Alcohol social media marketing and drinking behaviors among Chinese young adults: Mediation by drinking expectancies.

Drinking expectancies, the perceived consequences of alcohol consumption, are noted to predict drinking behaviours. However, there is comparatively little research of drinking expectancies in non-Western populations. This study aimed to develop and validate a Chinese Drinking Expectancy Questionnaire (CDEQ-Adult) for Chinese young adults. Face and content validity were first assessed of items generated from literature review and previously conducted focus groups. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted with split-half samples from a random telephone survey that was conducted on Hong Kong Chinese adults between the ages of 18-34 (n = 675). The instrument's convergent validity and internal reliability were also examined. The preliminary instrument items showed good content validity (Item Content Validity Index range: 0.8-1.0). The EFA yielded a 31-item, five-factor model consisting of five domains: Negative Consequences, Interpersonal Benefits, Increased Confidence, Health Benefits and Tension/Stress Reduction (variance explained 63.7%). The CFA revealed that the fit indices for the five-factor model using diagonal weighted least squares estimator were χ2 (256, N = 338) = 394.04, p < 0.001, comparative fit index 0.97, SRMR 0.07, RMSEA 0.06 (95% confidence interval 0.06, 0.08), suggesting a good fit of the model. The Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.94, 0.90, 0.86, 0.77 and 0.57, respectively for each of the five domains (n = 675). Significant associations with past month drinking behaviours and future drinking intentions give strong support for convergent validity. The CDEQ-Adult is a culturally relevant instrument for assessing drinking expectancies in Chinese young adults for use in future studies.

PurposeDespite its potential as a new source of competitive advantage, the performance implications of social media (SM) marketing (SMM) are not well understood. This study aims to investigate how and when SMM matters to firm performance, analysing the mediating role of product innovation (PI) and moderating the role of marketing innovation (MI) in business to business (B2B) small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThis paper used structural equation modelling analysis in STATA, using the Australian bureau of statistics data set of 4,956 SMEs which operate in the B2B environment.FindingsThe results reveal differential moderating effects of MI on the direct SMM–performance relationship. MI positively moderates internal SMM and SM use for promotion and branding on firm performance. MI also negatively moderates SM use for customer communication on firm performance, underscoring SMM constituting a double-edged sword. The indirect effects of internal SM use and SM use for promotion and branding, and customer involvement in new product development on performance via PI are significant when MI is absent.Practical implicationsHence, B2B SMEs benefit from PI and existing SMM but do not benefit from dual PI and new MI.Originality/valueBy disaggregating SMM and explicating the mediating mechanism and moderating effects of MI, this study reveals how and under what conditions SMM matters to firm performance in B2B SMEs.

Due to the widespread use of social media by young adults, the alcohol industry has been increasingly using social media marketing (SMM) to target potential customers. This study examines the prevalence and factors associated with past-month exposure to alcohol SMM among young Chinese adults, a group with rapidly increasing uptake of alcohol consumption. An anonymous, random telephone survey was conducted between June and August 2021 on Hong Kong Chinese residents between 18 and 34 years old (n = 675). Of respondents, 52.3% reported past-month exposure to alcohol SMM (68.6% of past-month drinkers and 48.0% of non-past-month drinkers, p < 0.05) while 71.6% reported exposure to non-SMM alcohol marketing. Direct alcohol SMM exposure was reported by 40.9% (e.g., business-to-consumer postings, alcohol banner ads) while 27.4% of respondents reported exposure to indirect alcohol SMM marketing (e.g., shared/'liked' alcohol brand posts). Of those exposed to alcohol SMM, 13.7-15.5% reported that the various forms indirect alcohol SMM influenced them to drink more (vs. 6.2-8.9% for direct alcohol SMM). Being male, lower-income, university educated and spirits/cocktail drinker were independently associated with exposure to direct alcohol SMM (ORmv 1.71-3.14). Past-month exposure to indirect alcohol SMM was independently associated with lower income, not working full-time and drinking any type of alcohol (ORmv 1.59-4.44). The comparative effectiveness of indirect SMM on influencing young adults drinking intentions may be a form of peer endorsement of drinking. The pervasiveness of alcohol SMM and lack of alcohol SMM policies may indicate the need for greater alcohol marketing regulation in this region.

Social media marketing employs channels like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for purposes such as advertising, customer interaction, sales, and fostering connections with the target audience. A notable gap in prior research within the Scopus database prompted this investigation, employing a bibliometric analysis focused on “(social media marketing OR social media strategy OR social media management OR social media platforms OR social media trends or social media contest OR social media analytics).” Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, we scrutinized relevant articles on Scopus from 2013 to November 2023, revealing insights from 1,198 articles. The review findings demonstrate that the number of articles devoted to the study of social media and social media marketing has increased exponentially in recent years. More importantly, the research identifies some of the most influential studies in this area. The paper discusses trends and highlights the challenges related to social media platforms and marketing. To the authors’ knowledge, this represents the first study to review the literature from leading journals on social media platforms in marketing using bibliometric techniques. Furthermore, lays the foundation for future research, guiding scholars to less-explored areas and fostering potential collaborations, thereby enhancing the depth of understanding in this domain.

Background: The growing influence of social media platforms on consumer behavior, particularly in developing countries like Nepal, has been a subject of increasing interest. As social media usage rises, the impact of advertisements on purchasing decisions becomes a critical area of exploration, especially among the youth. This study seeks to understand how demographic factors, including age and gender, affect social media usage patterns and the influence of advertisements on purchasing behaviors. Objective: The primary objective of this research is to examine the relationship between social media usage and consumer purchasing decisions, with a focus on the demographic characteristics of age and gender among Nepalese youth. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 123 respondents from different age groups, ranging from 16 to above 35 years. Descriptive data analysis was employed to assess demographic distributions and social media usage patterns, while a Chi-Square test was used to analyze the influence of gender on purchasing behavior due to social media advertisements. Respondents were asked about their preferred social media platforms, purchasing behaviors, and their views on the influence of social media advertisements. Findings: The results revealed that Instagram is the most popular social media platform across all age groups, with a notable gender difference in platform preferences. Social media advertisements were found to influence purchasing behavior, with a majority of respondents either agreeing or being uncertain about their impact. The Chi-Square test showed no significant relationship between gender and the influence of social media advertisements on purchasing decisions. The majority of participants, particularly those aged 16-25, indicated that they were influenced by social media ads in their purchasing choices. Conclusion: This study highlights the substantial impact of social media advertisements on the purchasing decisions of Nepalese youth, particularly among those aged 16-25. Gender did not appear to significantly influence the effectiveness of these advertisements. The findings suggest that social media platforms, especially Instagram and Facebook, play a crucial role in shaping consumer behavior, and advertisers should focus on these platforms to target younger audiences. Novelty: This study provides valuable insights into the specific impact of social media advertisements on consumer behavior in Nepal, a developing market, and explores the role of demographic factors in shaping these behaviors.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of social content marketing in social media on the effectiveness of the new product development process of high-tech companies with regard to the e-trust as a mediator between content and effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachFor this study, a descriptive research method has been adopted. Data were collected through a questionnaire. In total, 430 questionnaires were distributed among professionals and managers working in R&D, marketing, sales and strategic departments of firms affiliated with ICT Guild Organization in September 2017. Of this number, 384 complete questionnaires were included in the study. Data were analyzed using structural equation method by Smart PLS software.FindingsFindings show that although social content marketing and e-trust influenced the effectiveness of the product development process, e-trust did not play a mediating role in the relationship between social content marketing and effectiveness of product development process in high-tech companies.Practical implicationsHigh-tech companies, drawing on the results of this research, can utilize the component of social content marketing in social and mobile media and content publication through e-commerce, social and mobile media and m-commerce while analyzing user-generated content to identify user demands and achieve the proper idea generation. At the time of commercializing, by educating and informing customers, they mitigate fears and risks. This will lead to increasing the effectiveness of the product development process, market share and achieving revenue goals.Originality/valueThis study investigates the social content marketing role in product development process in high-tech companies and tests the model in the context of the Tehran IT industries. The result of this study provides a reference for managers of high-tech companies and helps them lower the failure rate of product development.

This paper intends to examine the role of CSR communication on social media in building consumer company identification (C–C identification) and electronic word of mouth (EWOM) in Indian banking context. Specifically, this study addresses the following three research questions: First, how does consumer perceived CSR orientation of Indian public sector banks in social media (CPBCSRSM) help in spreading positive EWOM and building consumer C–C identification? Second, what are the mediating effects of C–C identification between CPBCSRSM and EWOM? Third, how does user-generated content (UGC) moderate the influence of CPBCSRSM on EWOM? The author analyzed the data obtained from 648 banks’ consumers who evaluated consumers’ perceived CSR initiatives of those Indian public sector banks which have presence on social media, by using CFA and SEM techniques through SPSS and AMOS. The findings indicate that CPBCSRSM and C–C identification have direct effects on EWOM. The findings also indicate the mediating role of C–C identification and moderating role of UGC between CPBCSRSM and EWOM. Our study significantly contributes to marketing and CSR literature, by adding to limited knowledge on banks’ CSR orientation and its communication in social media. The study enriches the extant literature by filling gaps such as improving the generalizability of the findings, providing an integrated framework and using multiple social media platforms in an emerging economy. Our findings will provide a significant forward step to banking professionals regarding the factors influencing EWOM and the role of CSR communication in social media. This study highlights to the policymakers of Indian public sector banks that they need to focus on CSR communication in social media for better consumer engagement, C–C identification, encouraging a favorable UGC and EWOM.

CSR activities through social media is one of the media that is currently widely used which involves the company's stakeholders will have an impact that changes the way of communicating and builds the company's reputation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of CSR on social media by involving engaging stakeholders, brand image, electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) and future purchase intention. The research method used is quantitative method with descriptive analysis data analysis technique using the AMOS Structural Equal Model (SEM). The sample used in this study was 395 samples of social media users in JABODETABEK. The results obtained in this study are eganging stakeholders, brand image and electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) have a significant positive effect on CSR activities in social media. In addition, brand image, electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) has a significant positive effect on future purchases. As well as brand image mediating between CSR activities on social media has a positive effect on E-WOM and future purchases.

This study aimed at identifying the effect of Electronic Word of Mouth (EWOM) towards tourists' interest (future behavioral intention) by analyzing the dominant factors which defined EWOM in the scope of social networking sites (SNS). The analysis technique used was partial Least Square (PLS) with samples of 100. Respondents of the study were tourists using the internet as an information source and excursion planning to Langkawi Island, Malaysia. The result of the study showed that there were dominant factors which defined EWOM and that they yielded a weak effect towards future behavioral intention. The push factors and the pull factors from future behavioral intention dimension obtained the highest response from the tourists. The study indicated that EWOM values as a source of information search for planning an excursion trip were very important, but yielded a weak effect towards future behavioral intention, on the grounds that there were still many factors outside EWOM which affected the tourists' interest which require future further studies.

Social media makes it easier for consumers to reach information about products and at the same time increases their popularity. This change shows a shift in marketing strategy from conventional media to social media, the majority of users are Generation Z. One effective marketing strategy is Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM), where user reviews, recommendations and testimonials are spread online and can be accessed at any time. This research focuses on the impact of Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM) on purchasing decisions for NPURE products in Generation Z, with quantitative methods, and using purposive sampling techniques also questionnaires as data collection tools, involving 100 respondents from Generation Z who actively use social media, domiciled in Jabodetabek, and heard or tried NPURE products. The results of this research found a significant positive relationship between Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM) and purchasing decisions, with correlation coefficient 0.665, indicating a strong correlation between two variables, while the determination value was 44%. Research shows that Electronic Word of Mouth has a significant impact on purchasing decisions for NPURE products. These findings show the importance of Electronic Word of Mouth as an efficient marketing strategy to create customer trust and encourage purchasing decisions. Media sosial memudahkan konsumen untuk menjangkau informasi mengenai produk dan sekaligus meningkatkan popularitasnya. perubahan ini menunjukkan peralihan strategi pemasaran dari media konvensional ke media sosial, yang sebagian besar penggunanya adalah Generasi Z. Salah satu pendekatan pemasaran yang efektif adalah Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM), dimana ulasan, rekomendasi, serta testimoni pengguna tersebar secara online dan dapat diakses kapan saja. Penelitian ini berfokus untuk meneliti dampak Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM) terhadap keputusan pembelian produk NPURE pada Generasi Z, memakai metode kuantitatif, serta menerapkan teknik purposive sampling dan kuesioner sebagai alat pengumpulan data, dengan melibatkan 100 responden dari generasi Z yang aktif menggunakan media sosial, berdomisili di Jabodetabek, serta pernah mendengar atau mencoba produk NPURE. Hasil penelitian ini menemukan hubungan positif signifikan antara Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM) dan keputusan pembelian, dengan nilai koefsien korelasi sebesar 0,665, menunjukan korelasi kedua variabel kuat, sementara nilai determinasi sebesar 44%. Penelitian menunjukan Electronic Word of Mouth memiliki dampak signifikan terhadap keputusan pembelian produk NPURE. Temuan tersebut, menegaskan pentingnya Electronic Word of Mouth sebagai strategi promosi yang efisien untuk menciptakan kepercayaan pelanggan serta mendorong keputusan pembelian.

Large corporations have taken benefit of social media marketing's potential as a forum for marketing and have used it to drive their ad campaigns. Marketers are more conscious than ever of the different social media options that are available to them and are moving much faster than ever to start new sustainability campaigns. Social marketing is the method of promoting a company and its products and services through social media and other networks. While propagating their culture, mission, or desirable tone, organizations can utilize social media marketing to communicate with their existing customers and entice new ones. With help of data analytics tools specifically designed for social media marketing, marketers may monitor the effectiveness of their campaigns. The way we interact with one another and how our society functions as a whole have both changed as a consequence of social networking. Entrepreneurs started to notice how popular social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are becoming more and more. They started utilizing these platforms for social media marketing purposes to advance their objectives. That's because these websites have the power to alter user behaviour. On the social media platforms, marketing professionals can employ a variety of strategies and techniques to catch users' attention and enhance the engagement of their content. Marketers can employ the particular geographic, demographic, and personal information that users can submit on a variety of social media networks to customize their messaging to what is most likely to be popular with consumers. Social media is one of the "biggest chances" a company has currently now just to reach out to prospective customers. The means of socialization are social media. By establishing a closer connection with the public, these new media gain the trust of the public. Social networking marketing has transformed into the new norm for many organizations since the beginnings of last year. Social networking marketing has advanced, as have the companies that use it. It is impossible to pay to be completely silent on social media if a rival is generating controversy with its services and products. It is equally astounding how quickly the social media phenomenon is expanding and growing. With publication came social media marketing first. In an attempt to boost visitors to their sites and preferably, revenue, businesses published their information on social media. Social networking, however, has expanded to be a lot more than simply a method for disseminating information. Companies increasingly utilize social networking sites in a wide range of ways. For instance, an organization that is curious in what customers have to say about its brand may monitoring social media conversations and respond to significant references. In order to determine how effectively a company is operating on social media, it would employ an analytics tool to examine at its visibility, engagement, and sales. Highly targeted social media advertisements would be used by a company looking to reach a certain population on a large scale. The term "social media management" is frequently used to refer to all of them. Numerous ways in which social media has altered business. It is a reality that because of the digital era in which we live, social media and internet marketing have a big influence on how people behave. The technology is evolving quickly, which has increased both supply and demand over time. Automation of all processes is the only way to deal with the significant changes. Despite the emergence of the new communications era, experts advise companies to keep employing conventional methods while also making the most of social media to promote their goals. This study analyzes social media and social media marketing principles as well as related topics like social media's development and advantages, its function and importance in marketing, and its social media marketing tactics. It also offers a broad perspective of marketing through social media in India.

Aim: To investigate the impact of social media on consumer information processing and decision making processes related to purchasing via social media platforms. To examine how consumers differ in decision making and how they perceive credibility of social media and mass media marketing. Methods: The study included a total of 161 adults (64 male and 97 female) whose participation was voluntary and anonymous. We used a questionnaire with 25 Likert scale questions in Croatian that addressed the decision making processes and the information processing theory. The questionnaire was accessible via Google Drive link. All submissions were complete. Results: Facebook (41.0%) and Instagram (42.9%) were the most popular social media platforms among Croatian consumers in our sample. They spent several hours per week exposed to various contents available on these platforms. Consumers’ response to that content was affected by numerous factors, from word of mouth in their social circle (34.2%) and other online information (34.7%) available to their personal level of motivation and interest in what was being offered. With respect to the general attitude towards social media marketing, consumers belonged to one of the two streams. One stream found it useful mostly for allowing communication between consumers and companies (28.6%) and the direct accessibility to other users’ experience (30.4%), a major factor in their attitude formation. In the other stream, the consumers were often irritated by the vast number of ads which appear on social media that do not match their interests or needs (52.1%). Overall, the time Croatian users in our sample spent on social media decreased with age. Conclusion: Regardless of their gender, Croatian consumers consider social media very accessible, yet sometimes unprofessional, whereas mass media appears to be less demanding and often imprecise in targeting consumer interests and needs.

With the threat of global warming, countries worldwide have enhanced their environmental campaigns on social media to increase users’ willingness to take pro-environmental actions. In this study, we examined the direct and indirect effects of exposure to environmental information on Chinese young adults’ (18–25 years old) intention to participate in environmental protection actions (e.g., recycling, using public transportation, involvement in an environmental group, and participation in eco-friendly events). Data were collected from a sample of 291 Chinese young adults using a web-based survey and a thoroughly designed questionnaire. The accumulated data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Hierarchical regression and mediation analysis were performed for testing hypotheses. The results indicated that exposure to environmental information on Chinese social media platforms (WeChat and Xiaohongshu) positively affected individuals’ intention to participate in pro-environmental behavior, perceived pro-environmental behavior control, pro-environmental attitude, and fear of victimization. The indirect effect demonstrated that pro-environmental behavior control and attitude mediated the relationship between exposure to environmental information on both WeChat and Xiaohongshu and the intention to participate in pro-environmental behavior. Extending the existing literature, this study provides empirical evidence on the influence of environmental information exposure on the intention to participate in environmental protection among Chinese adults. In addition, it provides valuable insights into the mediating mechanisms involving cognitive, psychological, and emotional factors in this relationship. Policy makers should implement effective pro-environmental promotions on social media to inspire individuals to engage in environmentally friendly actions. In addition, social media managers should strictly authenticate and remove misleading environmental content.

Luxury brands have always been fashion industry leaders, with admirable aesthetic value and innovative yet traditional business management. The brands constantly struggle to secure profits by providing novel value to customers through quality products and services, customer management, retail strategies, and innovative marketing mixes. However, the recent entry of numerous fashion brands in the luxury market coupled with decreased sales related to economic downturns have led to new challenges for luxury firms. Because the luxury fashion business is considered high value-added with guaranteed high profit margins and secure regular customers, the lower sectors have begun to heat up the competition. To survive the recent unforeseen challenges of heated competition, they have turned toward marketing communication using social media. Social media are the two-way communication platforms that allow users to interact with each other online to share information and opinions. Use of social media sites such...

This study aims to determine the effect of Social Media Marketing on Brand Equity, the effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Brand Equity, the influence of Brand Equity on Purchasing Decisions, the influence of Social Media Marketing and Brand, and the Electronic Word of Mouth. Purchase Decisions via Brand Equity as a variable. Intervention. This study uses a path analysis model. The sample in this study were 340 students of Briton English Education. The data in this study were obtained by distributing questionnaires. The results showed that the Social Media Marketing (X1), Electronic Word of Month (X2) variable had a significant effect on Purchasing Decisions (Z). This can be seen from the coefficient which is positive and the significance value is smaller than 0.05. The results also show that Social Media Marketing (X1), Electronic Word of Mouth (X2), and Brand Equity (Y) have a positive and significant effect on Purchasing Decisions (Z). This can be seen from the coefficient which is positive and the significance value is smaller than 0.05. In this study, it is also known that there is no mediating effect of the Brand Equity variable between the independent variables consisting of Social Media Marketing (X1) and Electronic Word of Mouth (X2) on the dependent variable of Purchase Decision (Z). This can be seen from the value of the indirect effect on the path coefficient which is smaller than the value of the direct effect.