The Influence of Social Media Communication on Consumer's Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions Concerning Brand-Sponsored Events

Abstract

Social media communication was suggested to influence consumers on their decision process of participating in events. Despite the relevance of evaluating this proposition, the effects of social media brand-related communications on event attendance were not yet validated. To address this literature gap, it was evaluated whether firm-created and user-generated social media brand-related content influenced consumers' attitudes and, consequently, their intentions to participate in brand-sponsored events. Additionally, the mediating role of consumers' attitudes towards the brand and the event was examined. An online survey (n = 307) was implemented and results were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings contribute to managers and scholars in the field of events marketing in general and brand-sponsored events in specific, by means of proposing and validating a model that confirms (1) the effects of firm-created social media (SM) brand-related content on brand attitude, (2) the influence of user-generated SM brand-related content on both brand and event attitudes, (3) the impact of brand attitude on event attitude, (4) the influence of event attitude on the consumers' intentions to participate; and (5) identifies different arrays revealing how consumers' attitudes towards the brand and the event mediate the relationship between SM communications on consumers' behavioral intentions, while distinguishing the type of SM brand-related content source.

Customer participation in firm-initiated activities via social media: Understanding the role of experiential value

“…Thus, when consumers diligently consider brand-relevant information, it increases the impact of central brand processing on brand attitude and the relationship between brand attitude and purchase intention relationship will also increase (Mackenzie and Spreng, 1992; Wang et al, 2019a). Research in the context of social media also shows that brand attitude can be influenced by exposing consumers to positive user-generated electronic word-of-mouth (Kudeshia and Kumar, 2017; Schivinski et al, 2019; Wang et al, 2019a). For instance, in online relationship marketing, Hayes and Carr (2015) show that when a blogger enables comments on blogs, it increases perceptions of blogger expertise, brand attitude, purchase intention.…”

Users’ Participation in Facebook Brand Pages and Its Influence on Word-of-Mouth: The Role of Brand Knowledge and Brand Relationship

“…TRA states that behaviours of individuals are consistent with their attitudinal anteceding components (Shimp and Kavas, 1984). In social media, TRA has proven as useful to explain consumers’ intentional behaviours due to exposure to brand communications (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015, 2016; Schivinsky, Langaro, & Shaw, 2019).…”

“…TRA states that individuals’ behaviors are influenced by all the elements that they are aware of concerning the brand and their attitudes (Sheppard, Hartwick, & Warshaw, 1988). As brand awareness and brand attitudes are influenced by brand communications (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015, 2016; Schivinsky, Langaro, & Shaw, 2019), the current study proposes that in the context of SNS, the effects of users’ brand page participation (BPP) on WoM intentions are mediated by consumers’ brand awareness and attitude. The principles of SET, on the other hand, suggest that WoM occurs as consumers reciprocate for the relationship value they perceive (Bagozzi, 1974; de Matos & Rossi, 2008).…”

“…Previous studies have associated brand efforts in SNS to positive outcomes related to firms’ performance, with effects on aspects like word-of-mouth (WoM) intentions, purchase intentions, overall brand equity and brand engagement (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015, 2016; Schivinsky, Langaro, & Shaw, 2019). In the current study, the focus is placed on WoM.…”

“…Previous studies associated WoM to mechanisms related to the effects of brand communications on improving users’ relationship with the brand (Hennig-Thurau et al, 2010) and their brand knowledge (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015, 2016; Schivinsky, Langaro, & Shaw, 2019; Sharma & Srivastava, 2017). Despite the relevance of findings, there is still lacking an integrative perspective that evaluates these dimensions simultaneously and allows a more in-depth understanding regarding their effects.…”