In most cultural contexts, consuming ethically is socially desirable and reporting favorable attitudes is relatively cost-free. Thus, consumers have incentives to state favorable attitudes toward ethical products despite barriers to actual purchase. This attitude-behavior gap in ethical consumption presents a global challenge to socially responsible marketing (Carrington et al., 2010, 2014, 2016). Several explanations for this gap have been offered. The current research draws from these explanations and—based on literature in psychometrics and attitude formation—develops a novel measurement tool based on the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP; Payne et al., 2005). We aim to capture consumers’ implicit ethical product attitudes which have otherwise evaded marketers (Zollo, 2021). Further, using samples of consumers in both the US and Italy, the current research examines the predictive power of this measure in predicting consequential ethical consumption choices. We conclude with a proposal for additional studies to further validate the procedure in more ecologically valid contexts.

Digital channels are becoming increasingly important in consumer purchase decisions. Yet, the availability of several different channels present consumers the opportunity to switch between one and another, such a phenomenon is called cross-channel free riding. This research aims therefore at exploring whether cognitive dissonance and opportunistic behavior are relevant antecedents of cross-channel free riding.

Mobile channels have dramatically revolutionized how brands connect with consumers. Indeed, smartphones, tablets or any portable device present marketers the possibility to contact consumers at any time and any place. Notwithstanding the opportunities deriving from being constantly in touch with consumers, two major challenges are anyway represented by the need of avoiding consumers’ annoyance with too much information and by the one to differentiate from competitors’ messages. Hence, how to catch recipients’ attention is fundamental to develop effective mobile communication strategies. In this perspective, gamification could be a competitive hedge in current digital environments. Namely, gamification has been identified as the use of attractive and addictive characteristics of games in different context such as advertising messages. As of today, extant literature on the topic mostly focused on the analysis of different motivations to use gamified mobile channels (i.e. hedonic, utilitarian motivations) as well as the factors amplifying the effects of gamification on the persuasiveness of marketing messages (i.e. the design of the gamified mobile advertising). Accordingly, we argue that gamification could help to catch consumers’ attention and influence their engagement with the message and purchase intention. Previous studies, indeed, have not analyzed the factors -such as engagement- potentially mediating the relationship between consumers’ intention to use mobile channels and advertising effectiveness. Next, whether gamified advertising could influence consumers’ purchase intention has yet to be assessed. Moving from such two gaps, this research focuses on the importance of gamification in advertising research. In detail, this research develops and tests a model where consumers’ perceived gamification (measured thanks to the GAMEX scale) as well as consumers’ engagement mediate the relationship between consumer motivations to use a mobile channel, advertising effectiveness and consumers’ purchase intention. Consumers’ expertise in mobile technologies is considered as a moderating variable in the relationship. Structural equation modelling with a sample of 590 Italian millennials, the most technology savvy consumers cohort (thus, the one mostly using mobile channels), has been used to test the hypotheses of the study. Results of the analysis allowed to proposed several implications for advertising theory and practice.

Over the last decade, e-commerce platforms for goods and services have been widely explored by the marketing literature. Coherently, e-commerce is emerging as a relevant distribution channel also in the wine industry. This notwithstanding, wine e-commerce platforms show a slower growth rate whether compared to other goods and services categories – such as electronic and digital products. This is particularly true in Italy where the total volume of e-commerce sales in the food and drink sector are less than 1% of the total online sales. Therefore, it is important to investigate the underlying mechanisms explaining consumers’ positive and negative intentions to purchase wine online. This will in fact allow both theoretical and practical insights to wine industry marketers. Hence, this study proposes and empirically tests a conceptual model concerning the antecedents of consumers’ intention to purchase wine online. Specifically, the objective is to identify the differences that are specific to the context of the wine buying process. The 5 steps of the purchasing process – need perception, pre-purchase, purchase, post-purchase, intention of repatronage – are analyzed through eleven determinants such as risk aversion, convenience propensity, product information availability, degree of independence in purchasing, shopping enjoyment, channel layout, shipping conditions, loyalty intention, and free-riding behavior. Data were collected from a sample of Italian 570 online consumers who habitually purchase wine online. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for testing the hypothesized relationships. Results show that product information availability and convenience propensity significantly influence the digital channel selection and, consequently, loyalty and patronage intention. Building on these results, the present study suggests that wine industry should focus more on digital channels’ layout in order to better stimulate consumers’ loyalty and intention to provide positive feedbacks. Yet, it also emerged how this kind of channel is useful at most when targeting price sensitive consumers. Theoretical and practical implications are thus provided along with suggestions for future research in the marketing literature.

This study aims to show that cultural differences in self-concepts define the effect of brand evaluations on purchase intention. Self-brand connection (SBC), which refers to “the extent to which individuals have incorporated brands into their self-concepts (Escalas & Bettman, 2003)”, has been identified as an important factor that leads brand loyalty and repurchase (Batra et al., 2012; Carroll & Ahuvia, 2006; Loureiro et al., 2012; Park et al., 2010; Zarantonello et al., 2016). However, Sugitani (2018) demonstrated that SBC was a significant predictor of repurchase intention only among people with independent self-construal (Westerners), while brand evaluations based on public reputation (i.e. public-based evaluation; PBE) significantly predicted repurchase intention among people with interdependent self-construal (East Asians). This study raises questions about other factors relevant to the self that might moderate the effect of brand evaluations. Therefore, in addition to self-construal, this study focused on individual selfesteem as another moderating factor, and investigated its effects on the relations between brand evaluations and purchase intentions. Cross-national online surveys were conducted in the U.S., Italy (independent selfconstrual culture) and Japan (interdependent self-construal culture). The results of data analyses using multi-group structural equation modelling and ANOVAs provided the important discoveries. First, the finding of previous literature was reproduced that SBC was a significant predictor of repurchase intentions among people with independent selfconstrual. However, self-esteem significantly moderated the result. Specifically, SBC was a significant antecedent of repurchase intention when consumers with interdependent self-construal possess high self-esteem. Second, self-esteem also moderated the effect of PBE on repurchase intention among Italian consumers. Italians with low self-esteem were averse to choosing high PBE brands, while those with high self-esteem were not. The U.S. and Japanese consumers consistently avoided and preferred high PBE brands respectively; self-esteem did not affect the result. This study contributes to global brand management by showing that cultural differences in two important self-concepts, self-construal and self-esteem, have an interactive moderating effect on brand evaluations and purchases.

In an increasingly digital and interactive global marketing landscape, social media marketing is emerging as one of the most important strategic tools for brand communication. This is especially true in the luxury fashion context, which traditionally exploited virtual environments as an effective communicational tool of brand-related content and product usage information all over the world. A contemporary consumer cohort that exhibits digital- and virtual-oriented behaviors are Millennials, which represent the digital native generation highly inclined to Internet interaction and, thus, a relevant strategic opportunity for social media marketers in the luxury industry. While the literature reports a positive relationship between Millennials’ social media usage and purchase intention towards luxury brand, scant attention has been paid to the underlying mechanisms explaining such a relationship. To fill this gap, the current research proposes and tests a conceptual model to provide three main contributions to the social media and brand communication literature: first, consumers’ perceptions of interactivity – a multidimensional construct comprised of real-time conversation, no delay/timing, and engaging/navigation – is hypothesized as an antecedent of social media usage. In this way, relevant theoretical and practical implications are provided to online luxury marketers interested in embracing virtual environments for brand communication. Next, two significant constructs of consumer behavior such as materialism – comprised of success, hedonism, and happiness – and morality – comprised of moral judgment and moral intensity – are hypothesized as mediating variables of the relationship between social media usage and purchase intention towards luxury brands. Particularly, these materialistic and ethical decision making processes emerge as relevant for Millennials’ online purchasing activities, with the expectation of transparent and effective brand-related information through social media. Finally, these mediating influences are hypothesized to be moderated by two other relevant constructs in the brand communication process—consumers’ motivation to use social media and advertising skepticism. In fact, a better assessment of Millennials’ motivation and skepticism toward social media marketing communication result as crucial for modern strategic marketers. Such hypotheses are tested using bootstrapped moderated mediation analysis on a sample of 297 Millennials actively following luxury brand social media activities. Our results confirm the proposed hypotheses, particularly both materialism and idealism partially mediate the relationship between social media usage and purchase intention. Moreover, motivation to use social media improves the effect of social media usage on materialism, whereas advertising skepticism reduces the effect of idealism on purchase intention. These findings contribute to the social media and brand communication literature, providing interesting avenues for future research.

Celebrity endorsement has been traditionally considered as a strategic promotional tool by marketers. Actually, advertising scholars generally found a positive influence of celebrity endorsement on brand equity and, consequently, on consumer purchase intention. On the one hand, literature interprets celebrity source and endorsement factors as related to celebrity-brand fit, perceived celebrity motive, and celebrity expertise. On the other hand, consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) has been usually referred to brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness, and brand associations. Despite such a growing interest, there is limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms linking celebrity endorsement to CBBE. Building on consumer psychology and brand signaling theories, this study develops a conceptual model which hypothesizes consumer-based brand authenticity (CBBA) and brand credibility as mediating variables of the aforementioned relationship. First, CBBA is interpreted as a multidimensional construct composed of a brand’s quality commitment, sincerity, and heritage. Second, credibility refers to a brand’s ability – e.g. expertise – and willingness – e.g. trustworthiness – to reliably keeping its promises to consumers. Moreover, this study hypothesizes that the influence of CBBA and brand credibility on CBBE vary according to consumers’ advertising evaluation. Hence, communication effectiveness is considered as a moderating variable of these relationships. The conceptual model is empirically tested using bootstrapped moderated mediation analysis on a sample of Millennial consumers. In fact, Millennials very well describe postmodern consumption and communication, which increasingly emphasize the need of “real” and authentic communication by credible endorsers and endorsed brands. By stressing the significant role of brand authenticity and credibility in the context of celebrity endorsement, this study provides both theoretical and practical implications to marketing communication literature.

Recently, marketing researchers have started to explore the impact of Social Media Brand Communities in digital marketing strategies. However, in spite of this interest, scant attention has been paid to the micro-mechanisms stimulating electronic word of mouth (E-WOM) within social media brand community. In this sense, this exploratory research aims to explore how consumers‟ engagement is related with positive E-WOM.

The aim of this exploratory research is to investigate whether luxury brands social media activities (Kim & Ko, 2012) – which are online activities that could potentially engage customers in digital environment (Sashi, 2012) – are capable of transmitting the sense of heritage of such brands to the customers. Moreover, the authors will observe whether the aforementioned activities are capable of transmitting the sense of exclusivity, which will be measured through the customers’ perceptions of the brand prestige (Hwang & Hyun, 2012), to the latter. In order to explore such a phenomenon, the authors have selected structural eqation modeling (SEM) as the main methodology of the research (Bagozzi & Yi, 1988). The theoretical foundations of the present research are related with three streams of marketing literature, namely (1) luxury brands social media marketing activities (Kim & Ko, 2010; Kim & Ko, 2012), (2) luxury brands heritage (Ciappei, Zollo, Boccardi, & Rialti, 2016; Hudson, 2011; Rialti, Zollo, Boccardi, & Marzi, 2016) and, finally, (3) luxury brands customer-based prestige (Napoli, Dickinson, Beverland, & Farrelly, 2014). In particular, building on the concept of social media marketing activities (Kim & Ko, 2010), we aimed at observing how the latter could influence customers’ perceptions of the brand by engaging them in online activities and conversations (Sashi, 2012; Zaglia, 2013). Specifically, we investigated if engagement in online activities or in online communities is related with a positive perception of luxury brands’ heritage and prestige. Hence, customers’ online engagement deriving from social media activities has been considered as an antecedent of customer perceived heritage and prestige (Phan, Thomas, & Heine, 2011; Hamzah, Alwi, & Othman, 2014; Riviezzo Garofano, & Napolitano, 2016). Luxury brands have been selected as the context of research since heritage and prestige have emerged as relevant strategic marketing levers for luxury brands’ brand strategist. As a proof of that, recently, luxury brands’ strategist and product managers are increasingly focusing brands’ strategies on the history of the brands in order to transmit customers a feeling of exclusivity and elitism (Hudson, 2010; Balmer, 2011). Thus, luxury brands heritage perceived by costumers emerged as a fundamental component of brand identity and, in addition, it may be considered as a form of competitive advantage increasing brand equity (Van Riel & Balmer, 1997). The main findings of the present research are related with the fact that social media marketing activities may engage customers online (Sashi, 2012). Moreover, it emerged how social media strategies are capable to engage customers and transmit them the sense of heritage and prestige. Hence, social media marketing strategies focused on developing a relationship with customers emerged as crucial in order to enhance customers’ perceptions of a brand heritage and prestige. Finally, the development of such a kind of social media marketing strategies is the principal implication for marketing managers. Due to the aforementioned results, this exploratory research contributes to online luxury brand management literature (Kim & Ko, 2010). In particular, due to our results it is possible to assess that social media activities, which are capable to engage customers online, are able to transmit the sense of heritage and of prestige. Future researches should explore better this phenomenon. In particular, on the one hand we suggest scholars to investigate through qualitative methodologies which kind of communications are capable to transmit sense of heritage and prestige. On the other hand, we suggest scholars to compare traditional form of communications with online form in order to understand which one is more capable to influence customers’ perceptions. The principal limitation of this research is related with its exploratory nature and with the traditional limitations of SEM methodology.

Social media are increasingly becoming a strategic vehicle of modern companies’ way of communicating and interacting with consumers. Actually, social media marketing (SMM) has recently emerged as an effective two-way communication channel able to provide the sharing and exchange of information, ideas, and user-generated content in virtual environments. This is especially true for fashion brands, which are progressively creating interactive platforms such as online brand communities in order to enhance their consumer-based brand equity (CBE), interpreted as the consumers’ assessment of a company brand image, identity, and value. Scholars have widely analyzed the relationship between a company’s SMM and brand equity, thus finding a direct positive impact of the five main constructs depicting perceived SMM activities, namely entertainment, interaction, trendiness, customization, and word of mouth, on CBE. Despite this relevant scholarly interest, the consumer behavioral responses linking a company perceived SMM activities and CBE have been largely neglected. Actually, consumers’ benefits from virtual environments and online brand experience may represent significant elements marketing strategists should focus on in order to enhance a company’s brand equity. Building on the uses and gratifications theory and experiential marketing, we develop a conceptual model that unpacks such linkages, by relating SMM activities, perceived benefits of using social media, online brand experience, and CBE. Specifically, we interpret SMM activities as significant brand-related stimuli able to influence consumers’ cognitive, social interactive, personal interactive, and hedonic benefits, which in turn influence consumers’ sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual online experience. Moreover, we investigate the experiential responses of consumers that mostly affect a company’s brand equity, which finally impacts on consumers’ purchase intention of the fashion brand. The model is validated using structural equation modeling (SEM) on a sample of real users of online brand communities operating in the fashion industry. Our sample is composed of Millennials, which currently represent the most influential grown-digital generation of consumers. Overall, our findings shed light on consumers’ online behavioral and experiential responses to a company’s perceived SMM activities, thus proposing strategic implications for the management of brand online communities and suggesting interesting possibilities of future research on social media and fashion consumers.

This research aims at analyzing the role of digital technologies for communication in the personalization of cultural heritage visitors’ experience and the potential of such technologies in valorizing cultural heritage sites. In order to explore such a phenomenon through a pilot study, a conceptual framework has been developed in the attempt to better conceptualize the modern notion of digital cultural heritage. The theoretical foundations are experiential marketing (Schmitt, 1999), authenticity in visitors’ experience (Neuhofer et al., 2014), and engineering studies on successful application of technologies in cultural heritage sites (Sparacino, 2004). From the proposed conceptual framework some relevant insights have emerged. In particular, main findings deal with digital technologies being characterized by three particular kinds of artificial intelligence, namely (a) perceptive intelligence, (b) interactive intelligence, and (c) narrative intelligence. Specifically, perceptive intelligence allows a digital technology to seize visitors’ movements inside the museum (Barrera et al., 2013). Interactive intelligence is the kind of intelligence that permits a digital technology to elaborate visitors’ preferences (Sparacino, 2004). Narrative intelligence, finally, enables a digital technology to communicate with visitors (Karaman et al., 2014). Technologies with such features, then, may potentially stimulate positive feelings and emotions in visitors. Particularly, the storytelling of digital personalization of cultural heritage sites can effectively personalize visitors’ experience and uplifts the visit toward an authentic and unique experience (Frow and Payne, 2007; Sani, 2011). Since these technologies could help visitors in fully understanding their personal interests towards arts and cultural heritage, they can also act as instruments of cultural heritage sites promotion. Specifically, these technologies can suggest visitors’ successive cultural heritage sites and also stimulate visitors to suggests others to visit particular sites due to their positive experience (Sweeney et al., 2012).Finally, this study stresses the importance of digital technologies as instruments of experiential marketing by improving visitors’ experience. Moreover, digital technologies for cultural heritage may be interpreted as a key competitive advantage for cultural heritage sites. In particular, digital technologies may be interpreted as strategic levers in order to stimulate the diffusion of word-of-mouth marketing in cultural heritage.Finally, this study stresses the importance of digital technologies as instruments of experiential marketing by improving visitors’ experience. Moreover, digital technologies for cultural heritage may be interpreted as a key competitive advantage for cultural heritage sites. In particular, digital technologies may be interpreted as strategic levers in order to stimulate the diffusion of word-of-mouth marketing in cultural heritage.