Transference is an extension of trust in a party based on a third party's definition of trust. Through transfer, the trust given to others in a brand will be 'transferred' from them to other consumers. Therefore, consumers tend to trust brands that are trusted by others. Indirectly they get the approval and support of co-workers for their next actions (Lau & Lee, 1999).

Brand Loyalty
Brand loyalty is an attractive focal point for researchers and marketing practitioners. Previous research indicates that loyal customers spend more than customers of non-loyal , acting as an advocate for a brand to engage mouth to mouth and positive, and therefore "at the heart of customer groups most valuable company" (Ganesh, Arnold, & Reynolds 2000). Brand loyalty refers to the behavior of consumers who repeatedly buy certain brands over a certain period of time. This is based on past behavior, and local consumers are very likely to buy products from certain brands now and in the future (Wang, Wu, & Lin, 2000).
Brand loyalty in general can be measured in ways as beriku t (Dharmmesta, 1999

. Commitment brand (brand commitment) Options Brand Sequence
The brand choice sequence method or called the repurchase pattern, products that are often bought by consumers can be used as objects to facilitate measurement (Dharmmesta, 1999). For example, if A, B, C, D, E, and F are brands in a particular group, the four categories of brand loyalty can be explained in the following purchase sequence: 1. Loyalty is not separated (undivided loyalty), shown by the AAA A AA series. 2. Loyalty is divided (divided loyalty), shown by the ABABAB sequence. 3. Unstable loyalty, indicated by the AAABBB series. 4. No loyalty (no loyalty), indicated by the ABCDEF sequence.

Proportion of Purchases
The advantage of this method compared to the brand choice sequence (Dharmmesta, 1999) is (1) it is easier to be quantified, (2) it allows identification of multiple brand loyalty. For example, the loyalty of two brands shows the proportion of purchases aimed at two brands in a certain group; loyalty of three brands, aimed at three brands, and so on.

Brand Preferences
Brand loyalty is considered a "positive attitude" towards a certain product, often described in terms of the intention to buy. This approach shows that the positive attitude of consumers towards a brand has become the basis for an understanding of brand loyalty (Dharmmesta, 1999).

Brand Commitment
The existence of brand loyalty raises a commitment to a brand. Brand commitment usually occurs in products with involvement that symbolize the self-concept, values, and needs of consumers (Dharmmesta, 1999).

No
Author / year Title were carried out by distributing questionnaires (questionnaires), namely collecting data by making a list of questions raised to respondents who have been determined as samples.

Difference Equation
The type of data used in this study is to use quantitative data in the form of questionnaire tabulation data and qualitative data in the form of a general description of the company. The data source used is the data source that comes from the respondents' questionnaire answers. This research was measured using a Likert scale (5: 4: 3: 2: 1). Respondents' score scores consisted of strongly agree, agree, disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. Test data analysis using SPSS by conducting validity tests, reliability tests, descriptive statistical tests, correlation analysis tests, and multiple linear analysis tests. Based on the assessment of researchers' results in the field, the authors intend to provide suggestions that are expected to benefit the company and subsequent researchers: a. For companies To maintain and maintain brand loyalty, companies must maintain reputation and find ways to continue creating innovations that customers need. Companies also need to pay attention to changes in consumer tastes and choices, the emergence of new competitors or new developments in the marketing environment. b. For Future Researchers It is expected that further researchers can examine more sources related to the relationship of brand characteristics, company characteristics, and consumer-brand characteristics with brand loyalty so that research results can be better. And prepare yourself in the process of taking and collecting data so that research is well and it is also hoped that further researchers can use interviews with Sarimi consumers.