Are Facebook check-ins always good for branding? The green-eyed monster in Chinese culture

Abstract

• Benign envy and jealousy enhance brand equity. • Perceived voluntariness, intimacy, and image fit affect benign envy. • The consistency of online and offline self-presentation negatively affects benign envy. • The fit and the consistency positively affect jealousy. • The results also show gender differences in Chinese culture. This study investigates the effects of Facebook check-ins on brand equity in Chinese culture by proposing a model integrating observability and image factors. The results demonstrate that benign envy and jealousy enhance brand equity. Perceived voluntariness, intimacy, and the fit between the image of the person who checks in and brand image positively affect benign envy. The consistency of online and offline self-presentation negatively affects benign envy. The fit and the consistency positively affect jealousy. The results also show gender differences. The psychological path analysis advances our knowledge about the types of envy elicited by check-ins. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first investigation of check-in effects on brand equity. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating gender differences in Chinese culture. This paper finally presents practical suggestions.