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1 – 10 of 318
Article
Publication date: 20 September 2022

Shubhomoy Banerjee and S. Sreejesh

The study's primary purpose is to establish the direct and indirect roles of word-of-mouth communication (WOM) in initiating and maintaining consumer loyalty in the bottom of…

Abstract

Purpose

The study's primary purpose is to establish the direct and indirect roles of word-of-mouth communication (WOM) in initiating and maintaining consumer loyalty in the bottom of pyramid (BOP) markets in the Indian context. In addition, the study seeks to evaluate the conditions (viz. extent of media usage, brand distribution intensity and brand social connections) under which WOM leads to the initiation and maintenance of consumer brand loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The study hypotheses were formulated following the social identity theory. Later, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 898 rural BOP consumers. Structural equation modelling technique was applied to test the study hypotheses.

Findings

Results suggested a positive effect of WOM on brand credibility and self-brand connections-indicative of the initiation of strong cognitive and affective relationships respectively. Brand credibility and self-brand connections also mediated the paths between WOM and brand loyalty-indicative of the maintenance and continuation of strong affect-laden relationships. These indirect relationships were moderated by the extent of media usage, brand distribution intensity and brand social connections.

Originality/value

This is among the first studies that holistically evaluate the role of WOM in developing customer loyalty to rural BOP consumers against the backdrop of the systemic deficiencies in these markets.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 19 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 February 2019

Devika Vashisht, Marla B. Royne and Sreejesh S.

Advergames, or integrated brand messages within digital games, have received considerable attention from researchers and practitioners. Despite increased use of advergames as a…

3584

Abstract

Purpose

Advergames, or integrated brand messages within digital games, have received considerable attention from researchers and practitioners. Despite increased use of advergames as a brand promotion strategy by a range of well-known brands, limited understanding exists about a number of issues related to the effective use of such games. This paper aims to critically review the literature on advergames by performing a detailed analysis of existing research in this area and propose an organizing framework. Based on this framework, the authors discuss key issues with current understanding and propose important questions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This literature review follows Webster and Watson’s (2002) concept-driven systematic review methodology elaborating on the key antecedents and consequences identified in advergame studies (what we know: current knowledge), followed by the discussion of key factors that should be investigated as antecedents and consequences (literature gaps).

Findings

This paper presents a review and synthesis of advergame studies based on Terlutter and Capella’s (2013) integrated marketing communication framework. It identifies game, individual and social factors and suggests how these factors could affect a consumer’s brand-related cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral responses. The authors further propose an advergame framework that identifies two different “unit of analysis” (antecedents and consequences of game factors and antecedents and consequences of individual and social factors), which can be used by scholars to center their research efforts in a more detailed fashion.

Research limitations/implications

Research questions posed in this literature review indicate that future research in the area of advergames should focus on investigating the effects of various game, individual and social factors on consumers’ cognitive, affective and behavioral responses.

Practical implications

The advergame framework provided here provides firms with a guide to the factors that may affect their consumers’ cognitive, affective and behavioral responses and helps them in developing effective advergames.

Originality/value

The paper provides a comprehensive review of the advergame literature that has not been done before and develops a general advergame framework that can be applied in all contexts and will guide future studies in the area. Overall, the study helps the researchers to identify critical issues and concepts related to advergames and shapes future research in the field.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 53 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2021

Shubhomoy Banerjee and S. Sreejesh

This research seeks to establish the roles of marketer-driven relationship-building strategies – relationship-marketing orientation and knowledge sharing with customers on…

1287

Abstract

Purpose

This research seeks to establish the roles of marketer-driven relationship-building strategies – relationship-marketing orientation and knowledge sharing with customers on intrinsic customer motivation and the continued usage of mobile banking apps.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted among 342 m-banking users in India. Data were analyzed and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Relationship-marketing orientation was found to have a positive and significant influence on customer intrinsic motivation and knowledge sharing with customers. Customer intrinsic motivation was found to play a dual role as a driver of continued mobile banking usage and as an intervening mechanism between relationship-marketing orientation and continued usage of mobile banking.

Research limitations/implications

This research was conducted only in one country. It was therefore not possible to consider varying regulations across markets and their effects on continued usage of mobile banking.

Originality/value

First time in the m-banking literature, this research establishes the pivotal role of intrinsic customer motivation in the continued usage of mobile banking. While evaluating drivers of continued usage of m-banking, most studies considered various aspects of the technology itself. This research instead evaluates consumer-centric and marketer-led antecedents in driving the continued usage of mobile banking.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 February 2018

Abhigyan Sarkar, Juhi Gahlot Sarkar, Sreejesh S. and Anusree M.R.

The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively investigate various factors associated with e-tail store brand affect.

1165

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively investigate various factors associated with e-tail store brand affect.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected by conducting semi-structured depth interviews following a storytelling approach. The data were coded using the grounded theory method.

Findings

Data analysis shows that anticipated service recovery, deal attractiveness and luxury e-tail brand image predict e-tail store brand affect. These predictors play their roles under the moderating influences of specific moderators. The desirable marketing outcomes of e-tail store brand affect are e-tail branded app usage, spreading positive word of mouth and secure attachment style toward e-tailer.

Originality/value

The value of this study lies in developing a grounded theory based causal process model that can provide managerial insights on how to enhance e-tail brand affect.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 February 2022

Juhi Gahlot Sarkar, Abhigyan Sarkar and S. Sreejesh

This study aims to examine the underlying antecedents and psychological mechanisms through which brand's communication of sustainable business practices in social media influences…

2639

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the underlying antecedents and psychological mechanisms through which brand's communication of sustainable business practices in social media influences consumers' responsible consumption behaviour and brand relationship outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using two surveys, from a sample of WhatsApp users (N = 632), and a sample of Facebook users (N = 471), and were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling.

Findings

The results suggest that systematic and heuristic processing of message cues about sustainable business practices communicated by the brand through online social networks influence consumers' perceptions of brand warmth and competence. These perceptions, in turn, direct consumers' responsible consumption behaviours and strengthen brand relationships. The impact of these cues is moderated by consumers' perception of the brand's motives for engaging in sustainable business practices.

Originality/value

The study insights can help brand managers to enhance consumers' brand-related perceptions, responsible consumption and consumer-brand relationships.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 36 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Devika Vashisht and Sreejesh S.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of nature of advergame and moderating roles of game-product congruence and need for cognition (NFC) on gamers’ ad-persuasion…

1737

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of nature of advergame and moderating roles of game-product congruence and need for cognition (NFC) on gamers’ ad-persuasion from attention and elaboration perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 (nature of game: fast or slow)×2 (game-product congruence: high or low)×2 (NFC: high or low) between measures design is used. In total, 224 graduate students participated in the study. A 2×2×2 between subjects ANOVA is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that slow-paced advergames result in high persuasion than fast-paced advergames. A 2 way-interaction indicates that for a slow-paced advergame, low game-product congruence result in high persuasion than in high game-product congruence. Furthermore, findings reveal that for a slow-paced advergame with low game-product congruence, subjects with high NFC report high persuasion than subjects with low NFC. For a fast-paced advergame with low game-product congruence, subjects with high NFC report high persuasion than subjects with low NFC.

Practical implications

The findings of the study are very important for advertising practitioners as selection of media that fit the advertised product with reference to the content of the media is a planning strategy that has been widely used by media planners. Thus, if high brand recall and recognition is the primary goal for advertisers, then, slow-paced advergames with low-congruent brand placements can be considered a better media strategy for in-game advertising. Furthermore, advertising managers can design advergames by taking into account NFC factor to make sure that the implementation has the strongest positive effect on consumers’ persuasion. Furthermore, advertising managers can design advergames by taking into account NFC factor to make sure that the implementation has the strongest positive effect on consumers’ persuasion.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature of non-traditional online advertising, specifically advergaming context by exploring the impact of nature of game and game-product congruence on gamers’ ad-persuasion. Also, this study is the first attempt toward understanding the moderating role of NFC on gamers’ ad-persuasion in the context of online advertising.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 June 2017

Aditi Sarkar Sengupta and Sreejesh S. Pillai

The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, the authors investigate the influence of other customer perception (OCP) on focal customer’s service quality perception and service…

1820

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, the authors investigate the influence of other customer perception (OCP) on focal customer’s service quality perception and service revisit intention in hotel services. Second, they examine whether negative effects of OCP can be managed through customer participation. Finally, they examine the effectiveness of CP as a strategy when individuals vary in terms of their need for uniqueness (NFU).

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 (OCP: favorable versus unfavorable) × 2 (customer participation: customer participation versus no customer participation) × 2 (NFU: high versus low) between-subjects experiment was conducted to collect responses. Analysis of variance and pre-planned contrast tests were carried out to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Customers who are exposed to unfavorable OCP reported low service quality evaluation and revisit intention. However, two-way interaction results supported that in unfavorable OCP situation, customers who are exposed to high customer participation have reported high revisit intention compared to those who are not exposed to customer participation. In addition, the three-way interaction effects indicate that customer participation may work as an intervention mechanism to reduce the negative effects of OCP to form favorable service quality perception and revisit intention only for customers with low NFU.

Originality/value

This is the first in its stream of studies examining the following research questions: “Can the negative effects of OCP be mitigated with the help of managerial intervention?”; and “Would a customer’s individual differences influence the effectiveness of such an intervention strategy?”

Details

International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6182

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 July 2017

Devika Vashisht and Sreejesh S. Pillai

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of brand prominence, game involvement and persuasion knowledge on gamers’ brand recall and attitude in the context of online…

2488

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of brand prominence, game involvement and persuasion knowledge on gamers’ brand recall and attitude in the context of online advergames. Specifically, this investigation uses limited capacity model of attention and persuasion knowledge model to expound the conditions under which brand placements create attention, elaboration and subsequent brand recall and brand attitude.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 (brand prominence: prominent versus subtle) × 2 (game involvement: high versus low involvement) × 2 (persuasion knowledge: high versus low) between-subjects measures design is used. A total of 224 student gamers participated in the study. A between-subjects measures multivariate analysis of variance is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that an advergame with prominent brand placement under low game involvement condition results in high brand recall but less favorable brand attitude than under high game involvement condition. Furthermore, a three-way interaction shows that for a prominent brand placement advergame with high game involvement, the subjects with high persuasion knowledge report high brand recall than the subjects with low persuasion knowledge. The findings also reveal that for a prominent brand placement advergame with high game involvement, the subjects with high persuasion knowledge report less favorable brand attitude than the subjects with low persuasion knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

This paper adds to advertising literature from a non-traditional advertising viewpoint, predominantly in the context of online advergames, and expounds the role played by brand placement and its boundary conditions to create customers’ brand memory and attitude. Furthermore, this investigation adds to the marketing knowledge on how and where to position and embed the brands effectively in advergames taking into account the characteristics of the gamer, such as the game involvement and gamers’ persuasion knowledge about the advergame.

Originality/value

This study adds to the works of online advertising, particularly the advergames by discovering the impact of brand prominence, game involvement and persuasion knowledge on gamers’ brand recall and attitude. Also, this study is the first in its stream toward understanding the moderating role of persuasion knowledge on Indian gamers’ recall and attitude in the context of online advertising.

Details

Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1061-0421

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2016

Sreejesh S., Abhigyan Sarkar and Sudeepta Pradhan

This study aims to investigate how the influences of store loyalty programs on store loyalty and store relations can be mediated by the store satisfaction-love framework.

1649

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how the influences of store loyalty programs on store loyalty and store relations can be mediated by the store satisfaction-love framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey data were collected from selected retail stores using stratified random sampling. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicate that the impacts of store loyalty programs on store loyalty and store relations are mediated both by store love and store satisfaction.

Practical implications

This study’s findings help practitioners by empirically demonstrating that the combined cognitive satisfaction of consumers with store loyalty programs and affective store love mediate the influences of loyalty programs on consumer loyalty toward the store and on the consumer–store relation. Therefore, cognitive satisfaction with loyalty programs alone cannot create strong loyalty and a customer relationship. Cognitive satisfaction with various loyalty programs must be converted into affective store love for the mediation to be significant and effective.

Originality/value

This research adds value to the domain of store loyalty research by empirically establishing the mediating role played by the cognitive satisfaction-affective love framework in shaping the influences of loyalty programs designed by store management on the final store loyalty and customer–store relationship.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 39 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 August 2019

Sreejesh S., Juhi Gahlot Sarkar and Abhigyan Sarkar

The purpose of this paper is to examine the casual role of consumers’ perceptions of brands’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) motives (self-serving vs society-serving) in…

2737

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the casual role of consumers’ perceptions of brands’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) motives (self-serving vs society-serving) in influencing consumer–brand relationships. Further, the authors explore the roles of brand initiated CSR activities (e.g. CSR co-creation), social media characteristics (e.g. media richness) and consumer’s community identification in shaping the effect of perceived CSR motive on consumer–brand relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 (CSR motives: self-oriented vs society-oriented) × 2 (CSR co-creation: yes vs no) × 2 (media richness: high vs low) between-subjects experimental design is employed.

Findings

The results elucidate that when consumers perceive that CSR is for self-serving (vs society-serving) motive, allowing consumers to co-create CSR in a high media-rich virtual platform enhances consumer–brand relationship quality. In addition, the results also support that the interactions of perceived CSR motives, co-creation and media richness enhance consumer–brand relationship through the mediation of community identification.

Originality/value

The current study draws implications for effective CSR co-creation through rich social media platforms, so as to enhance consumer–brand relationship quality via creating community identification.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

1 – 10 of 318