Chatbot-based services in online travel agency (OTA) are rapidly spreading in order to respond more agilely to consumers' needs based on the digitalization of the travel industry. Although AI chatbots use anthropomorphism to provide social experiences on behalf of humans, research results on its effects are mixed. Therefore, based on construal level theory, this study suggests the degree of anthropomorphism (low vs. high) of chatbots prime mental representations of different construal levels (low vs. high) and the fit between anthropomorphism and communication context (communication types and conversation types) has a positive effect on use behavior. This research method consisted of sentimental analysis for exploring use behavior of AI chatbots and two experimental studies (study 1 and study 2) to examine the hypotheses. The results of this study expand construal level theory and avatar research to provide an understanding of the anthropomorphism of AI chatbots.

The main objective of this research is to investigate the impact of brand image fit on consumer’s perceived luxury, perceived symbolic value, perceived authenticity, and perceived novelty towards fashion brand collaboration. This study uses a qualitative approach to test the research hypotheses. The contribution of this study is twofold: (1) it conceptually advances Congruity Theory and Spillover effect into the area of brand collaboration within a fashion domain; (2) it provides insights into the efficacy of each consumer-related factors which can be used in the development of sound collaboration strategies, in addition to branding and pricing strategies of new fashion brand collaborations.

This research aims to examine consumer e-deal proneness and anticipatory regret toward ‘daily deals’ offers from group buying websites. Data collected from a consumer panel yielded 787 useable questionnaires which were analysed through Structural Equation Modelling. The results suggest that the antecedents, namely price consciousness and susceptibility to interpersonal influence have a strong and positive influence with consumer attitudes towards e-deals. The results are validated across three different product categories (i.e., beauty, food, and travel). Consumers with favourable attitudes towards daily deals are more likely to purchase them. Furthermore, the results suggest no significant difference in consumers’ intention to buy daily deals when the consumer has to evaluate between high vs low regret circumstances. The findings suggested many practical lessons for planners of marketing strategy for the retail and e-commerce marketplace in an international context.

The implications of brand hypocrisy for corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the brand level of analysis remain largely unexplored. Drawing on attribution theory and the sense making perspective of CSR, this paper aims to develop a conceptual framework that highlights the negative effects of advertising skepticism on brand distance, as mediated by perceptions of brand hypocrisy. Furthermore, the study seeks to examine whether a brand’s commitment toward sustainability, consumers’ desire for exclusivity and brand trust have any impact on perceived brand hypocrisy and distance. As the effect of CSR skepticism and brand hypocrisy bears heavily on consumers’ attitudes and behaviour, this paper draws from several socio-psychological theories to identify how it can be pre-emptively abated. Findings will enrich the understanding of negative consumer inferences related to brands and provide a conceptualization of an understudied but increasingly relevant form of brand judgment.

This research aims to examine the different types of consumers' dispositions towards nostalgic advertising. Furthermore, it is proposed that brand heritage moderates the relationship between nostalgia intensity towards the ad and purchase intention.

Shopping is a sensory experience for consumers, who use cues, such as shelf organization and stock levels to infer the luxury and perceived scarcity of the given product or brand. Therefore, affecting consumer’s perceptions, evaluations and purchase intention. This research holds implications for brand, retail and merchandising managers.

This research aims to provide a conceptual framework to explore how consumers respond to genuinuity claims made by organisations and how it affects perceptions towards the brand. Further, this proposal explores the influence of brand familiarity and inferences of manipulative intent on consumer’s cognition of the genuine claim. The Affect Transfer Hypothesis, Dual Mediation Hypothesis, Independent Influence Hypothesis and Reciprocal Mediation Hypothesis Models are tested parallel to determine the most effective model in line with previous studies. A total of 12 studies have been designed, comparing across 4 different levels of genuinuity, and 3 different product categories (luxury car brands, luxury hotels & spa resorts). A self-administered survey will be used while collecting data using panel data and mall intercept to ensure the ecological validity of the study. The study contributes conceptually by proposing a conceptual definition for genuinuity appeals. It contributes methodologically in its development of a brand genuinuity scale. Finally, the study will contribute managerially by providing practitioners, policy makers and firms with new ways to distinguish themselves as genuine amongst the clutter of unsubstantiated claims and to change consumer’s perceptions of industries such as banks which are renowned for unsubstantiated claims.

The study investigates the influence of “country of ingredient authenticity” towards product and brand evaluations of luxury brands and ultimately how these constructs influence the willingness to buy and recommend luxury brands.

This paper identifies the key antecedents and moderators with regard to brand attitude and purchase intention of luxury brands. The findings suggest that is a strong importance of status seeking, as well as informational influences towards consumer brand attitude of luxury brands for both subtle and prominent brands. In addition, the moderating results indicate that consumer need for subtle branding only moderated the relationship between informational influences and consumers band attitude for subtly branded luxury products.

This paper seeks to conceptualize the phenomenon known as the “Fear of Missing Out” by developing and validating a measurement scale – “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO-SCALE) to be used in a marketing context. It will also further explore various antecedents that may impact on FOMO. The study suggests an alternative approach towards the conceptualization of FOMO by defining it as a personality trait as opposed to an outcome of a behavior.

This research aims to consider the respective roles of status seeking consumption, interpersonal influence and need for uniqueness, and to set these relationships within a broader theoretical context of the literature on the “extended self” and “self-congruity”. Furthermore, “consumer’s need for subtle branding” (e.g. inconspicuousness of a brand’s mark or logo) is proposed to moderate the relationship between these consumer attitudes toward luxury brands and the purchase intention of luxury brands.

Concepts from country-of-origin, the authenticity concept and ingredient branding make up the essential literature for this scale development. This study intends to develop a scale specifically to measure consumers’ motivation to seek for ingredient authenticity in luxury brands. The proposed methods for scale development and its implications are also highlighted.