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The study examines the influence of various congruity factors (economic, safety and Health, hedonic, and functional) on tourists' satisfaction with sharing economy-based services.

A single cross-sectional design is used in the study, with 513 travellers surveyed directly at three different tourist destinations in India. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling approach is used to analyse the data.

The research shows that congruity factors significantly influence tourists' satisfaction with sharing economy-based services. Moreover, satisfaction is strongly associated with recommendation intention for these services and customer loyalty. Additionally, the intention to recommend directly leads to increased customer loyalty.

The results offer pertinent insights for stakeholders in the sharing economy, including tourism marketers, policymakers and corporations. Aligning services with the identified congruity factors can enhance user satisfaction, boost recommendation rates and foster long-standing customer loyalty.

This study stands out for its thorough investigation into how congruity factors influence tourist satisfaction within the context of the sharing economy. Additionally, by focusing on specific demographic differentiators, such as age (gen Z or old gen) and gender (male or female), the study provides a nuanced understanding that enriches the existing body of knowledge.

Drawing on the self-congruity theory and customer engagement literature, this research accounts for the influence of the three dimensions of customer self-congruity on customer engagement with global brands by uncovering the mediating mechanism of brand psychological ownership and moderating mechanism of global connectedness. The research framework is tested across developed and developing country contexts to highlight any cultural differences in the drivers of customer engagement with global brands.

Data were collected from developed (USA; n = 270) and developing (India; n = 273) countries through two online surveys and tested, employing structural equation modeling, across the two markets to investigate cross-cultural variations.

Social self-congruity has the strongest influence on customer engagement for USA consumers, while all three forms of self-congruity are equally important in India. Psychological ownership consistently works as the mediating mechanism across both contexts. While global connectedness accentuates the relationship between self-congruity and brand psychological ownership for Indian consumers, it attenuates the relationship amongst USA consumers.

While prior literature mainly establishes a direct link between self-congruity and customer engagement, this study provides a deeper understanding of the self-congruity–customer engagement relationship by: a) investigating the mediating role of psychological ownership; b) examining the moderating role of global connectedness and c) studying all three forms of self-congruity (i.e. actual, ideal and social) simultaneously. The study, testing the framework in developing and developed country settings, highlights cultural nuances in forming customer engagement with global brands.

Studies have explored the determinants of customer advocacy because of customer advocacy's vital role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing. The current research complements the existing literature in the hospitality field by examining the association between restaurant innovativeness and customer advocacy while also investigating the mediating roles of self-image congruity and customer engagement.

The statistical software AMOS version 25 and bootstrapping were employed to test the hypotheses. Purposive sampling was employed for participant recruitment, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were collected from Taiwanese customers who had dined at selected restaurants.

The results from 385 restaurant customers reported that self-image congruity had an indirect impact on customer advocacy through customer engagement. Customer advocacy was influenced by restaurant innovativeness through the mediation of customer engagement. The influence of restaurant innovativeness on customer advocacy was positively and sequentially mediated by self-image congruity and customer engagement.

Restaurant innovativeness is linked to customer advocacy through self-image congruity and customer engagement. Thus, restaurant managers should implement strategies focusing on innovativeness to improve self-image congruity and engagement among customers.

The current research may be the first to provide a research model that explores restaurant innovativeness, self-image congruity, customer engagement and customer advocacy in the hospitality context. This study also has practical implications for enhancing customer advocacy.

Based on object–object congruity, this study aims to clarify the driving factors and antecedent mechanism of tourists’ willingness to purchase intangible cultural heritage (ICH)-souvenirs.

This study used a five-point Likert scale to collect data and proposed a structural equation model to explore this issue.

ICH-inheritor/souvenir-congruity is positively related to tourists’ purchase intention for ICH-souvenirs and perceived authenticity; perceived authenticity and brand identity play a chain mediating effect between ICH-inheritor/souvenir-congruity and the purchase intention for ICH-souvenirs.

This paper excludes individual, situational and cultural factors, ignoring the possible moderating roles of these factors. This treatment simplifies the feasibility of the present study but might lead to the deviation between the results of the current research and the actual outcomes.

The retailers of ICH-souvenirs should encourage the ICH-inheritors to endorse and promote their products while creating. They could tell a good story about their experience or create entertainment experiences for tourists through hand-in-hand teaching.

This study explores the driving factors and antecedent mechanism of tourists’ purchase intention for ICH-souvenirs from the third perspective of image congruity theory, namely, object–object congruity.

品：形象一致性与品牌对游客购买意向的影响

基于客-客一致性, 本研究旨在厘清游客购买非物质文化遗产纪念品的影响因素与驱动机制。

本研究利用5点式Likert量表收集数据, 并提出了一个结构方程模型来探讨这个问题。

非遗传承人/纪念品一致性正向显著影响非遗纪念品的购买意愿和本真性感知; 本真性感知和品牌认同在非遗传承人/纪念品一致性和非遗纪念品购买意愿之间起着链式中介作用。

本研究从形象一致性理论的第三个视角（客-客一致性）, 探讨了游客购买非遗纪念品的影响因素与驱动机制。

本研究进一步证明了客-客一致性的有效性和合理性, 拓宽了形象一致性理论的外延。

非遗纪念品的零售商应鼓励非遗传承人在创作的同时代言和推广他们的产品。他们可以讲述自己的经历, 或者通过手把手教学为游客创造娱乐体验。

本文排除了个人、情境和文化因素, 忽略了这些因素可能的调节作用。这种处理简化了当前研究的可行性, 但可能导致当前研究结果与实际结果之间的偏差。

la influencia de la consistencia de la imagen y la marca en la intención de compra de los turistas

Resumen

Basado en la congruencia objeto-objeto, el presente estudio busca esclarecer los factores impulsores y el mecanismo antecedente sobre la disposición de los turistas a adquirir recuerdos del PCI.

El presente estudio utiliza una escala de Likert de cinco puntos para recopilar datos y plantea un Modelo de Ecuaciones Estructurales (MEE) para estudiar este asunto.

La congruencia entre el heredero/recuerdo del PCI se relaciona de forma positiva con la intención de compra de recuerdos del PCI por parte de los turistas y con la autenticidad percibida; la autenticidad percibida y la identidad de marca ejercen un efecto mediador en cadena entre la congruencia entre el heredero/recuerdo del PCI y la intención de compra de recuerdos del PCI.

El presente estudio explora el mecanismo antecedente de la intención de compra de los turistas de recuerdos de PCI a partir de la tercera perspectiva de la teoría de congruencia de la imagen (la congruencia objeto-objeto).

El presente estudio justifica la validez y racionalidad de la congruencia objeto-objeto, extendiendo la teoría de la congruencia de imagen.

Los minoristas de los recuerdos del PCI deben fomentar que los herederos del PCI respalden y promocionen sus productos al mismo tiempo que los crean. Ellos pueden contar sus propias experiencias o crear experiencias entretenidas para turistas mediante la enseñanza mediante ejemplos.

El presente documento no tiene en cuenta los factores individuales, situacionales y culturales e ignora el posible papel moderador de estos factores. Dicho tratamiento simplifica la viabilidad de este estudio, aunque podría dar lugar a una desviación entre los resultados de la presente investigación y los resultados reales.

Drawing on symbolic interaction theory (SIT), this study aims to identify what makes corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication more favorable to customers in the chain restaurants context. Specifically, this study examines the direct relationships between the interactivity of CSR communication, brand trust and brand sincerity. In addition, the mediating role of brand trust (i.e. separate dimensions of brand reliability and intentions) and the moderated mediating role of self-congruity are explored.

A total of 418 US consumers with past experiences of participating in CSR campaigns organized by chain restaurants on social media were recruited using the online survey method of nonprobability sampling through Amazon Mechanical Turk in December 2021.

The results of this study revealed that the interactivity of CSR communication on social media affects brand sincerity; brand reliability and brand intentions mediate the positive effect of interactivity of CSR communication on brand sincerity; and customer’s self-congruity moderated the positive mediation effect via brand reliability.

Chain restaurant marketers need to understand the important role of interactivity as a key element of CSR communication on social media to help develop brand trust and brand sincerity in chain restaurants.

This study expands on SIT to support the symbolic benefits of interactive CSR communication on social media.

The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding of the marketing placebo effect (MPE) by proposing and empirically testing a model of antecedents and consequences of MPE for reduced-sugar labeled products in the food industry.

An online survey was conducted on a sample of 409 consumers to collect data on their health consciousness, sugar-induced anxiety, self-congruity, fresh start mindset and MPE of reduced front-of-pack sugar labeling in food products. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.

The results highlight the sugar-induced anxiety as the most pronounced determinant for the proposed placebo effect. Health consciousness was observed to indirectly influence the MPE via mediators (sugar-induced anxiety and self-congruity). Furthermore, the supporting role of the fresh start mindset moderates the relationships between health consciousness, sugar-induced anxiety, self-congruity and the MPE.

This study is one of the few to investigate the moderating effects of having a fresh start mindset on the MPE of reduced-sugar labeled products. Moreover, the study contributes to the growing body of research on the indirect effects of health consciousness on consumer behavior, highlighting the important role of emotional (anxiety) and self-congruity factors in shaping the MPE toward reduced-sugar labeled products.

By understanding the complex interplay between the variables of the antecedents and consequences of MPE for reduced-sugar labeled products, which engenders consumer attitude and belief about sugar intake, marketers and policymakers can develop more effective campaign strategies to promote such products and, consequently, a healthy diet and lifestyle.

This study is one of the few to investigate the moderating effects of the fresh start mindset on the MPE of reduced-sugar labeled products. Moreover, the study contributes to the growing body of research on the indirect effects of health consciousness on consumer behavior, highlighting the critical role emotional (i.e. anxiety) and cognitive (i.e. self-congruity) factors play in shaping the outcome of the MPE of reduced-sugar labeling in products.

This study explores the brand management and marketing of Creative Cities of Gastronomy. A framework based on brand experience was constructed to investigate its relationship with tourists' brand attachment and brand identification. Two factors that enable tourists to have a stronger brand experience from the self-concept perspective – self-congruity and self-expansion – were also examined.

The authors adopted a quantitative research design and collected data from participants who had visited Creative Cities of Gastronomy. A total of 515 valid questionnaires were collected online and offline. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis and hypothesis testing.

The results showed that brand experience positively affects brand identification and attachment. The brand experience of tourists who considered themselves to be “foodies” was enhanced in the Creative Cities of Gastronomy through self-congruity. The results also confirmed that the relationship between self-congruity and brand experience is mediated by self-expansion.

Studies on the Creative Cities of Gastronomy are limited. The few that have explored these cities are dominated by qualitative approaches. This study applied empirical data to examine the brand experience in Creative Cities of Gastronomy. The authors successfully verified that brand experience is effective for building positive relationships with brand attachment and identification. The study also confirmed that self-congruity and self-expansion are important antecedents of brand experience in Creative Cities of Gastronomy. This study enriches the literature by providing empirical evidence and insights into the marketing and branding of these cities.

Downward line extension is a valuable growth strategy that enables multiple products and services to meet diverse customer needs. However, downward extended products launched by high-status brands may be challenged by horizontal extended products launched by relatively low-status brands when these two types of products target similar consumers. This study aims to examine the impact of product type (horizontal extended versus downward extended) on consumers’ purchase intentions, the underlying mechanism and the moderating role of power distance belief.

Four scenario-based experiments were conducted to probe the research questions.

Consumers develop lower purchase intentions for downward (versus horizontal) extended products due to the reduction of perceived fit and self-congruity (Study 1). Beyond that, power distance belief moderates the impact of product type on consumers’ purchase intentions, as a low power distance belief reduces the negative effect of downward line extension (Studies 2a, 2b and 2c). Perceived fit and self-congruity mediate the interaction effect between product type and power distance belief on consumers’ purchase intentions (Study 2c).

This study provides marketing practitioners with guidance on implementing the strategy of downward line extension.

This study serves as a preliminary effort to compare consumers’ responses between downward and horizontal extended products, which deepens the understanding of downward line extension. It also contributes to the body of knowledge about line extension and power distance belief by demonstrating the moderating role of power distance belief in a line extension context.

From a relational maintenance perspective, this study explores the impact of being envied (benignly vs maliciously) on consumers' feelings of social anxiety and its influence on their tendencies toward inconspicuous consumption, based on the resource conservation theory and the model of “Sensitivity about Being the Target of a Threatening Upward Comparison.” (STTUC)

Four studies were conducted in this paper. Studies 1a and 1b tested the main hypothesis that being maliciously envied (vs benignly) can increase consumers' inconspicuous consumption of luxury products and luxury hotel experiences. Study 2 replicated this finding and examined the mediating role of social anxiety. Study 3 investigated the moderating effect of ideal self-congruity (low vs high).

The findings reveal that being maliciously envied (vs benignly) is associated with higher levels of inconspicuous consumption and social anxiety acts as a mediating role. Moreover, when individuals have a strong sense of ideal self-congruity, the positive impact of being maliciously envied (vs benignly) on inconspicuous consumption is further amplified, confirming the moderating role of ideal self-congruity.

This study sheds light on a novel mechanism that elucidates how different types of being envied influence consumers' inconspicuous consumption and the conditions under which this impact is heightened.

Researchers have paid little attention to elucidating how customer-perceived innovative apparel attributes are linked to brand reputation and consumer buying behaviors. This study intends to bridge that gap by providing empirical evidence on the effects of product novelty, product difference and product inimitability on brand reputation and behavioral intentions in the context of garment purchasing. We also investigate the moderating effects of self-congruity and value consciousness on the attribute‒brand reputation linkages, as well as their immediate influence on the domain variables.

The proposed model was estimated using data from a web-based survey of 299 female apparel customers. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the relationships between variables.

The results indicate that product novelty, product inimitability, self-congruity and value consciousness significantly influence brand reputation. The results also demonstrate that self-congruity, value consciousness and brand reputation have direct effects on behavioral intention, while self-congruity and value consciousness appear to moderate the relationship between innovative product attributes and brand reputation.

This study is the first to present a conceptual model that systematically encompasses product innovation, brand perceptions and behavioral links in the field of women's clothing. The findings have important implications for both academics and practitioners in the field of fashion marketing.