Examining the Impact of Social Media Marketing Features on Brand Loyalty for Local Beauty and Cosmetics Brands in Egypt: The Mediating Role of Brand Trust

Examining the Impact of Ethical Corporate Social Responsibility and Training–Development on Employer Brand Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment

ABSTRACT Dining at restaurants associated with internet celebrities is a growing trend among young consumers. The study employs the C-A-B theory to develop an integrated research framework examining how brand coolness influences Generation Z’s brand loyalty towards internet celebrity restaurants in Taiwan. The findings indicate that brand coolness reflects brand authenticity, whilst perceived value fosters brand love and loyalty among internet celebrity restaurants.

The aim of this article is to examine the effects of brand innovativeness (BI) and value co-creation (VCC) on the relationships between trust, perceived value (PV) and brand loyalty (BL), drawing on signalling theory. We collected data in 2020 from 403 smartphone users through Amazon MTurk and tested hypotheses using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM). We found that BI as a signal initiator has a positive effect on VCC, PV and brand trust (BT). While VCC as a signal strengthener has a positive effect on PV and BT, VCC has no effect on BT. PV and BT also affect BL positively. Furthermore, this article broadens brand literature through showing how the holistic effects of BI and VCC can enhance BT, PV and BL. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first article to empirically focus on the holistic effects of BI and VCC on brand-specific consequences. Specifically, the holistic effects of BI and VCC foster the customer-brand relationship. Marketers should create unique innovations that encourage customers to participate in VCC; thereby, the holistic effects of BI and VCC will enhance positive attitudes on BT, PV and BL.

Abstract In the competitive CPG industry, especially within edible oils, understanding factors influencing retail product choices is crucial for brand growth. As consumer preferences evolve and retail environments grow complex, strategic retailer engagement and targeted marketing are vital. Idhayam, known for premium sesame oil, has built a strong reputation on trust and quality, but sustained leadership depends on retailer perceptions and stocking decisions. Retailers act as key intermediaries, influencing product visibility and sales based on factors like brand perception, product quality, profit margins, and social influences. While existing research offers insights, there’s a need for context-specific understanding within the edible oil segment, where traditional preferences, health concerns, and loyalty heavily impact decisions. This study explores these core factors affecting retailer choices regarding Idhayam sesame oil to help optimize marketing and retail strategies. Keywords: Oil market, Product quality, Brand awareness, Brand loyalty, Reference groups

Purpose Gender inequality is a significant objective and obstacle to achieving sustainable development. Indonesia is encountering a comparable problem. The dilemma is rooted in a lack of education and awareness regarding gender equality. In addition to that, since 2004, firms worldwide have been consistently embracing femvertising, an advertising approach that seeks to empower women. Some companies use femvertising into their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Moreover, favorable customer perceptions of companies that endorse women's empowerment can result in positive consumer behavioral intentions, such as purchase intention, but only when there is a robust interaction between the companies and consumers. This study investigates the impact of CSR femvertising on women's empowerment and its influence on customer purchase intention and evaluates how the gender may influence the attitude toward femvertising. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted with multivariate structural equation modeling (SEM) and eight hypotheses were tested. This study successfully recruited participants virtually from a sample of 264 participants to investigate the relationship between a company's female empowerment program, brand-cause alignment, CSR association, organizational-public relationship (OPR), brand loyalty and purchase intention. Findings A positive and significant influence was found on attitude toward femvertising on purchase intention, femvertising is notably linked with brand-cause. The analysis found that brand–cause fit shows a significant connection with CSR association. Other results prove that CSR association is significantly tied to OPR. Finally, OPR is significantly associated with brand loyalty and brand loyalty significantly impacts purchase intention. Further theoretical and practical implications were described. Originality/value This study enriches CSR, advertising and consumer behavior research by investigating the impact of CSR femvertising on women's empowerment and its influence on customer purchase intention in the context of developing countries. It also elaborates on the influence of gender on femvertising toward attitude and evaluates the company commitment, which can be demonstrated through the consistent incorporation of feminist values, diversity and inclusivity in its advertisements.

Purpose The study aims to investigate the impact of metaverse marketing strategies, specifically branded non-fungible tokens, extended reality (XR) gamification and immersive shopping experiences on consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) in the fashion industry. Additionally, this study examines the mediating role of virtual brand experience (VBE) in the context of fashion marketing in the United Kingdom. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in online flow theory, mental transportation theory and Aaker's Consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) framework, the study adopts a quantitative approach. Data were obtained from an online survey of 626 UK-based metaverse users who participated in virtual fashion activities. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling (AMOS) and bootstrapped mediation analysis. Findings The results show that VBE plays an important role in driving CBBE for consumers of metaverse fashion. VBE has a strong positive effect on CBBE and partially/fully mediates the relationship between metaverse marketing strategies and CBBE outcomes. While BNFTs and XR gamification marketing strategies both have significant direct effects on brand awareness/association and perceived quality, there was no support for their relationship with brand loyalty. XR-based immersive shopping shows no significant direct effects on any CBBE dimension but exerts a significant indirect effect through VBE, indicating full mediation. Overall, the results suggest that metaverse strategies enhance brand equity only when they generate meaningful sensory, affective, behavioral, intellectual and social brand experiences. Practical implications The results offer actionable insights for fashion marketers to design immersive and interactive metaverse experiences that increase perceived brand equity and brand experience. Originality/value This study is a pioneering study to empirically confirm the mediating role of the VBE in linking metaverse marketing strategies with CBBE in the fashion industry. It addresses gaps in brand management theory and highlights experiential processes driving brand value in the metaverse.

This study examines how brand social responsibility (BSR) drives positive word-of-mouth (WOM) in service brands. Based on social identity theory, we propose that a brand’s commitment to societal welfare strengthens customers’ emotional attachment, fostering positive WOM. By exploring the BSR-WOM relationship, this study provides new insights into the dynamic mechanisms at play within service branding. Using a sequential two-stage mixed-methods approach, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews followed by an experiment and a large-scale survey. The findings highlight the pivotal role of BSR in cultivating brand commitment and explaining how brand experience enhances the effectiveness of BSR initiatives in driving positive WOM. This study advances ethical branding literature and provides implications for practitioners.

The purpose of this article is to analyze how the strategic application of neuromarketing and its complements—experiential neuromarketing, gastronomic storytelling, and service design—contribute to brand building in the gastronomic sector. A conceptual model is proposed that links emotional, cognitive, and narrative processes with customer perception in culinary environments. The research was conducted using a theoretical-documentary approach, through a critical and comparative review of relevant academic sources. The approaches of key authors such as Ponce (2022), Rodríguez (2020), and Morales (2021) were integrated to identify how each component of gastronomic neuromarketing influences customer perception and loyalty in the culinary sector, to establish synergistic relationships between each complement and its impact on brand loyalty and positioning. The theoretical model allows for an integrated conceptualization of stimuli, emotions, narrative, and service design as strategic pillars of gastronomic branding. It was found that these strategies seek not only to attract customers, but also to generate a lasting emotional connection that fosters loyalty and strengthens market positioning. Likewise, the consistent implementation of neuromarketing and its complementary strategies in the gastronomic field can consolidate a distinctive brand perception, generating lasting links between customers and culinary offerings, which constitutes a theoretical basis that paves the way for empirical studies to validate the effectiveness of these practices in real contexts. It is concluded that gastronomic neuromarketing, when applied in an integrated manner with storytelling and service design, not only optimizes the customer experience but also reinforces brand identity. The study also opens the door to future empirical research to validate the effectiveness of these strategies in real-world contexts.

ABSTRACT Many luxury brands have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to offer personalized online shopping services. Underpinned by cognitive appraisal theory, this study examines sequential psychological mechanisms in AI chatbot-driven online luxury shopping experiences in information-seeking and problem-solving contexts. A between-subjects design (AI chatbot usage purposes: information-seeking vs. problem-solving) was employed, and 416 responses were collected in the United States. PLS-SEM was used for data analysis. The results reveal that AI chatbot service authenticity and perceived parasocial interaction increase pleasure and satisfaction, prompting online luxury purchase intention and brand loyalty. However, AI chatbot usage purposes did not serve as a moderator. This study contributes to AI chatbot service literature by adopting a consumer-centric approach to understanding the impact of AI-powered service agents on consumer engagement and commitment to luxury e-retailers. Furthermore, this research suggests that luxury brands develop an advanced level of personalization through AI chatbot services as an online retailing strategy to target Millennial and Generation Z consumers who desire a personalized touch. This study helps luxury brands enhance the effectiveness of chatbot services and achieve long-term profitability by leveraging AI-powered chatbots aligned with the brand’s identity and image.

In the context of digital transformation and increasing competition in the fashion industry, intangible factors play a growing role in shaping brand equity. Cultural symbols, values, and narratives constitute important elements of communication strategy that influence brand perception and the nature of audience interaction. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the cultural intensity of digital brand content, audience engagement in social media, and an integrated brand equity index. Cultural intensity is interpreted as a structured set of symbolic, narrative, and collaborative elements represented in a brand’s digital communications. The research is based on a combination of content analysis of social media publications and the calculation of audience engagement indicators. The empirical sample includes Ukrainian fashion brands Sleeper and Balykina. The methodology involved analyzing selected publications according to predefined cultural criteria and calculating engagement rate as the ratio of total interactions to the number of followers. To summarize brand characteristics, an integrated brand equity index was constructed based on key parameters reflecting consumer perception, loyalty, innovativeness, and market position. The analytical results suggest a possible association a tendency toward consistency between the intensity of cultural elements in digital content and the level of audience engagement. Brands characterized by more coherent symbolic and narrative communication structures demonstrate higher interaction indicators and a stronger integrated brand equity index. The results are analytical in nature and require further statistical verification. The theoretical contribution lies in clarifying approaches to defining and structuring the cultural dimension of brands in the digital environment. The practical relevance of the study relates to the application of the proposed framework in brand communication management. Future research may expand the sample and apply econometric methods for deeper empirical validation. The integrated brand equity index was constructed using a weighted expert-based evaluation of ten intangible parameters reflecting brand awareness, loyalty, identity, and market positioning.

This study examines Instagram as a central platform in the marketing strategy of DRW Skincare at Rumah Cantik Cila. In the digital era, social media has evolved beyond communication functions to become an integrated marketing instrument encompassing targeting, branding, advertising, and social media management. Employing a qualitative descriptive case study approach, this research investigates how Instagram’s features and account management practices are utilized to enhance brand awareness, expand market reach, and maintain customer engagement. Data were collected through interviews, observation, and documentation involving the business owner and a social media specialist. The findings indicate that Instagram plays a pivotal role in supporting marketing performance through professional account management and the strategic use of features such as feeds, stories, reels, live streaming, and paid advertising. These tools enable Rumah Cantik Cila to access both local and international audiences while fostering interactive relationships with customers. The study also reveals that Instagram functions as a central hub integrating social media management, diverse promotional features, and wide market reach, which collectively support the implementation of targeting, branding, and advertising strategies in a cohesive framework. Overall, Instagram contributes not only to increased sales but also to sustained brand loyalty through consistent and strategic engagement. This study highlights Instagram’s significance as an effective digital marketing platform for small businesses in the beauty industry, offering practical insights for enterprises seeking to optimize social media–based marketing strategies.

This study examines how social media influences consumer perceptions of non-alcoholic beverage brands, focusing on social media engagement, brand equity, and purchase intention. It highlights the role of digital engagement, brand communication, and consumer interactions in shaping purchasing decisions and brand loyalty. Despite the growing use of social media by Philippine beverage companies, little is known about how social media engagement affects consumer behaviour in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) non-alcoholic beverage sector, particularly considering cultural, platform-specific, and economic factors. Using a descriptive-correlational quantitative research design, data were collected from 394 respondents based on Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table and analysed using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that social media marketing positively influences brand equity, social media engagement, and purchase intention. Brand equity mediates the relationship between social media marketing and purchase intention positively, while social media engagement acts as a suppressor, suggesting that engagement alone does not directly increase purchase intention. These findings advance theoretical understanding of the complex relationships among social media marketing, engagement, brand equity, and purchase intention, and provide practical guidance for beverage companies to design social media strategies that strengthen brand value, cultivate consumer loyalty, and effectively influence purchase behaviour.

This study examines how the structure of the private label brand (PLB) market influences national brand (NB) loyalty. Focusing on distinct PLB tiers - discount, standard, and premium - we provide insights into how these tiers, individually and collectively, affect NB loyalty. Drawing on consumer panel data from Denmark covering 29 FMCG categories (2006–2022), we analyze how key PLB metrics - price, assortment size, and market share – relate to NB loyalty. The findings demonstrate that treating PLBs collectively yields results that differ markedly from tier-specific analysis, underscoring the unique impact of each tier. This tiered approach reveals that PLB strategies at various levels generate varied competitive outcomes for NBs. The study contributes to branding and retailing research by (i) demonstrating that PLBs are better conceptualized as a tiered rather than a homogeneous structure, (ii) extending cue utilization theory to explain how PLB tier signals influence consumer loyalty, and (iii) providing managerial guidance on how tier-specific PLB strategies can either reinforce or erode NB loyalty. • Private labels collectively and by tier impact national brand loyalty differently. • Higher premium private label prices reduce national brand loyalty, while standard prices increase it. • Larger private label and discount label assortments reduce national brand loyalty. • Standard label market share boosts, while discount share reduces, national brand loyalty.

Click, eat, repeat: Understanding brand loyalty in Vietnam's online food delivery sector

This study examines the influence of digital consumption values on brand loyalty in the fashion and apparel industry, drawing on the Theory of Consumption Values to address gaps in existing frameworks that often isolate individual digital factors. The research adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey administered to consumers in an emerging market context to capture perceptions across functional, emotional, social, epistemic, economic, and trust-related dimensions of digital engagement. Data were analysed using reliability assessments, correlation analyses, and multiple regression to evaluate the relationships between these values and loyalty outcomes. Results reveal that digital consumption values explain 62% of the variance in brand loyalty, with functional and emotional values emerging as the strongest predictors. The findings underscore the importance of integrated digital strategies that enhance user experience, personalization, and visual appeal to foster long-term consumer relationships. Implications for fashion brands include prioritizing platform usability and immersive technologies to build a competitive advantage in digital marketplaces. This research contributes to theoretical advancements in consumption behaviour and offers practical guidance for industry practitioners navigating evolving online retail dynamics.

This study aims to analyze the structural relationships among the characteristics of sports branded content on TikTok, brand attitude, brand loyalty, and purchase intention. The ultimate goal is to provide fundamental data that can help sports brand companies plan and produce sports branded content more effectively on TikTok and establish efficient marketing strategies. This study confirms the structural relationships among TikTok sports branded content characteristics, brand attitude, brand loyalty, and purchase intention. The findings suggest that the integration of informative features such as interactivity, entertainment, and credibility is necessary in the content strategy. Moreover, emphasizing interactivity and informativeness while combining entertainment and credibility can help establish stronger brand attitudes and brand loyalty, ultimately enhancing consumers' purchase intention. These strategic insights can help sports brands achieve more effective marketing performance on social media platforms and enhance their competitiveness in the marketplace.

Effects of ESG Activities in the Golf Industry on Brand Image, Trust, and Loyalty

Purpose of the study: This systematic literature review aims to synthesize existing research on consumer trust in digital marketing contexts, identify key determinants and outcomes of trust, and develop an integrative conceptual framework that advances theoretical understanding and practical applications in digital marketing environments. Materials and methods: A comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Electronic databases including Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and EBSCOhost were systematically searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2024. The search protocol utilized keywords: "consumer trust," "digital marketing," "e-commerce trust," "online trust," and "digital consumer behavior." Initial screening yielded 1,847 articles, with 89 studies meeting inclusion criteria after rigorous quality assessment using CASP and JBI critical appraisal tools. Results: The review identified five primary dimensions influencing consumer trust in digital marketing: (1) platform characteristics (security, privacy, design quality), (2) information quality (accuracy, relevance, transparency), (3) social influence (reviews, ratings, social proof), (4) vendor reputation (brand credibility, track record), and (5) technological factors (AI integration, personalization, user experience). Trust significantly impacts purchase intentions (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), brand loyalty (β = 0.58, p < 0.001), and customer engagement. Emerging themes include the dual impact of AI-driven personalization on trust, the critical role of data privacy concerns, and generational differences in trust formation mechanisms. Conclusions: Consumer trust in digital marketing is a multidimensional construct requiring integrated approaches combining technological security, transparent communication, and authentic relationship-building. The proposed conceptual framework integrates cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of trust, providing actionable insights for digital marketers. Future research should examine trust dynamics in emerging technologies (metaverse, blockchain, generative AI) and cross-cultural trust formation patterns.

The purpose of this study; To examine the effect of brand loyalty on the repurchase behaviors of cabin crew working in airline companies across Turkey. In the study in which the online survey technique was used; Data were collected from a total of 403 cabin crew members using the convenience sampling method. In the study, it was determined that female cabin crew members had a higher level of brand loyalty and showed repeat purchase behaviors. It was determined that cabin crew members aged 35 and under and 36-40 years old who participated in the study had more brand loyalty than people aged 41 and over. On the other hand, it was determined that cabin crew members aged 36-45 showed more repurchase behaviors than officers aged 46 and over. The brand loyalty of cabin crew with undergraduate degrees was higher than that of graduate graduates. When we look at the re-purchasing behaviors; It was observed that undergraduate graduates showed more behaviors than both associate and graduate graduates. While there was no significant difference between the loyalty levels of the cabin crew according to their income status; It has been revealed that those with high income show more repeat purchase behavior. According to the frequency of shopping, it has been determined that the loyalty shown by the cabin crew who shop daily is higher than that of the annual shoppers. In addition, it was observed in the study that brand loyalty positively affected the repurchase behavior of cabin crew.