Volume 22, Issue 1

The consumption of ivory has been a significant subject in both sustainable consumption and (un)ethical consumption studies, as it not only poses a threat to endangered species but also to environmental biodiversity and sustainability. The purpose of this study is to investigate how individual cultural values influence the behavior of ivory consumption in the Chinese context. This research first reviewed recent studies on ivory purchases in China to gain an understanding of this topic. Then, theoretical frameworks, including Hofstede’s (1984. “Cultural Dimensions in Management and Planning.” Asia Pacific Journal of Management 1 (2): 81–99, 1998. Masculinity and Femininity: The Taboo Dimension of National Cultures . Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2001. Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations , 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.) cultural dimensions and the theory of planned behavior (TPB; Ajzen 1991. “The Theory of Planned Behavior.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50 (2): 179–211.), were applied for conceptual model and hypotheses development. To test the hypotheses, a total of 600 responses were collected in China using the Qualtrics market research service, and 575 usable responses were employed for the Structural Modeling Analysis (SEM) data analysis. Our findings suggest that ivory purchase intention is impacted by both power distance and collectivism, whether through a direct path or indirect influence on attitude towards ivory purchasing. Our findings suggest that both power distance and collectivism are negatively associated with negative attitudes toward ivory purchase and positively associated with purchase intention. Moreover, uncertainty avoidance is positively related to negative attitudes toward ivory purchase, but is not directly linked to ivory purchase intention. The research identified the main factors driving ivory purchases in China and developed behavior change strategies through targeted interventions. These strategies can be implemented across different cultures and in other sustainable conservation initiatives.

Consumers can spend their money on material or experiential purchases with important affective and social implications. Consequently, the present study had two objectives, to examine the influence of the type of purchase, experiential versus material, on the construction of meaningful memories prospectively and retrospectively; and to examine the positive influence of this interpretation in terms of anticipated social connection and nostalgia and reliving intentions. Four experiments were conducted. The results of study 1 showed that experiential purchases were interpreted prospectively as more meaningful memories, and were positively related to social connectedness. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that experiential purchases and special experiential purchases were interpreted as more meaningful memories and were positively related to nostalgia. The last experiment showed that special purchases were interpreted as more meaningful memories, leading to greater nostalgia.

The image of a tourist destination is a fundamental element in understanding the process of analysis and choice by tourists. Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) work in a coordinated way to promote the qualities of a destination. However, other stimuli may escape the direct control of these organizations. Among these stimuli, there is a gap in the literature that has not been studied so far: the possible effect of brands linked to a destination on consumers’ attitudes toward visiting that destination. This article analyzes this effect through the consumer satisfaction effect on customer-based destination brand equity (CBDBE). The results confirm this chain of effects. From a theoretical perspective, we contribute to reinforcing studies that analyze the effect of CBDBE on destination choice. From a mangerial point of view, we highlight the need to expand the reference of stimuli that can affect CBDBE for a greater impact and efficiency of the actions developed by DMOs.

Focussing on consumer behaviour analysis derived from the changes in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the purpose of this study is to analyse the primary content factors that influence consumers’ attitudes and behavioural intentions in the hospitality industry. The present study is the first to investigate how benefits (happiness and perceived immersion) and sacrifices (trust and changes in habits) can predict consumers’ attitudes of acceptance and willingness to pay for artificially intelligent (AI) luxurious resort applications (apps). The researchers employed structural equation modelling to analyse the relationship between technology adoption and specific factors that influence customers’ perceived value in the hospitality industry. The research aims to expand on the theory of the Value Adoption Model (VAM). Based on the findings, AI-powered apps for high-end resorts have a tendency to boost tourists’ confidence and willingness to use and pay for these apps, as well as increase their perceived value. Happiness has an impact on behavioural intentions, while perceived immersion and changes in habits influence the outcomes related to intentions to ultimately accept and purchase them. The findings can benefit both ICT and the hospitality industry. Managers in the ICT industry should collaborate with researchers in service management who are exploring the challenges of technology adoption. Managerial implications and recommendations for future research are extensively provided.

Purpose: Online shopping is changing because of augmented reality technology. The study aimed to understand augmented reality’s impact on the consumer shopping experience in an online context and further understand how its information, service, and ease of use can impact its continuous intention. Design/Methodology/approach: This research is based on a sample of 348 from China and structural equation modeling using Smart-PLS. Findings: The study outcomes show that Chinese consumers are intrigued and feel engaged with the augmented reality makeup app. Most users have shown positive results towards different constructs, which shows the significance of this technology. Chinese consumers adopt such technologies because of their immersive power that enhances the real environment while shopping online for cosmetic products. Originality: Augmented reality is a disruptive technology that is changing the shopping experience. The current framework helps to understand consumer engagement with this technology and contributes to the AR literature and theory. The insights provide a strong base for future strategy development to integrate this technology in online and offline stores.

Despite the importance of the 4Ps of Marketing in an organization’s growth strategy, limited research was found to examine the 4Ps’ impact on a politician’s capabilities and consumer/voter satisfaction. On the contrary, much attention has been given to the resource-based view tool (RBV); a tool that utilizes a firm’s valuable resources and dynamic capabilities to strengthen performance and achieve customer satisfaction. Via an online questionnaire, this research collected data from U.S. elected politicians. Using principal components regression, the researchers aim to apply specific dynamic capabilities in politics via the 4Ps Marketing Strategy. Important implications are drawn from this study, and suggestions for future studies are provided.

In the dynamic landscape of the fashion industry, cultivating brand loyalty has become a challenging endeavour, intensified by the competitive realm of social media. This study addresses the crucial problem of fostering brand loyalty in the digital era by employing authenticity as a strategic weapon. Using an integrated Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework and social presence theory, we explore the diverse impact of social media marketing activity (SMMa) on brand authenticity and brand loyalty. Through empirical analysis of data from 365 consumers engaging with global fashion brands on social media, we find a direct and significant impact of SMMa on brand authenticity and brand loyalty. Brand authenticity partially mediates the relationship between SMMa and brand loyalty. While self-congruence does not moderate the effects, the research highlights the importance of authenticity in shaping effective brand strategies on social platforms. The implications of these findings are valuable for fashion marketers, guiding them in creating authentic brand images and fostering enduring customer relationships in the competitive world of digital marketing.

Augmented Reality serves as a marketing strategy for businesses but investigation of the quality factors of AR in the beauty industry of developing countries, is still in its early stages. The motive is to investigates the impact of the quality characteristics of Augmented Reality on customers’ behavior intentions, considering parallel and serial mediation of Visual appeal and Arousal, using Information System success model. Data has been obtained from 594 respondents and analyzed using SPSS22.0 and AMOS.V.24. Structural equation modelling analysis was used to uncover the hypothesised relationships in the research model. System quality and Vividness strongly influence behavior intention. Visual appeal and Arousal both parallelly and serially mediated AR quality elements’ effect on Behavior intention. The results demonstrated full mediation between content quality and behavior intention and partial mediation between quality characteristics (system quality and vividness) and behavior intention. Study can be implemented in the fashion industry of developing countries, that have their websites and use AR technology to have a positive behavior intention of consumers towards their products. Through AR, consumers will have an enhanced and captivating experience as a consumer will feel how after applying these products she will look. Study can assist beauty brands in the fashion industry in promoting their products and engaging consumers towards their brand products. Study adds to the pertinent body of knowledge as the use of AR technology has been undergoing a significant shift specifically in fashion industry in emerging nations like India. Study evaluates the parallel and serial mediating effect of visual appeal and arousal on AR quality factors and behavior intention using IS success model. This study closes the gap between improving AR qualities and providing industry implications aimed at enhancing AR features to boost positive consumer behaviors.

This paper postulates that consumers’ desire for doing-luxury  – pursuing luxury with the intention of acquiring a life experience (vs. having-luxury ) – pursuing luxury with the intention of acquiring a material good reduces counterfeiting schadenfreude – consumers’ feelings of pleasure from the losses of luxury brands due to counterfeiting. Two experiments employed various methods of invoking doing-luxury (vs. having-luxury ) – actual product exposure and brand positioning to test the predicted framework. The results demonstrate that doing-luxury (vs. having-luxury) leads to a lower counterfeiting schadenfreude; an effect explained by the lower perceived similarity. This research makes an important contribution to the counterfeiting and experiential marketing literature by demonstrating the role of brand positioning in reducing a critical counterfeit-related social emotion. The results also validate the relevance of the intentions-based distinction of experiential versus material purchases in predicting counterfeiting schadenfreude. To reduce counterfeiting schadenfreude, luxury brands must signal an ephemeral image focusing on moments of luxury rather than functions of luxury. In addition, ad appeals must invoke sensory elements, feelings, emotions, imagination, and mental stimulation rather than the hard facts about the products per se.

This research investigates the influence of anglicisms on the Product Appeal in Italian print advertising. Despite the pervasive use of anglicisms in the Italian advertising industry, little is known about their impact on the precursors to Product Appeal. Two original studies were conducted involving potato chips (convenience product) and stereo speakers (shopping product). The results showed no effect of anglicisms on the relationships between Perceived Product Differentiation, Perceived Price Fairness, Perceived Product Globalness, or Perceived Product Modernity and Product Appeal. However, Anglicisms consistently altered the relationship between Perceived Product Risk and Product Appeal. Specifically, while anglicisms decreased Perceived Product Risk for potato chips, they increased Perceived Product Risk for stereo speakers, suggesting the impact of anglicisms on Perceived Product Risk can operate in an independent mechanism and be product-dependent. This research provides a novel insight on how anglicisms can affect consumer psychology and adds a more nuanced understanding to previous literature regarding language choice in advertising.

Using the data of non-financial firms from India, the paper finds that firms with large advertising budget tend to receive more trade credit from their suppliers than firms with low advertising budget. The findings are consistent with the assumption that advertising reduces information asymmetries, builds brand image, and improves firm performance. All of these factors facilitate the access to trade credit. The findings of this paper hold after numerous sensitivity checks.

Although the social media websites decreased the firms’ control over their brand personalities, there is little research on the incongruence between communicated and perceived brand personality of Indian service brands. The impact of bots and suspicious accounts on the online brand personalities also remained unexplored. We analyzed 58,024 tweets of nine Indian service brands using machine learning. Some of the newer brands are savvier in managing their brand personalities. The public sector brands have poorer alignment between communicated and perceived brand personalities. A counterintuitive finding is that the brand sentiment changes in value, but not in category, after removing the suspicious accounts.