Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing

Dessart, Laurence; Veloutsou, Cleopatra

doi: 10.1108/jrim-11-2019-0191pmid: N/A

In an era where companies shift a part of their marketing budget to support their social media presence, very little is known about the antecedents and effects of participant identification in a social media community. This paper aims to examine the antecedents of community identification in a Facebook company-managed brand community, for inactive members, using the uses and gratification theory. Brand community identification is also expected to lead to higher levels of brand loyalty for these members.Design/methodology/approachThis research reports the results of a quantitative with survey data from 389 members of a variety of different official Facebook pages.FindingsThe results reveal that inactive members of Facebook pages can be influenced to act in a way that is beneficial for a company. Perceived human and information value of the brand Facebook page lead members to identify with a brand community and identification is a strong predictor of loyalty to the brand.Practical implicationsThis paper provides suggestions to managers on the development of brand community value that can increase brand community identification and loyalty of apparently inactive brand community members.Originality/valueBy showing that brand community identification and loyalty exist for users with low activity levels, this research challenges the widely accepted idea that only highly active members are valuable in online brand communities. Specifically, it reveals the most important motivations for these members to identify with the community and be loyal to the brand.

Soylemez, Kemal Cem

doi: 10.1108/jrim-06-2019-0093pmid: N/A

In continuation of Soylemez (2021), this study utilized equity theory and investigated how personal factors (personality traits) and community factors (ownership) influence relative generation of brand-oriented and community-oriented content.Design/methodology/approachA study of A/B testing was conducted with 104 online brand community (OBC) participants who had been active in an OBC in the last 30 days.FindingsMembers with a high level of conscientiousness, extroversion and neuroticism generate more brand-oriented content than community-oriented content. Openness to experience, agreeableness and community ownership have been found to have no significant effects.Practical implicationsThis research helps marketing practitioners on whether they should build their own online brand communities. The study also suggests that brands should adjust their community strategies based on the personality traits of community members and expectations from the community.Originality/valueThis is the first study that investigates how personality traits and community ownership influence the generation of different types of user-generated content (UGC).

Rasool, Gowhar; Pathania, Anjali

doi: 10.1108/jrim-03-2020-0045pmid: N/A

One of the major challenges within the airline industry is to keep pace with the changing customer perception toward their service quality. This paper aims to demonstrate how sentiment analysis of user-generated big data can be used to research airline service quality as a more comprehensive alternative to other survey-based models by investigating real-time passenger insights.Design/methodology/approachThe present research uses the case of Indigo airlines by studying passenger's trip advisor reviews regarding the low-cost commercial airline service. The authors analyzed 1,777 passenger reviews, which were classified, to uncover sentiments for five dimensions of airline service quality (AIRQUAL).FindingsThe findings of the study demonstrate the need for harnessing the brand-related user-generated content shared on online platforms to identify the critical attributes for airline service quality. Further, through the application of sentiment analysis, the paper provides much-needed clarity in the processing of user-generated content. It illustrates the investigation of passenger interactions as a reflection of their satisfaction, expectation, intention and overall opinion toward the airline service quality.Practical implicationsThe analytical framework adopted in the study for examining user-generated content (UGC) can be functional for the marketing managers and equip them for handling large-scale data readily available in action-oriented interactive marketing research.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates how sentiment analysis of user-generated data can be used to research airline service quality as a more comprehensive alternative to other survey-based models. The study supplements the methodological advances in the field of UGC analysis and adds to the existing knowledge domain.

He, Ai-Zhong; Cai, Yi; Cai, Ling; Zhang, Yu

doi: 10.1108/jrim-08-2019-0128pmid: N/A

This paper studies the relationships among consumers’ perceptions of brand personality, consumers’ brand attitudes and brand-owned social media content marketing (SMCM). The moderating effect of the brand content relevancy was also assessed.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model was established and examined using two experiments with a total of 363 participants. Hierarchical regression analysis and an analysis of variance were performed to test seven research hypotheses.FindingsResults show that the three forms of brand-owned SMCM, namely: conversation, storytelling and customer interaction and participation, are positively correlated with consumers’ brand personality perceptions and brand attitudes. Also, consumers’ perceptions of brand personality can partially mediate the relationship between brand-owned content marketing and consumers’ brand attitudes. Furthermore, the brand content relevancy does not show a moderating effect on the relationship between content marketing and consumers’ brand personality perceptions or brand attitudes.Originality/valueFirst, a framework was established to delineate those paths by which owned social media content marketing (OSMCM) influences consumers’ attitudes towards a brand. Second, the study demonstrates the importance of conversation as a powerful method of OSMCM. Third, with respect to content in marketing strategies, firms do not need to confine themselves to a narrow scope of content or information that is closely related to the brands alone.

Muda, Mazzini; Hamzah, Muhammad Iskandar

doi: 10.1108/jrim-04-2020-0072pmid: N/A

In spite of the increasing organic and interactive marketing activities over social media, a general understanding of the source credibility of voluntary user-generated content (UGC) is still limited. In line with the social identity theory, this paper examines the effects of consumers' perceived source credibility of UGC in YouTube videos on their attitudes and behavioral intentions. Additionally, source homophily theory is included to predict the antecedent of source credibility.Design/methodology/approachThree hundred and seventy two Generation Y respondents were interviewed using snowball sampling. Data were analyzed with component-based structural equation modeling technique of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsFindings confirmed that perceived source credibility indirectly affects purchase intention (PI) and electronic word-of-mouth via attitude toward UGC. Besides, perceived source credibility mediates the effect of perceived source homophily on attitude toward UGC.Practical implicationsSince today's consumers have begun to trust and rely more on UGC than company-generated content on social media when making purchase decisions, companies may reconsider democratizing certain aspects of their branding strategies. Firms may fine-tune their marketing communication budgets – not only just by sponsoring public figures and celebrities but also by nurturing coproductive engagements with independent content creators who are ordinary consumers. Endowed with their imposing credibility, these micro-influencers and prosumers have high potentials to be uplifted to brand ambassadors.Originality/valueWhile consumers' purchase outcome can be measured easily using metrics and analytics, the roles of source homophily in stages leading up to the purchase is still elusive. Drawing on the rich theoretical basis of source homophily may help researchers to understand not only how credibility and attitude are related to PI but also how this nexus generates positive word of mouth among UGC followers within the social media circles.

Tsai, Wan-Hsiu Sunny; Liu, Yu; Chuan, Ching-Hua

doi: 10.1108/jrim-12-2019-0200pmid: N/A

This study presents one of the earliest empirical investigations on how brand chatbots' anthropomorphic design and social presence communication strategies may improve consumer evaluation outcomes via the mediators of parasocial interaction and perceived dialogue.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a 2 (high vs. low social presence communication) by 2 (anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic bot profile) between-subject experimental design to evaluate how chatbots' high social presence communication and anthropomorphic profile design may enhance perceptions of parasocial interactions and dialogue with the chatbot, which in turn drive user engagement, interaction satisfaction and attitude toward the represented brand.FindingsThe influences of chatbots' high social presence communication on consumer engagement outcomes are mediated by perceived parasocial interaction and dialogue. Additionally, chatbots' anthropomorphic profile design can boost the positive effects of social presence communication via the psychological mediators.Originality/valueThis study advances the interactive marketing literature by focusing on an emerging interactive technology, chatbots. Additionally, distinct from prior chatbot studies that focused on the utilitarian use of chatbots for online customer support, this study not only examines which factors of chatbot communication and profile design may drive chatbot effectiveness but also examines the mechanism underlying the messaging and design effects on consumer engagement. The findings highlight the mediating role of interpersonal factors of parasocial interaction and perceived dialogue.

Chen, Tser Yieth; Yeh, Tsai Lien; Lee, Fang Yu

doi: 10.1108/jrim-09-2020-0183pmid: N/A

This study aims to investigate the relationship between Internet celebrity characteristics and the follower's impulse purchase behavior in YouTuber. Attachment and parasocial interaction are mediating variables concerning the impact of Internet celebrity characteristics on followers' impulse purchase behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted an online survey of YouTube users in Taiwan and utilized quota sampling with 500 samples to examine the influence of two types of Internet celebrities on impulse purchase behavior.FindingsAs to the empirical results, the main path indicated that the self-disclosure Internet celebrity positively affected the attachment, which mainly positively affected the impulse purchase behavior. The second path showed that the expertise-knowledge Internet celebrity positively affected the attachment, which positively affected the impulse purchase behavior.Practical implicationsYouTube marketers should proceed prudently with the market segmentation and choose the appropriate type of Internet celebrities who are suitable for the product image to differentiate marketing. Empirical results can aid marketers in selecting a product-endorser, and enhance consumers' purchasing effect on product advertisements in interactive marketing.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study is to explore the mediation effect of the impact of Internet celebrity characteristics on followers' impulse purchase behavior in interactive marketing. The explaining mechanism of attachment and parasocial interaction is promised to be highlighted as the contribution of this study to the extant literature. This study constructs a theoretical mechanism between attachment theory and parasocial interaction theory and then can be used as a theoretical lens for designing successful social media strategies and explaining social media brand relationships.

Kim, Jung-Hwan; Kim, Minjeong; Park, Minjung; Yoo, Jungmin

doi: 10.1108/jrim-07-2020-0148pmid: N/A

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of interactivity and vividness on perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment and their consequent impacts on consumer behavioral responses in a retail furniture VR store context. Considering the lack of VR empirical research, the indirect effect of interactivity and vividness on perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment through telepresence and the moderating effect of consumer previous experience with VR are also included.Design/methodology/approachA commercial IKEA VR store was chosen for the study. Head-mounted display (HMD) VR headsets were employed for the VR shopping experience. The study was conducted at a laboratory at a large university in the southeastern United States. A total of 146 college students participated in the study.FindingsVividness had significant positive effects on perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment, which in turn influenced attitude towards VR and behavioral intentions. Interactivity did not have positive impacts on perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment. However, it indirectly affected perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment through telepresence. The findings also proved the moderating effect of consumer previous VR experience between interactivity and perceived usefulness and between interactivity and perceived enjoyment. The relationship between attitude and behavioral intentions was also positive.Originality/valueNotwithstanding the benefits of VR in relation to its utilitarian, hedonic, and behavioral values, little is known about consumers' responses towards the usage of VR as a shopping tool. The present study can be considered as a starting point in understanding the usefulness of VR from consumer and managerial perspectives. The findings of VR indicated in the study will help practitioners understand the urgency of adopting VR in a retail setting.