Implications For Marketers Research Articles

The impacts of Metaverse on tourist behaviour and marketing implications

ABSTRACT Metaverse is expected to deeply affect the travel and tourism industry and requires a dearth of empirical research. In this investigation, two exploratory qualitative research studies were conducted to fill this gap. The first research explored the potential impacts of Metaverse on the travel and tourism industry by interviewing tourism academics. Findings revealed that Metaverse could be used for marketing, CRM, and HRM by hospitality organisations, while it would be useful for marketing and sustainability of destinations. It could also influence tourist behaviour before, during, and after travel experiences. One of the notable findings was related to the close relationship between Gen Z and virtual events. The second research identified the motivations of Gen Z individuals to attend a concert organised in Metaverse. Accordingly, novelty-seeking, escape, fun and excitement, and socialisation were the most significant push factors to use Metaverse. Metaverse-specific characteristics, accessibility, and availability were the important pull factors to attend a Metaverse concert.

COVID-19-related announcements in a continuous disclosure environment: drivers and stock market implications

PurposeThe purpose of this research note is to investigate the drivers and market reaction to firms’ decision to release general COVID-19-related announcements and to withdraw earnings forecasts and dividends during the COVID-19 pandemic in the continuous disclosure environment of Australia.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first tracked the market reaction of all firms in the Australian Securities Exchange All Ordinaries, Top 300, Top 200 and Top 100 indices during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic between 1 January and 21 September 2020. The authors then focus the investigation on the incidence of firms deciding to withdraw earnings forecasts and dividends and how the market responded to these incidences during that period.FindingsThe market reacted negatively during the March/April 2020 period but then bounced back to the pre-March 2020 level. The market reaction is mainly driven by three industries, including consumer discretionary, health care and utilities. Firms in industry sectors such as consumer discretionary, materials, health care and information technology contribute to the highest percentage of COVID-19 announcements. It is interesting to document that firms issuing COVID-19 announcements and withdrawing earnings forecasts and dividends tend to be larger firms with stronger financial performance and higher financial leverage. Regarding the stock market reaction, while the market generally reacted positively to COVID-19-related announcements, the decision to withdraw earnings forecasts and dividends is significantly regarded as bad news.Originality/valueThe COVID-19 pandemic has provided a unique natural event to examine firms’ disclosure behaviour in the continuous disclosure environment of Australia during this period of extreme uncertainty. The incidences of earnings forecasts and dividend withdrawals are mainly driven by larger, better performing and higher leverage firms in the consumer discretionary, health care, materials and information technology industry sectors. The market generally reacted favourably to COVID-19-related announcements, despite a significant stock price drop during the March/April 2020 period. The findings provide important regulatory and practical implications.

How do leading Japanese cosmetic brands use consumer culture positioning strategies in China? Investigating six Japanese brands’ advertisements on Weibo

China is the world’s second-largest cosmetic market and is dominated by foreign brands. However, little is known about Japanese cosmetic brands marketing communication in China. Consumer culture positioning is deemed a promising framework for understanding international advertising. This study examines six Japanese cosmetic brands’ consumer culture positioning (CCP) strategies in their global advertisements to see how they implement CCP strategies in China. 756 video-format ads were collected from their official accounts on Weibo. Content analysis was conducted to analyse how ad executional elements communicate CCP strategies. Results show that these Japanese brands generally implement mixed CCP strategies, but that certain ad executions focus on a specific singular CCP strategy. The results document CCP strategies in international advertising practices, offering essential insights into what advertising executional elements can be employed to communicate different CCPs for cosmetics in China. Important theoretical and practical implications for marketers are also discussed.

The Effectiveness of Sustainable Marketing Practices in Influencing Consumer Behaviour and Brand Loyalty

This research endeavours to comprehensively examine the role of sustainable marketing practices in influencing consumer behaviour and cultivating brand loyalty within the contemporary marketplace. Specifically, it seeks to elucidate how consumers respond to companies employing eco-friendly packaging and ethical sourcing practices, aiming to shed light on the mechanisms through which sustainable initiatives impact consumer-brand interactions. We employed a rigorous mixed-methods approach, this study integrates qualitative and quantitative methodologies to provide a holistic understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. Qualitative data collection will involve in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with consumers from diverse demographics to capture nuanced insights into their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours towards sustainable marketing practices. Subsequently, quantitative surveys will be administered to a large and diverse sample of consumers, allowing for statistical analysis employing techniques such as regression analysis and structural equation modelling. This combined approach enables the exploration of both the depth and breadth of consumer responses to sustainable marketing practices. The findings of this research underscore the significant influence of sustainable marketing practices on consumer behaviour and brand loyalty. It reveals that consumers exhibit heightened interest and favourable responses towards companies implementing eco-friendly packaging and ethical sourcing practices. Such initiatives not only influence consumers' purchasing decisions but also foster a sense of trust, affiliation, and loyalty towards brands committed to sustainability. Moreover, the study identifies various demographic and psychographic factors that moderate the relationship between sustainable marketing practices and consumer behaviour, providing valuable insights for marketers seeking to tailor their strategies effectively. This study contributes to the existing body of literature by offering empirical evidence on the effectiveness of sustainable marketing practices in driving consumer behaviour and fostering brand loyalty. The insights garnered from this research have practical implications for marketers, policymakers, and businesses, offering actionable strategies to enhance the adoption of sustainable practices and strengthen consumer-brand relationships in an increasingly environmentally conscious marketplace.

Decoding Gen Z: AI's influence on brand trust and purchasing behavior.

This study focuses on the role of AI in shaping Generation Z's consumer behaviors across fashion, technology, beauty, and education sectors. Analyzing responses from 224 participants, our findings reveal that AI exposure, attitude toward AI, and AI accuracy perception significantly enhance brand trust, which in turn positively impacts purchasing decisions. Notably, flow experience acts as a mediator between brand trust and purchasing decisions. These insights underscore the critical role of AI in developing brand trust and influencing purchasing choices among Generation Z, offering valuable implications for marketers in an increasingly digital landscape.

Effects of Explicit Sponsorship Disclosure on User Engagement in Social Media Influencer Marketing

Social media influencer marketing has grown substantially in the last decade and is a major advertising channel for many brands. Social media influencers weave sponsored posts with organic content into their feeds, which raises concerns among regulators and consumer advocates that users may not be able to clearly distinguish between sponsored and organic influencer content. Thus, regulators often mandate the explicit disclosure of sponsored content. However, there is little empirical evidence based on field data about the effects of explicit sponsorship disclosure. Therefore, we empirically investigate the effects of explicitly disclosing sponsorship in influencers’ content on users’ engagement using a large-scale field dataset collected from Facebook and Instagram. Our empirical results suggest that explicit sponsorship disclosure increases user awareness of the advertising nature and earns users’ favorability by enhancing transparency about the sponsored content. We further designed two online experiments to corroborate our empirical results and directly test the underlying mechanisms. Our findings have novel and important implications for marketers, influencers, social media platforms, and regulators in the influencer marketing industry.

Mapping Research on the Influence of Social Media on Consumer Food Behavior a Bibliometric Approach

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis to systematically map the research landscape on the influence of social media on consumer food behavior. The analysis encompasses 1000 scholarly articles published between 1962 and 2024, accumulating 32,394 citations over 62 citation years. Through co-citation and bibliographic coupling analyses, key clusters and trends are identified, revealing the multifaceted nature of social media's impact on food-related attitudes and behaviors. Insights from the analysis offer practical implications for marketers, policymakers, and researchers, guiding strategic decision-making in areas such as marketing communication, public health interventions, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The findings underscore the importance of continued research efforts to address emerging gaps and deepen our understanding of the evolving dynamics between social media and consumer food behavior.

Effects of Consumer Dispositional Attitude on Purchase Intention in an Emerging Market.

Globalization trends have compelled multinational companies to change their marketing approach from multi-domestic marketing to global marketing. This strategy has had a major impact on the branding of companies. Due to these efforts by international companies, there has been a negative impact on local brands. Strong local brands always maintained the advantage of a high level of awareness among consumers, due to consumers' close relationship with these brands, hence this resulted in strong and positive marketing investments in the home market. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the attitudinal dispositions towards global and local brands and purchase intention. The objective is to understand the underlying motives of consumers' purchase decision. Consumer disposition and attitude towards brands are evaluated based on respondents' purchase intention of a select brand. Data are collected from Bangalore and Chennai using the convenience sampling method. Evaluation of the measurement model was performed using the Smart PLS 4 software. Findings suggest that consumer attitudinal disposition has a significant impact on consumers' purchase intention. Attitude formation is the first step in consumers' behavioural decision and making a purchase decision. Marketing managers/practitioners need to focus on forming this attitude in consumers' minds, so that this attitude formation leads to a purchase decision. This research provides theoretical and managerial implications for marketers, especially those operating in an emerging market like India as this study has examined the role of consumer disposition on attitude formation and purchase intention. From a theoretical perspective, this study developed and tested a conceptual model describing the relationship between attitudinal disposition and purchase intention.

Sharing luxury consumption on social media platforms: Motive inferences and downstream consequences

AbstractIndividuals are increasingly sharing their consumption activities on social media platforms. However, the inferences people draw from consumption posts are understudied. Three studies showed that observers infer more self‐presentational motives and less self‐expressive motives when they see others post their luxury (vs. nonluxury) consumption on social media. The attributions of more self‐presentational motives and less self‐expressive motives lead observers to perceive the poster as inauthentic and undermine the observers' interpersonal interest in the poster. The negative effects of posting luxury consumption are attenuated when the post content emphasizes competencies (vs. wealth). This work contributes theoretically to the research on self, signaling, and social inferences. The current findings have practical implications for social media users and marketers of luxury products.

Analysis and Implications of Adopting AI and Machine Learning in Marketing, Servicing, and Communications Technology

Methods for machine learning, or ML, are becoming more accessible, and consumer-generated data is on the rise, both of which are transforming marketing strategies. Researchers and marketers still have a long way to go before they fully grasp the myriad ways in which ML applications might help businesses gain and keep an edge in the marketplace. This study systematically evaluates the academic and corporate literature to present a taxonomy of marketing use cases based on machine learning. The authors have discovered 11 common use cases that fall into four distinct groups that reflect the core areas of leverage for machine learning in marketing: shopper fundamentals, consuming experience, decisions, and financial impact. The literature highlights practical implications for researchers and marketers by discussing the taxonomy's found repeating patterns and providing an analytical structure for analyzing it and extension.

The Decision-Making Journey of Buying Personal Care Product at Indonesia Supermarket: A Qualitative Study

This study investigates the current purchasing behaviour of women regarding personal care products, using a decision journey methodology. It examines the impact of post-pandemic shopping shifts on XYZ Supermarket's sales, particularly in the personal care category, which experienced a 25% decrease from 2021 to 2023. Through qualitative analysis, including interviews with 16 regular supermarket shoppers, insights were gained into the diverse decision-making processes within this product category. The findings emphasize the necessity for tailored marketing approaches based on product attributes. Overall, this research sheds light on evolving consumer behaviour in personal care, offering valuable implications for strategic marketing in a post-pandemic retail landscape.

A Model for International Marketing and Recruitment in Emerging Markets: Factors Influencing Thai Students’ Decision to Enrol at a Regional University

The imperative of revitalising international student recruitment post-COVID-19 pandemic amid geopolitical realignments has brought Australian universities to the forefront of strategic marketing considerations. Reassessment of conventional markets and strategies has become critical in sustaining and enhancing competitiveness of these institutions in the global education landscape. This study aims to investigate marketing and recruitment factors, specifically examining their influence on Thai students’ decision to enrol at a regional Australian university. The research approach involved administering a survey of Thai students and recent alumni of regional Australian universities. A principal component analysis (PCA)revealed a multidimensional structure of eight factors. According to the findings, Thai students’ decision to enrol was influenced by agents, post-study migration opportunities and country-specific resources. However, due to the perceived low return on investment and delayed enrolment outcomes, regional universities are not investing sufficiently in Thailand. Implications for marketing and recruitment initiatives are discussed.

Understanding Indian ride-sharing consumers: the role of psychographics and perceived value

PurposeThis study aims to explain the influence of four socio-psychological variables: social comparison orientation, face saving (FS), status consumption (STC) and frugality (FGL) on consumers’ value perception toward ride-sharing services – one of the most widely used collaborative consumption models. Furthermore, it assesses how perceived value affects consumers’ intention to use (IU) the ride-sharing services and intentions to substitute ride-sharing services for using a personally owned car. It also assesses the moderating effect of psychographics on the relationship between consumers’ perception and behavioral intention.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was developed using existing scales adapted from the literature to test the hypothesized relationships. The data for the study were collected from 489 users of ride-sharing services in India. Structural equation modelling was performed to test the proposed model using AMOS 18 and moderation analysis was performed using PROCESS MACRO.FindingsThe findings of the study suggest that social comparison, FS, STC and FGL have a significant influence on consumers’ value (utilitarian and hedonic) perception. Furthermore, the results supported the effect of consumers’ value perception on their IU the ride-sharing services as well as their intention to substitute ride-sharing services for using a personally owned car. Lastly, the results also evidenced the moderating role of psychographic variables.Originality/valueVery few studies have examined the role of psychographics in the adoption of collaborative consumption services. The paper attempts to fill this gap. It assesses the effect of four relevant consumer traits on perceived value in the ride-sharing services context. Furthermore, it expands the understanding of the role of psychographics by measuring their moderating effects apart from direct effects. The results of the study bear important implications for academicians, policymakers and marketers.

Examining the effect of consumption values on green FMCG purchase behaviour: a focus on the theory of consumption values

PurposeThis study investigates the influence of consumption values on green Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) purchase behaviour in the context of green household cleaning products in the Western Province of Sri Lanka.Design/methodology/approachWe used the survey strategy and 326 effective responses as the sample of this study.FindingsOur findings reveal that specific consumption values, specifically functional, conditional and epistemic values, significantly impact green FMCG purchase behavior towards green household cleaning products. However, social and emotional values did not substantially influence this behavior.Practical implicationsThe results of our study suggest practical implications for green FMCG marketers aiming to boost consumer adoption of green household cleaning products in Sri Lanka. To achieve this, marketers should focus on enhancing consumer value perceptions and strategically emphasize the consumption values consumers prioritize. Green FMCG marketers have a competitive advantage in the Sri Lankan market by doing so.Originality/valueThis research addresses a notable gap in the literature concerning green FMCG purchase behavior related to green household cleaning products within international and local contexts. Furthermore, this study distinguishes itself by adopting the Theory of Consumption Values as its foundational theory, offering fresh insights compared to previous research employing alternate theories, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Reasoned Action, to examine similar phenomena.

Consumer Behavior in the E - Commerce Era

This research investigates the relationship between factors such as accessibility, social media influence, personalization, user satisfaction, customer retention strategies, and consumer behavior in the context of e-commerce. Through a systematic literature review, the authors explore how these factors influence the way consumers search for information, evaluate options, and make purchasing decisions in an electronic commerce environment. The results show that there is a significant relationship between these factors and consumer behavior in e-commerce, with relevant implications for companies' marketing and sales strategies in the digital era.

Exploring the Impact of Attitudes, Behavior, and Perceptions on Millennials' Adoption of QRIS Payment Systems

In this study, we investigate the influence of attitudes, behavior, and perceptions on the adoption of Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) payment systems among millennials, utilizing the Mobile Technology Acceptance Model (MTAM) approach. The sample consists of 100 respondents, and we apply both Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and MTAM to study about the relationships among the variables. The key findings are as follows: Positive attitudes towards QRIS significantly correlate with high behavioral intention, underscoring the pivotal role of attitudes in fostering adoption. Payment behavior has a significant effect on the perceived ease of use, highlighting the conduct of behavior in shaping perceptions of usability. Moreover, behavior also significantly influences the perceived usefulness, affirming the linkage between usage behavior and perceptions of benefit. Perceived ease of use positively correlates with attitudes, indicating that ease of use perceptions influence attitudes. Nevertheless, there is no significant support for the relationships between perceived security and attitudes, as well as between perceived usefulness and attitudes. These findings hold crucial implications for payment system providers and marketers in devising marketing strategies tailored to the preferences and expectations of millennials, while considering the aspects unveiled by the mobile technology acceptance model. Understanding the influences of attitudes, behavior, and perceptions on the adoption of modern payment systems becomes essential to meet user needs and integrate this technology into daily life effectively.

Beyond interaction: Generative AI in conversational marketing - foundations, developments, and future directions

This paper explores the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in conversational marketing, transitioning from traditional marketing to interactive, customer-centric strategies. It examines the shift from one-way communication to dynamic, AI-driven interactions that personalize customer experiences. Central to this study is how Generative AI facilitates real-time, tailored dialogues between brands and customers, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction. The paper also addresses the challenges and ethical considerations of using anthropomorphic AI in marketing, balancing human-like AI traits with user expectations. Additionally, it presents a novel framework that conceptualizes the combination of Generative AI and anthropomorphism in conversational marketing into four distinct quadrants, providing a comprehensive analysis of their potential interplay. Conclusively, it offers strategic insights for leveraging AI in marketing while adhering to ethical practices, highlighting the potential of Generative AI to transform customer engagement in the digital age. This research has two important consequences. Practically, it offers valuable insights and strategic recommendations for businesses aiming to integrate Generative AI into their conversational marketing practices effectively. Theoretically, it contributes to the academic discourse by highlighting the transformative role of Generative AI in marketing, suggesting avenues for future research in this rapidly evolving field. This study provides a brief overview of the evolving role of AI in modern marketing strategies, emphasizing the future potential and implications of AI-driven conversational marketing.

Can health trump taste? Implicit and explicit attitudes toward sugar‐reduction claims and their differentiated impact on purchase intention for cereals

AbstractThis study investigates the implicit and explicit health–taste tradeoffs that consumers make in response to sugar‐reduction claims on chocolate cereals. We collect implicit measures through an Implicit Association Test, explicit perceptions of health and taste properties, and statements regarding product liking and purchase intention through a questionnaire. Based on a path analysis, we assess the relative strength of the indirect effects of sugar‐reduction claims mediated by health and taste perceptions, as well as the direct effects on purchase intention. The results indicate that sugar‐reduction claims decrease taste perceptions, increase health perceptions, and have only minor negative effects on product liking, but increase purchase intentions. Most participants show an implicit “unhealthy = tasty” intuition, which can be offset by moderate to high health consciousness. The implications for marketing and policymakers are twofold. First, our study shows that sugar‐reduction claims are effective in addressing the original target group of health‐conscious consumers. Second, our results suggest that the health–taste tradeoff is not prohibitively detrimental to purchase intentions among less health‐conscious consumers. Potential instruments to increase the market share in this segment are discussed [EconLit Citations: I18, D12, D83].

Let’s see the whole picture: a multi-platform visual analysis of historic Mission San José on Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr, and TripAdvisor

ABSTRACT Tourists frequently research, plan, and reflect on their travel experiences online via social networking sites (SNSs). While past tourism research suggests that differences exist in the type of content shared by tourists on different SNSs, there is little research comparing the tourist-generated content (TGC) or user-generated photographs (UGPs) from multiple SNSs. To address this gap in literature, the current study utilized a visual content analysis of tourist-generated social media images from Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr, and TripAdvisor in order to compare these platforms and the messages they communicate about the heritage tourist destination of Mission San José located in San Antonio, Texas, United States. Employing a case study approach of a single tourist destination allowed for the exploration of how a destination can be visualized differently by tourists across different SNSs, how different SNSs are used in different ways by tourists, and how historic visual narratives are communicated in contemporary online spaces. Study findings establish the importance of analyzing visual content from across multiple SNSs because each site offers a unique perspective on the destination. These findings have implications for tourism marketers and researchers attempting to leverage user-generated online content to better understand perceived destination image, particularly in heritage tourism spaces.

Understanding Customer Perception of Local Fashion Product on Online Marketplace through Content Analysis

This research employs Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to evaluate customer reviews obtained from online marketplaces. It uses keyword extraction and clustering to identify thematic clusters in the data. These clusters reveal shared contextual significance and provide a higher-level perspective on customer perceptions of local fashion products. Sentiment analysis is also conducted within each theme to understand customer sentiment. This approach goes beyond binary sentiment classification and offers a more nuanced analysis. By incorporating keyword extraction, clustering, and sentiment analysis, this research offers a thorough framework for comprehending customer perceptions in the digital marketplace. It contributes to the field of e-commerce by offering a robust methodology for decoding customer sentiments towards local fashion products. The findings have substantial implications for marketers, designers, and platform providers in online marketplaces, leading to a more consumer-centric e-commerce ecosystem.