Consumer brand engagement and its social side on brand-hosted social media: how do they contribute to brand loyalty?

ABSTRACT

Social media offer brands new opportunities to interact with their customers. This paper focuses on consumer brand engagement (CBE) and its social facet in the context of brand-hosted social media. It highlights that CBE (consumer–brand interactions encompassing cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions) and brand-based consumer–consumer interactions (social brand engagement (SBE)) lead to brand loyalty intentions. Brand customers were surveyed about their favourite brands on Facebook. Results indicate that self-brand connections and SBE are two drivers of CBE, and that CBE is the key element in inducing brand loyalty. In addition, configural analysis shows that high brand loyalty can be achieved through several combinations of social and CBE with various levels of cognitive, affective and behavioural engagement.     

Effects of Negative Brand Information: Measuring Impact of Celebrity Identification and Brand Commitment

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the relationship between negative brand publicity and a celebrity endorser. First, it explores whether identification with a celebrity moderates the relationship between negative brand publicity and evaluation of a celebrity endorser and a brand. Second, it delves into whether consumers’ brand commitment moderates the relationship between negative brand publicity and evaluation of a celebrity endorser and a brand. And the study poses the research question, “Does negative brand information impact consumer evaluation of a celebrity endorser, a brand, and purchase intention?” A 2 × 2 between-subject factorial design was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The two factors are level of identification with a celebrity endorser (low or high identification) and level of brand commitment (low vs. high brand commitment). The study found that negative brand publicity had negative impacts on the celebrity endorser, brand evaluation, and purchase intention.     

The Effect of Brand Engagement and Brand Love upon Overall Brand Equity and Purchase Intention: A Moderated –Mediated Model

Abstract

In their quest for retaining or enhancing their overall brand equity, firms engage with their customers. This study investigates if brand engagement blossoms in brand love and the combined effect of brand engagement and brand love upon overall brand equity and purchase intention. A two stage analysis was done on data collected from 548 respondents through a self administered questionnaire. In the first stage the measurement model was checked for reliability and validity, while in the second one, the strength of the relationships was ascertained in the structural model. The study enables an in-depth understanding of the antecedents of brand equity. It provides valuable theoretical insights on the determinants of brand equity formation. At the same time, it explores the effect of socio demographic variables like gender and usage. Brand love and overall brand equity mediate relationships. This study proposes a new branding model by simultaneously integrating variables that have been previously researched upon; brand love, brand experience, overall brand equity and purchase intention as one comprehensive model. This paper confirms that brand love and brand engagement are second order constructs and important brand mix elements. Brand engagement and brand love relationship is moderated by usage and gender.     

How virtual brand community traces may increase fan engagement in brand pages

Brand pages in social media are a great way to foster consumer gathering around a brand, but it can be challenging to keep fans engaged and coming back to see updated content. Brands with millions of fans on Facebook have seen organic reach fall below 2% of their base. In this article, we describe how the creation of virtual brand communities can help brand managers increase fan engagement. We suggest the steps, conditions, advantages, and limitations involved in nurturing a brand page as an online social gathering that assumes some of the characteristics of a virtual brand community. The results of our study show that a brand page can have some of the characteristics of a virtual brand community—topical information exchange, identity communication, and establishment and internalization of cultural norms. We also show the importance of having celebrities among fans in order to foster social interactions and legitimate social practices on brand pages.     

‘We’ are more likely to endorse than ‘I’: the effects of self-construal and brand symbolism on consumers’ online brand endorsements

Recent research increasingly highlights that consumers engage in online brand endorsements (e.g. Facebook likes) to signal their identity, but has failed to explain why different consumers use this type of signaling to differing degrees. This paper addresses this gap by looking at a culturally constructed individual difference variable, namely self-construal. Self-construal, which can be independent or interdependent, refers to the extent that people define themselves in terms of the relations they have with others. In four studies, this research shows that consumers’ self-construal is related to their intention to endorse brands online. In particular, high levels of interdependent self-construal positively affect consumers’ intention to endorse brands online (Studies 1A & 1B). This effect is mediated by an increased perception of brands’ symbolic value (Study 2). Moreover, this positivity bias toward symbolic brand cues is conditional upon consumers’ brand attitude (Study 3). These findings demonstrate that consumers’ identity plays a central role in their brand perception and brand-related social media use.     

Exciting on Facebook or competent in the newspaper? Media effects on consumers’ perceptions of brands in the fashion category

Abstract

Media investments are continuously shifting from traditional media like newspapers to digital alternatives like websites and social media. This study investigated if and how media choice between the two rival channels can influence consumers’ perceptions of a novel brand. 504 Swedish retail fashion customers participated in an experiment to evaluate the identical advertisement placed either in a national newspaper or on Facebook. The results revealed that advertising in a newspaper can have a positive effect on brand equity facets and purchase intention through brand personality perceptions of being competent, while advertising on Facebook have similar effects but through perceptions of being exciting. Besides some evidence that choice between traditional and new media affects brand personality this study is one of the first attempts to incorporate media channel choice into the broader customer-based brand equity framework. The results from this particular study suggest that media channel choice should be considered from a brand equity building perspective at least in the fashion category. This study shows that different media channels could complement each other strategically, as traditional media channels still can have valuable and unique contributions to brand building through brand personality perceptions, especially for brands striving to be perceived as competent.     

“I follow what you post!”: The role of social media influencers’ content characteristics in consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs)

The purpose of this research is to examine the underlying mechanisms through which social media influencers' (SMI) content characteristics (information, design, and technology quality and creativity) influence consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs) (consume, contribute, and create) through parasocial relationships and wishful identification. Grounded in the integration of the two-step flow theory, social influence theory, and power theory, a conceptual model is proposed and empirically tested using a sample of 263 social media users who had followed at least one social media influencer on social media. We analyzed the data using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). The results reveal that three of the four dimensions of SMI's content characteristics, namely design quality, technology quality, and creativity are significant predictors of parasocial relationships. Design quality and creativity are significant predictors of wishful identification. Parasocial relationships and wishful identification are also identified as significant predictors of COBRAs. The results of NCA analysis also identify the proposed content characteristics as necessary factors required to foster COBRAs. This study offers valuable insights into how social media influencers can position themselves to be more effective in promoting brands and products through the curation of their social media content.