Online Brand-related Activities Research Articles

“I love your brand! I engage with you, and I do online brand-related activities (COBRAs)”: the role of brand value

“I love your brand! I engage with you, and I do online brand-related activities (COBRAs)”: the role of brand value

Organization Sustainability Communication by Fashion Brands: A Qualitative Analysis of Messaging and Engagement on Facebook and Instagram

Sustainability is a broad concept and sustainable consumption includes using products and services that not only meet consumer needs but also minimizes the use of natural resources. Brands use social media (SM) to engage with consumers as it enables the brand to build an emotional connection, hence a great platform to provide sustainability related messaging. Thus, using consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRA) as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how sustainable brands utilize SM platforms for organization sustainability communication. Instagram and Facebook were selected for their high-frequency usage and five sustainable fashion brands were evaluated. Seven hundred and twenty-seven sustainability-related posts and 66,821 comments were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach, an established and credible methodology. Three months of SM posts were compiled and examined. Data was coded systematically as deemed appropriate based on the qualitative content analysis approach and resulted in 20 sub-themes across eight thematic categories. The findings of this study provide implications for enhancing stakeholder engagement through (1) content strategy (e.g. video content in sustainability messaging), (2) imagery (e.g. the use of lifestyle content and influencers), and (3) messaging strategy (e.g. educational posts that provide insight into brands’ sustainability initiatives).

COBRAs and virality: viral campaign values on consumer behaviour

In the digital marketing era, a viral brand campaign is a potent marketing tool for a brand, enabling it to derive multiple benefits through rapid and widespread information diffusion. Despite the important role of brand viral campaigns, existing studies have minimally explored the effect of viral campaign values on consumer behaviours, especially on a set of consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs). Therefore, this study bridges this gap by proposing a detailed framework to measure the impact of viral campaigns on COBRAs through the aspects of medium, content, and interaction. To investigate this phenomenon, a survey was conducted with 409 respondents from the US, employing partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that six values of brand viral campaigns, including ease of browsing, hedonic value, functional value, aesthetic value, social interaction, and self-identity, significantly motivate consumers to actively engage in COBRAs. By examining COBRAs’ motivations in the viral brand campaign context, this study expands the existing literature with a comprehensive model of campaign values. Furthermore, by elucidating the impact of each campaign value on COBRAs, this study offers valuable insights to marketers and suggests effective strategies to engage consumers with brands.

Corporate Account As a New Endorser Developing Parasocial Relationships with Customers

This study examines corporate accounts in social media as new endorsers. A corporate account is a virtual spokesperson for advertising and promotions; they behave sometimes as if they are independent from corporate and garner support from their followers. While studies have revealed parasocial relationship constructions regarding celebrities on social media, few have examined corporate accounts. This study analyzes the data of Japanese Twitter users who are familiar with corporate accounts and finds that building parasocial relationships with corporate accounts positively impacts consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) and enhances brand affection. The effects mediated by brand affection and moderated by congruency between corporate account and corporate brand image are varied. Companies can use their accounts as endorsers and must strategically adjust their images to match their corporate brands when operating corporate accounts.

Consumer’s Online Brand-Related Activities in Instagram and their Impact on Word-of-Mouth

A comprehensive examination of COBRAs concerning word-of-mouth marketing has yet to be fully conducted. A brand needs to know whether such activities can also entail offline consequences for the brand, i.e. in the form of word of mouth. The distinction between relevant and irrelevant activities is important from the brand’s managerial point of view for cost-effective management and the pursuit of its stated goals. The paper intends to examine the consequences of consumers’ online brand-related activities, along with word-of-mouth marketing, in the setting of the Instagram social network. Instagram is currently a highly effective medium for fostering brand growth in the digital sphere. The dataset comprises 335 standardised questionnaires amassed in the first half of 2021. Based on the current state of the literature and research, together with the research question, one statistical hypothesis was formulated for analysis. The study focused on determining whether certain consumers’ online brand-related activities had a statistically significant effect on word-of-mouth about the brand. The statistical examination of the presented issue made use of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) employing Maximum Likelihood Estimation (ML) as well as Partial Least Square – Path Modeling (PLS PM). This method was selected based on the fact that the items do not interfere with the internal structure of factors in the instrument, which captures specific aspects of attitudes and perceptions regarding brand-related activities on social networks. The findings revealed that consumers’ online brand-related activities exert two statistically significant effects on brand word-of-mouth, specifically concerning content consumption and content creation, at a 0.05 significance level. The context and potential consequences of this discovery are examined in the concluding discussion section, with reference to existing literature and ongoing research.

Selected Differences and Relationships of Consumers’ Online Brand-Related Activities and Their Motives

The main goal of the paper is to assess the statistical significance of the differences in the motives and activities of COBRAs in the context of the frequency of use of these platforms and also the driving forces and motivations behind the brand-related activities. The importance of consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) as relevant factors in managerial and marketing practice is undeniable. In addition, this area is only at the beginning of research coverage, and thus defines a research gap for us. The dataset used hereunder is based on data acquired from a standardized questionnaire discussing the above-mentioned activities and motives. In total, the questionnaire was filled in by 401 respondents. The analysis made use of the Kruskal–Wallis H test to detect differences and the Spearman’s rho coefficient to detect relationships. Based on this, several statistically significant differences and relationships were identified in all cases. The most important implications drawn pertain to differences in the social-interaction motives on all platforms studied, the highest rate of concurrence, at the level of 3–4 h, spent on these platforms, as well as relationships with a strong correlation coefficient in content-creation activities and content-contribution activities on all social media platforms. Even though these findings require further analysis, they prove a valuable insight into the topic.

Influencers As Endorsers and Followers As Consumers: Exploring the Role of Parasocial Relationship, Congruence, and Followers’ Identifications on Consumer–Brand Engagement

Given the benefits and effectiveness of consumer online brand engagement, influencer advertising and marketing have become increasingly popular on social media. Consumer online brand engagement, including consuming, contributing, and creating brand-related content, is closely related to a brand’s reputation and image. This study determines how the two aspects related to influencer endorsement—namely, influencer–follower parasocial interaction (PSI) and influencer–brand congruence (congruence)—affect the three levels of consumer online brand-related activities (COBRAs) on Sina Weibo. We also examined the mediation effect of consumers’ personal identification (PI) and social identification (SI) with brands in this process. The data were collected from 390 Weibo users in China, and valid data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that PSI and congruence have a direct positive effect on consuming brand-related content; PSI has an indirect influence on contributing brand-related content through SI’s mediation effect; and both PSI and congruence contributed to creating brand-related content, with the mediating effect of PI and SI. This study extends the literature on the motivation of consumer–brand engagement (engagement) on social media and discusses the roles of PI and SI in influencer marketing, filling a gap in the research and bringing new perspectives for brands and corporates.

“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.

Consumer’s Online Brand-Related Activities on the Social Network Instagram: An Analytical View of the Motivation for These Activities

The method of categorizing consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRA) is a relatively recent finding in marketing research. Based on this, there is a need for further exploration of a related issue. One of these is the relational link between COBRAs and consumer motivations for these activities. With this research, this study aims to assess the statistical significance of such trajectories of relationships of the motivations on consumers’ online brand-related activities related to all three levels of brand-related content activities in terms of the social network platform Instagram. These motivations have origins in the uses and gratification theory. Three levels of analyzed activities are the most recent comprehensive classification. The research database was made up of responses from 335 online questionnaires. The collection of data was carried out in the 1st half of 2021. Primary data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and PLS PM (Partial least squares path modelling) equations, while average variance extracted metric and composite reliability were used to describe the suitability of the latent variables that entered the analysis. For the analysis, four research hypotheses were formulated dealing with 12 partial trajectories of relationships, of which only three trajectories were not statistically significant. However, at least one significant trajectory was identified for each motivation, allowing us to confirm all formulated hypotheses. The findings of the analysis supported the claims of the existence of statistically significant effects for all the motivations investigated against consumers’ online brand-related activities. The obtained results also identified social interaction as the strongest motivator. The authors discussed the potential drivers and implications for theory and practice in a separate section, comparing with existing related research. The most significant contribution of this research is considered to be the confirmation of the exploratory findings that link COBRA activities and motivations on a scale that has not yet been analyzed (by this we mean 3 levels of activity and 4 categories of motivation). This formed the basis for this investigation, and the results obtained are in agreement.

Gender Differences in the Perception of Motivations for Consumer’s Online Brand-Related Activities and Their Impacts on Instagram

The paper assessed the issue of gender differences in the perception of individual types of COBRAs (Consumers' Online Brand Related Activities) and the associated motivations (information, entertainment, social interaction, and remuneration) for these activities on the social network Instagram. The paper analyzed data gathered from questionnaires (a sample of 401 respondents) that had been spread online via computer-assisted web interviewing. Gender differences were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Seven research hypotheses were formulated concerning the literature review and the current state of research in this area. Based on the results, it could be stated that four of them are statistically significant. Specifically, the study observed gender differences in the perception of three of the four analyzed motivations as latent variables. The study verified gender differences in the perception of the issue in the case of information motives, motives of entertainment, and motives of social interaction. Still, the motive of remuneration did not show sufficient statistical significance. In the case of the three analyzed consumers' online brand-related activities as latent variables, the authors observed only one case of statistical significance of the gender difference in the case of consumption activity, while neither contributing nor creating as activities showed statistical significance. At the level of manifest variables, the paper observed two cases of statistical significance of the factors related to the contributing activity. However, that was insufficient to confirm this activity's significance as a latent variable. A significance level of 0.05 was proposed. The findings were presented in the context of existing research with a pointed future direction of the research in this area, which lies mainly in extending the analysis to other social networking platforms, other markets, and a narrower demographic perspective in the sample for a deeper understanding of the phenomena studied.

한류 영향력 확대를 위한 소셜미디어 이용과 K-Content 브랜드 파워의 관계 연구: U&G와 COBRAs 기반 플랫폼 비교

Korean cultural content is called K-Content, and such K-Content can be seen as a national brand concept. Use and Satisfaction Theory (U&G) and Consumer Online Brand-Related Activities (COBRAs) are mainly used in social media and brand research. This study analyzes the relationship between social media use motivation (entertainment, social interaction, personal identity, and information) and K-Content engagement activities (consumption, contribution), and K-Content brand power (brand attitude, brand equity). Differences between countries and social media platforms (YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram) are analyzed, and the types of the platforms are classified by nature of connection and user productivity.<BR> As a result of the analysis of the entire sample, all motivations to use social media had a positive effect on consumption, but only entertainment and personal identity had a positive effect on contributing. Contributing was analyzed as important factors that directly positively influenced brand equity. The results for korea and other countries showed similar results from the entire sample

Investigating the nexus between the types of advertising messages and customer engagement: Do customer involvement and generations matter?

Through the theoretical lenses of the Elaboration likelihood model, this research develops an experimental study to examine the cause-and-effect relationship of two advertising message types, drawn from the two routes of persuasion (peripheral route and central route), on consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) and its three key behavioral types of customer engagement, namely, consuming, contributing, and creating. The moderating effect of generations and the mediating role of personal relevance (involvement) were investigated in the proposed research model. Drawing on a sample of 202 students from a University in North Cyprus, the results of the study revealed that consumer engagement level differs between the two message types, in particular, when the cognitive copy ad is shown, the three COBRA engagement levels tend to be higher than when the emotional copy is given. The findings indicate different levels of personal relevance between the two messages with higher involvement in the cognitive appeal. Further, consumer generation served as a moderator in the study, and that people from generations X, Y, and Z evaluated the advertising stimulus differently. The findings of this research extend the literature with theoretical and managerial contributions to social media marketing.

Investigating the nexus between the types of advertising messages and customer engagement: Do customer involvement and generations matter?

Through the theoretical lenses of the Elaboration likelihood model, this research develops an experimental study to examine the cause-and-effect relationship of two advertising message types, drawn from the two routes of persuasion (peripheral route and central route), on consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) and its three key behavioral types of customer engagement, namely, consuming, contributing, and creating. The moderating effect of generations and the mediating role of personal relevance (involvement) were investigated in the proposed research model. Drawing on a sample of 202 students from a University in North Cyprus, the results of the study revealed that consumer engagement level differs between the two message types, in particular, when the cognitive copy ad is shown, the three COBRA engagement levels tend to be higher than when the emotional copy is given. The findings indicate different levels of personal relevance between the two messages with higher involvement in the cognitive appeal. Further, consumer generation served as a moderator in the study, and that people from generations X, Y, and Z evaluated the advertising stimulus differently. The findings of this research extend the literature with theoretical and managerial contributions to social media marketing.

Non-sponsored brand-related user-generated content: effects and mechanisms of consumer engagement

PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether users’ engagement with a social media platform is affected as they engage in non-sponsored brand-related user-generated content (UGC). The concept of non-sponsored brand-related UGC encapsulates various social media patterns in which individuals choose how to consume, contribute or create brand-related content with no formal brand incentive or control.Design/methodology/approachThe study focuses on the question of how users engage with non-sponsored brand-related UGC on Instagram and assesses the influence of UGC perceived value, using partial least squares variance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe research shows significant and positive effects of UGC on Instagram users’ intentions to engage with the platform and the influence of UGC perceived value on UGC uses. The findings deepen the understanding of the mechanisms underlying non-sponsored brand-related UGC in consumer engagement marketing, with significant implications for brand managers and the future development of Instagram and other social media platforms.Originality/valueThe UGC functional, social and emotional values are evaluated for their effects on generating the three distinct patterns of consumer online brand-related activities (consumer, contribute and create) in the non-sponsored brand-related UGC context.

Driving COBRAs: the power of social media marketing

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of social media marketing (SMM) efforts, including entertainment, customisation, interaction and trendiness via WeChat, on consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs) and their related outcomes, including on-going search behaviour and repurchase intention.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical framework is tested for luxury cosmetics brands. Data were collected in China from 433 WeChat users utilising a self-administered online survey. Data analysis uses partial least squares–structural equation modelling.FindingsEntertainment and interaction drive consumers' consuming, contributing and creating behaviours, whilst trendiness drives creating behaviour only. Inconsistent with previous research findings, customisation has a non-significant impact on consumers' consuming, contributing and creating behaviours. Consuming and creating behaviours assist in driving on-going search behaviour and repurchase intention. Contributing behaviours assist in driving on-going search behaviour only.Research limitations/implicationsCross-sectional in nature, this research adds to the marketing literature by explaining how to use SMM to drive COBRAs for luxury cosmetics in China using WeChat. To enhance the generalisability of the findings, future research might consider a longitudinal design, including comparisons between countries with diverse cultures as well as other industries and product types.Practical implicationsCOBRAs may be heightened by using entertaining and trendy content. Incorporating interactive content on social media platforms encourages consumers to consume, contribute and create content on social media brand communities, further driving their on-going search behaviour and repurchase intention.Originality/valueExamination of SMM's role in the marketing literature largely overlooks the impact of SMM elements on COBRAs. This study contributes to the SMM research by empirically testing a theoretical model, confirming that specific SMM elements – including entertainment and interaction – are key factors in driving consumers' consuming, contributing and creating behaviour on social media brand communities, influencing consumers' on-going search behaviour and repurchase intention.

Motivations to Use Different Social Media Types and Their Impact on Consumers' Online Brand-Related Activities (COBRAs)

Using a six-dimension uses and gratifications (U&G) framework, we explore how social media use motivations drive consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs: consumption, contribution, and creation of brand-related content). We examine these relationships for different social media types by drawing on two previously suggested dimensions, namely their nature of connections and level of customization of messages. Using a US-based sample (n = 939), findings of a PLS-SEM procedure show that “traditional” U&G hardly explain social media COBRAs. In contrast, Empowerment and Remuneration motives—two U&G specifically relevant for social media use—are the most critical COBRAs drivers. Multigroup analyses suggest that the relation between U&G and COBRAs differs between social media platforms classified either as: (a) profile- or content-based; or as employing (b) customized or broadcast messages. We argue for a specific design of brand-related activities on different social media in order to incentivize users' engagement with brand-related content.

Social Media Marketing and e-WOM: A Descriptive Approach to Mediterranean Young's Online Brand-Related Activities, Attitudes and Engagement

Gunumuzde tuketicilerin sosyal medya sayesinde birbiriyle irtibat kurabildikleri, ilgi duyduklari urunler hakkinda bilgi paylastiklari, markalarin ya da sirketlerin urun ve hizmetlerine iliskin degerlendirmelerde bulunduklari bilinen bir gercektir. Cagimizin modern tuketicileri bir adim oteye giderek artik markaya yonelik cevrimici faaliyetlerde bulunmaktadir. Bu baglamda arastirma (a) genc tuketicilerin internet ortaminda markayla iliskili iceriklere karsi tutumlarini (b) bu tur iceriklere yonelik nasil davranislar sergilediklerini (c) markaya yonelik cevrimici faaliyetlerden hangilerini siklikla gerceklestirdiklerini (d) pozitif yonlu elektronik agizdan agiza iletisimi tahmin eden onemli degiskenlerin neler oldugunu ortaya koymayi amaclamaktadir. Sonuclar, tuketicilerin buyuk bir bolumunun olumlu davranissal ve duygusal tutumlara sahip oldugunu ve satin almayi gerceklestirmeden once tuketicilerin markaya iliskin sosyal medya iceriklerinde okuduklari bilgilerin kararlarini etkiledigi konusunda hemfikir oldugunu ortaya koymustur. Bulgulara gore sosyal medyada mali fayda odakli markalari takip etme davranisi, internette markayla iliskili iceriklerinden duyulan memnuniyet, sosyal medya tabanli guven ve marka bagliligi olumlu elektronik agizdan agiza iletisime yol acan onemli degiskenlerdir. Buna karsin sonuclar, arkadaslar tarafindan paylasilan promosyon iletilerinin, indirim kuponlarinin ve cok sayida arkadasi veya takipcisi bulunan populer sosyal medya kullanicilarinin tuketiciyi markanin run ve hizmetlerini satin almaya tesvik eden tavsiyelerinin olumlu elektronik agizdan agiza iletisim yaratmada sanildigi kadar etkili olmadigini ortaya koymustur. Tuketme, katkida bulunma ve uretme kullanicilarin markaya yonelik en sik gerceklestirdikleri cevrimici aktiviteler olarak on plana cikmistir.

Consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) on SNS brand pages

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate word of mouth as a consequence and information, entertainment, social interaction and remuneration motivations as antecedents of consuming, contribution and creating behaviours as consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs).Design/methodology/approachAs an empirical test of the proposed conceptual model, the quantitative research features an online survey of a sample of 359 German Facebook users.FindingsWord of mouth benefits from consuming behaviour but not contributing or creating behaviours. Therefore, brand-related outcomes can be realised solely through the consumption of brand-related content. Consuming behaviour is positively affected by social interaction and entertainment motivations.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research could investigate the conceptual model in other social networks, as well as validate the findings in other cultural settings. Potential moderators also should be considered in further research.Practical implicationsIn addition to tracking contributing and creating behaviours, brand managers should measure consuming behaviour. This paper provides new insights into how consumer motivations influence different COBRA types.Originality/valueThis study is the first to analyse the distinct effects of consuming, contributing and creating behaviours of SNS brand page followers on word of mouth as an offline brand-related consequence. It also represents the first study to investigate the unique effect of creating behaviour on an offline brand-related outcome. Furthermore, this study is the first to analyse the effects of all four types of motivations on any COBRA type quantitatively with an appropriate statistical analysis that allows distinguishing relevant from irrelevant motivations.

Influencing COBRAs: the effects of brand equity on the consumer’s propensity to engage with brand-related content on social media

ABSTRACT This research examines whether perceptions of brand equity influence consumers’ propensity to engage with brand-related content on social media. By combining two frameworks: consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) and consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) we develop two conceptual models and empirically test their validity. Using survey data from respondents across a range of brands, we estimate conceptual models from both a macro- and a micro-relationship perspective. From the macro-relationship perspective, findings suggest that consumer-based brand equity positively drives consumers’ behavioral engagement with brands on social media. From the micro-relationship perspective, findings indicate that brand associations influence the consumption and contribution of brand-related social media content, while brand loyalty additionally influences the creation of brand-related social media content. Finally, brand quality was found to negatively effect consumers’ behavioral engagement: the lower the perceived quality, the more individuals consume and contribute brand-related content to social media.

Attractiveness, expertise and closeness: The effect of source credibility of the first lady as political endorser on social media in China

This study examines the strategies of political impression management adopted by the Weibo account Liyuan Fan Club from a source credibility perspective, investigating the capacity of each strategy in encouraging online political participation through measuring consumer’s online brand-related activities (i.e. consuming, contributing, and creating). In addition to traditional dimensions of source credibility (i.e. expertise and attractiveness), a new dimension, namely “closeness,” is added in based on previous studies in political branding and celebrity studies. A content analysis of 790 posts is conducted, in which the study finds that emphasis on Peng’s attractiveness and closeness have positive effects on participatory behaviors on social media, while emphasis on Peng’s expertise show no effect. Further analysis indicates that individual contributions of attractiveness and closeness on three levels of participatory behaviors are different, among which attractiveness is more effective in activating low-level participation, while closeness has more positive effect in encouraging high-level participation.