This research aims to identify the main drivers behind consumers’ connection with fashion brands on social media. With a sample of 29 in-depth interviews with French individuals the study analyzes why and how consumers connect with fashion brands on social media platforms. Our results disclosed three categories of drivers: information with characteristics of information seeking, need for “staying in”, public self-consciousness and tracking promotions; aspirational with characteristics of entertainment, visual enjoyment, and dreaming; and last social with characteristics of need for belonging to brand community, social contamination, and benchmark with reference groups. Theoretical and empirical implications are discussed as well.

The power of social media is colossal considering that the number of worldwide users is expected to grow even more in the future reaching 2.95 billion by 2020. Because of the apparent customer engagement in these platforms, companies spend on average 11% of marketing budgets on social media and this expenditure is expected to grow to 19% over the next five years (CMO Survey, 2017). However, the main challenge the companies are facing is how to convert the social media investments into effective marketing and contribution to company’s performance. The customer engagement (CE) in social media catches a strong attention from scholars (Brodie et al., 2013) as well as experts of online marketing (Dessart, Veloutsou, & Morgan-Thomas, 2016). Even though there is a significant progress in the conceptual (Van Doorn et al., 2010) and empirical (Brodie et al., 2013) analysis of CE, its clear understanding remains still insufficient. Customer engagement’s definition requires more attention as there is inconsistency in the terms because of a lack of agreement on the terminology (van Doorn et al., 2010). Noticeable differences exist concerning also the measurement of CE and what exactly this phenomenon encompasses (Dessart et al., 2016). Particularly, the empirical studies show incongruity in the number and the nature of the dimensions (Sprott et al., 2009; Brodie et al., 2013). To investigate the complex and emergent occurrence of CE in social media, this research endorses a managerial-oriented approach using rich qualitative data from three different sources covering a variety of views for different social media platforms (41 companies/24 advertising/communication agencies, and 10 research/consulting firms). The results illustrate the gaps among customer engagement’s conceptions, the customer engagement dimensionality, and the metrics of social media performance beyond customer engagement.

Recent evidence suggests a dramatic increase of use on the social media environment in the tourism and hospitality industry. This study aims to develop a measurement scale for the social media environment also called “social media scape”. The study will offer insights regarding the consequences of social media scape as well. Empirical data will be collected from 3 different countries and 3 studies will be conducted. In addition, the findings of this study will suggest how social media scape shapes key consumer behavior outcomes. Finally, this study will discuss the managerial implications for marketing and positioning strategy in the social media environment. In particular, the results of the study will indicate how the social media scape should be developed thus helping brands to better position themselves in this social media world and what consumers’ needs can satisfy such as functional, hedonic, social, and psychological. In addition, for global marketers who want to develop international networks, ethnicities are a significant impact factor on users’ behaviors. As such, this information will be useful since our study will include 3 different countries

In many countries, domestic tourism is important in terms of both size and economic contribution (Massidda & Etzo, 2012). This study aimed to develop a measurement scale for place authenticity for domestic destinations. Moreover, the objective was to offer insights regarding the consequences of place authenticity while travelling within borders. Empirical literature on the authentic travel experience “within borders” is quite scant and the attention of policy makers is not adequately focused on its outcomes such as attitude, values and positive WOM. A very small body of literature has primarily focused on domestic tourists’ destination experience yet omits measuring authenticity perceptions (Chi & Qu, 2008; Massidda & Etzo, 2012; Milman & Pizam, 1995). Empirical data were collected from 456 American consumers who had travelled to domestic tourism destinations. This paper provides a new measure for place authenticity that destination marketers can use to gauge what consumers think of their domestic travel experience. In addition, the findings of this study suggest that place authenticity shapes key consumer outcomes such as attitude, values and positive WOM. Furthermore, place authenticity has significant indirect effects on value and WOM, consistent with the role of place authenticity’s effects being mediated by consumer attitude toward the destination. Finally, this study discusses the managerial implications for tourism destination marketing and positioning strategy.

This study integrates the cognitive appraisal theory and script theory, highlighting the bridging role played by recollective memory. The relationships between visitors’ appraisals, emotions, recollection, storytelling and repurchase intention as they relate to the luxury cruise trip experience were assessed. We developed 14 theoretical hypotheses from a literature review. We then tested these hypotheses using data collected from 300 luxury cruise passengers. To the best of our knowledge this study is the first to incorporate the cognitive appraisal approach into script theory in a luxury tourism setting. Our work discloses that these two theories complement each other and recollection is the tie between them. This research reinforces the theoretical literature on cognitive appraisal and script theory. Moreover, the luxury cruise sector is under pressure due to fierce competition and as a result there is a need to acknowledge the crucial determinants of tourists’ emotional reactions. An understanding of tourists’ emotional experiences, and their antecedents and consequences will aid in the formulation of strategic marketing, segmentation, and communication efforts. The results of our study confirm that different emotional reactions can be elicited due to the power of four appraisal dimensions: appetitive goal congruence, certainty, novelty and agency. The findings not only enrich the cognitive appraisal framework and script theory literature but also provide guidance for managerial and marketing strategies of cruise industry practitioners.

There is relatively little evidence on how social media marketing activities influence brand equity creation and consumers’ behavior towards the brand. We explore these relationships by analyzing pioneering brands in the luxury sector (Burberry, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton). Based on a survey of 845 luxury brand consumers (Chinese, French, Indian and Italian) who follow the five brands studied on social media, we developed a structural equation model that helps to address gaps in prior social media branding literature. Specifically, our study demonstrates the links between social media marketing efforts – measured as a holistic concept incorporating five aspects (entertainment, interaction, trendiness, customization and word of mouth) and their consequences (brand preference, price premium and loyalty).

We aimed to extend the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework. Atmospherics and staff service were evaluated as stimulus impacting attendees’ social/self concept and memory (organism), and further leading to behavioral intention (response). Memory is not only an effective predictor of behavioral intention but also mediates the social/self concept value and behaviors.