Driving COBRAs: the power of social media marketing

Abstract

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.

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

“…The most notable conceptualization of customer engagement behavior is the consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs) proposed by Muntinga et al, (2011) andShao, (2009) and its three behavioral dimensions related to social media online content that was further developed by Schivinski et al, (2016) to measure customer engagement (Cheung et al, 2021;Liu et al, 2019). According to Muntinga et al, (2011), COBRA entails three types of online CBE: consuming, contributing, and creating.…”

“…Finally, creating is perceived as the highest (most active) level of engagement; this stage occurs when customers publish user-generated content (UGC) such as uploading pictures and videos or writing articles, blogs, and product reviews (Liu et al, 2019). Overall, following (Cheung et al, 2021;Liu et al, 2019;Piehler et al, 2019;Schivinski et al, 2016), these three behavioral CO-BRA typology dimensions are used as a measure of customer engagement in this research.…”

“…Furthermore, previous literature lacks limitations in investigating the effects of all three types of COBRA; prior studies focused only on one or two behaviors of this typology (Liu et al, 2019;Piehler et al, 2019). Few of the recent studies examined customer engagement in the context of luxury brands' entertainment, interaction, trendiness, and customization of social media activities (Cheung et al, 2021;Liu et al, 2019). Nevertheless, no research studies the impact of ELM central and peripheral routes copy ad types on COBRA.…”

“…In contrast Lee and Hong (2016) argued that informative message type was more effective than the emotional appeal, Moreover, Lee and Hong provided insightful information about the use of elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and how peripheral route (emotional appeal) and central route (informativeness) could be perceived by the users. Also, recent studies (Cheung et al, 2021;Liu et al, 2019;Piehler et al, 2019;Schivinski et al, 2016) investigated consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs) and their three key behavioral types of customer engagement, namely, consuming, contributing, and creating. However, these studies lack focus on which message type, considering the ELM theory classification, would work best in generating higher engagement levels on social media.…”

The Role of Social Marketing in the Prevention of Corona Virus (Covid-19) in Jordan

“…The study emphasising the effective role of the Government in facing the pandemic (Coronavirus), along with its national responsibility and its progressive enhancement of its capabilities and competencies in responding to the pandemic, and Increasing awareness campaigns in the Jordanian culture, which reflects positive results in raising community awareness. In addition, activating the social role of reference groups -especially celebrities and economists -in taking the responsibility concerning the risks; through social media in raising the level of awareness regarding the health and economic risks from this pandemic, especially in such exceptional circumstances (Cheung et al, 2019;2020c), and supporting and enhancing the role of community initiatives, specifically individual initiatives, and highlighting the concept of community-partnership as a tool that can be used to taking the responsibility in the light of future risks that may confront the country. Care must be taken to raise the awareness level of societies, especially developing societies, which lack the qualifications and resources as well as developed countries, as a result of qualifying them to address and confront risks, and study recommends the necessity of deepening and disseminating knowledge about social marketing tools, expanding the framework of the concept of social marketing, and also supporting mutual efforts between the Government and community.…”