Inspired and engaged: Decoding MASSTIGE value in engagement

Abstract

This study explores two burgeoning aspects of marketing research; inspiration and engagement, in the context of mass‐prestige brands; that is those brands that position themselves among middle‐income people on the plank of mass‐prestige by maintaining premium feeling at an attainable price. Specifically, it examines the role of desire and perceived value in activating masstige inspiration and shaping masstige engagement. In addition, it investigates whether the transition from inspiration to masstige engagement varies based on need for uniqueness tendencies. Following a survey method, responses were obtained from 396 (354 usable) masstige (car) luxury buyers in India using a structured questionnaire. Covariance‐based Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the direct and mediation hypotheses, while moderation hypotheses were checked using multi‐group SEM. The study indicates that affective desire (discomfort, pleasure and guilt), but not cognitive (control) and perceive value (functional value, emotional value and social value), shapes consumers’ masstige engagement (cognitive, affective and behavioural). Affective desire and perceived value activates masstige inspiration (“inspired byi”) leading to masstige intention (inspired to) and finally masstige engagement. Creative choice counter conformity as uniqueness tendency strengthens the effect of masstige intention (inspired to) on masstige engagement but not unpopular and avoidance of similarity uniqueness tendencies. Study findings will significantly strengthen engagement and inspiration literature in general and masstige in particular besides providing input to the marketers in shaping masstige branding and communication strategies.

From pandemic to Prada: examining online luxury-brand self-narratives

“…, 2020). Similar trends are observed in India, where young consumers majorly drive the luxury-market consumption growth (Das et al. , 2021; Jain, 2019).…”

“…Being the second-worst COVID-19 affected country in the world (Worldometers, 2021), the heightened mortality salience among Indian citizens renders India an appropriate context to conduct our study. Additionally, India is among the fastest-growing luxury market globally (Das et al, 2021), expected to grow at a CAGR (2022-2025) of 6.72%, well above the industry average of 5.40% (Statista, 2020), further lending relevance to our study.…”

“…Second, these consumers possess significant discretionary income, with their annual discretionary spending of $207 billion (Eastman et al, 2020). Similar trends are observed in India, where young consumers majorly drive the luxury-market consumption growth (Das et al, 2021;Jain, 2019). Accordingly, data were collected from students enrolled in various courses at a reputed private B-school in India.…”

Masstige strategies on social media: The influence on sentiments and attitude toward the brand

“…How will luxury customers react when their favorite brand becomes accessible to more people? Although the literature is recently focusing on this topic (Das, Saha & Balaji, 2021; Das, Saha and Roy, 2021; Shahid & Paul, 2021), a gap still exists that this study intends to cover as there is still no empirical exploration of how masstige campaigns on social media influence followers and customers (Dash et al., 2021; Joshi & Garg, 2021; Kumar et al., 2021). Additionally, this paper discusses the influence of masstige strategies on attitude toward the brand, and we ground our research on the well‐established attitude toward the brand concept (Mitchell & Olson, 1981; Spears & Singh, 2004).…”

“…How will luxury customers react when their favorite brand becomes accessible to more people? Although the literature is recently focusing on this topic (Das, Saha & Balaji, 2021;Das, Saha and Roy, 2021;Shahid & Paul, 2021), a gap still exists that this study intends to cover as there is still no empirical exploration of how masstige campaigns on social media influence followers and cus-…”