Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between brand engagement in self-concept (BESC), value consciousness (VC) and brand loyalty among Generation Z consumers. In addition, the study aims to segment the Generation Z consumers based on BESC and VC and examine the differences between the segments. Design/methodology/approach A self-administered questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of 346 undergraduate students in Malaysia. The hypothesized structural models are tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The study also uses cluster analysis to segment the Generation Z consumers. Findings The results reveal that among Generation Z consumers both BESC and VC have a positive effect on brand loyalty. Additionally, the mediation analysis established that BESC plays a mediating role in the relationship between VC and brand loyalty. The study also identified four consumer groups – attentive group, dedicated group, prospective group and switchers group. Furthermore, consumer classification according to BESC can be used by marketers and managers in marketing strategy development. Originality/value The study has originality and value in developing and testing a new model linking BESC with VC and brand loyalty. Further, market segmentation on the basis of BESC and VC has been rarely studied. Even less, has been studied among Generation Z consumers and this study fills this important gap.

This paper focuses on managing the digital marketing communication of coffee shop using the Instagram. The Instagram application offer a great advantages such as quick and cheap marketing communication tools, particularly in  promoting the product, disseminating advertisement and brand awareness. Previous study highlighted that managing marketing communication via Instagram is a strategic tools to inform, persuade and remind consumers about what they offer. However, there is limited number of empirical studies on Instagram as a marketing communication tools on how efficiencies of Instagram application in managing digital marketing communication strategies to the customers. Therefore, this paper will enlighten the issues related to the application of Instagram as a marketing tool in the coffee shop business. The content analysis and semi-structured interview has been employed to gain in-depth knowledge from the owner, marketing staffs and marketing consultant who have experiences in managing the digital marketing communication strategy. The findings of the study revealed that Instagram application has become an effective marketing communication tools to disseminate the promotional message to the customers in quick way dan cost efficient as compare to the traditional media.

The ongoing development of the strategic communication research in the area of the advertising calls for the development and validation of the measurement instruments that can address the indulgence of the advertising appeals in a specific cultural context. Therefore, the present study examines and validate advertising appeals by considering the norms based on the GLOBE nine cultural dimensions in Malaysian context. The analysis involved data from 10 advertising expert for content validation, followed by 10 advertising expert rating and ranking of the scale of its relevance and clarity to assess the item-level content validation. The results provided to support the impact of cultural norms are substantial for Malaysian advertising, which are identified from content validation procedure.

No abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of the advertising appeals (AP) on consumers’ behavioural intention, specifically to use global brands. In addition, the study investigates how attitude operates as a process variable that mediates the relationship between AP and behavioural intention (BI). This paper also explores the congruity of individuals’ norms in advertising appeal–intention relationship. Centred on the theory of planned behaviour, this study proposes a model that encompasses norm congruence, in which the degree of individuals’ uncertainty avoidance (UA) moderates the relationship between advertising appeal (AP) and behavioural intention (BI), and attitude towards advertising appeal (AT) serve as key causal mechanism that mediates advertising appeal–behaviour relationship. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model was tested using a 2 × 2 experimental design with a sample size of 372. Findings Results showed that the relationship between AP and BI based on global brands is significantly mediated by attitude towards AP and moderated by uncertainty avoidance. These findings have yielded partial validation of the proposed model and have provided empirical support for the roles of uncertainty avoidance and attitude towards AP. Practical implications The authors propose that marketers should reduce the level of consumers’ uncertainty. Uncertainty avoidance effects can be achieved through the dissemination of norm-congruent advertisement appeals and by placing more weight on social compatibility attributes which may gratify consumers’ interest, sebsequently enhance the intention of Muslim consumers to use global brands. Originality/value A moderator is a variable that affects the strength of the relation between the predictor and criterion variable. This paper also explores the congruity of individuals’ norms in advertising appeal–intention relationship. Previous studies did not capture any effects of culturally congruent advertising appeals by considering the level of uncertainty avoidance influence on individuals’ intention to use global brands in a Muslim country context. In response to the recent calls for research to re-examine the antecedents of the theory of planned behaviour, this study re-evaluates the roles of attitude towards AP and the interaction of cultural norms.