Improving service brand personality with augmented reality marketing

Purpose Augmented reality (AR) apps offer a great opportunity for brands to provide better service to customers by creating augmented customer service. However, not every AR app is equally effective in improving customer experience. Investigation of underlying processes and brand-related outcomes of AR marketing remains scarce and it is unclear how different types of AR apps influence brand perceptions, such as brand personality. This paper aims to fill in this knowledge gap and provide practical insights on how different AR apps can improve service brand personality. Design/methodology/approach Using an experimental plan, the authors investigate how attitudes towards AR apps contribute to customer perceptions of brand personality (i.e. excitement, sincerity, competence and sophistication) according to two different variables, namely, the location of the AR app (location-specific vs non-location-specific) and its orientation (augmenting the product, brand or store experience). The authors also examine the effect of expected customer experience with the AR app (i.e. playfulness and pleasure) and customer technological innovativeness and shopping orientation as predictors of attitudes towards the AR app. Findings The findings show that non-location-specific and product-oriented AR apps (i.e. virtual try-on apps) receive more positive evaluations and lead consumers to perceive the brand as more exciting, sincere, competent and sophisticated. Moreover, the playfulness and pleasure experienced with the AR app determine consumers’ attitudes towards the app. Additionally, AR apps improve brand personality perceptions amongst more innovative and adventure-focussed shoppers. Originality/value The authors show that brand announcements on high-technology, customer-oriented service offerings are an effective branding tool. Thus, AR apps perceived as pleasant and playful can signal and improve brand personality.

Customer engagement in online service brand communities

Purpose Online service brand communities (OBCs) are an essential services marketing channel and relationship marketing tool, in which social capital (SC) is a critical success factor. Underpinned in social identity and social exchange theories, this paper aims to explore the effects of SC on customer brand engagement (CBE), considering the roles of collective psychological ownership (CPO), customer citizenship behaviour (CCB) and perceived community support (PCS). Design/methodology/approach The research model was tested using survey data from 256 participants; 137 from the Xiaomi Community and 119 from the Huawei Fan Club. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling analysis was used. Findings SC drives CBE. CPO and CCB are important mediators, whilst PCS is an important moderator. Practical implications Brand marketers need to foster SC in OBCs to achieve the maximum level of customer engagement. The authors provide recommendations as to how to build structural, relational and cognitive SC, as well as CPO, CCB and PCS. In short, brand marketers need to foster an interactive, empowering and supportive environment. Originality/value The authors further service research around the humanisation of technology. Specifically, OBCs are social spaces for brands and customers, and a key enabler of relationship marketing principles, such as CBE. The authors test the roles of structural, cognitive and relational SC in engagement in OBCs, through CPO and CCB. This holistic picture of engagement in OBCs is an important foundation for future service research.

Kiprah Aktor Warganet melalui Media Sosial dalam Pemasaran Digital: Studi Kasus pada #HondaBeAT

<em><span lang="EN-US">This study aims to determine the role of netizen actors on social media in the digital marketing of a product brand, like #HondaBeAT. Nowadays, the use of social media to exchange information is increasing for the dissemination of messages and other contents. In the digital marketing ecosystem, social media plays an important role in introducing products, enhancing a positive image, and building relationships with customers. The use of social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, has attracted the attention of the younger generation, especially the millennial generation (Y) and the post-millennial generation (Z). The level of effectiveness of digital marketing is also influenced and determined by the progress of netizen actors, such as followers, influencers, and buzzers. Their role is increasingly important to convey information more effectively through various product and service brand content on various social media platforms. This study uses a qualitative approach to analyze data from social media conversations on Twitter and Instagram within a certain period of time with the help of the Drone Emprit Academic (DEA) application. This research reveals the progress of netizen actors on the company’s official accounts of Twitter and Instagram as a basic understanding for designing and compiling digital marketing strategies using product brand hashtags. This study also found that the netizen actors studied had their respective roles in strengthening the delivery of messages and content on social media.</span></em>

The Impact of Employer Brand Equity Elements on Consumer Attitude to Service Brand

Increasing competition means that organisations are looking for new ways to ensure the equity of their brands, and due to the specifics of services, employees are undoubtedly one of the most important links in service brand equity creation, therefore consumer knowledge of employer brand and its equity elements can contribute to the perception towards it, change it and influence behavioural intentions. According to the theory of reasoned behaviour, attitude is an important determinant of behaviour, so the purpose of this article is to assess how elements of an employer’s brand equity influence attitude toward a service brand. After the exploratory factor analysis, 3 main elements of the employer’s brand equity were identified. An analysis of the empirical study also found that the employer brand image has the strongest effect on attitudes towards a service brand, while the effect of employer brand awareness and reputation has a weaker effect.

ANALISIS FAKTOR FAKTOR PREFERENSI KONSUMEN DALAM KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN BOOTH BOCA

Industri manufaktur memegang peranan penting dalam perkembangan ekonomi di Indonesia. BOCA Booth Kayu adalah satu usaha yang bergerak dalam bidang manufaktur. Penelitian yang membahas tentang usaha BOCA ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor preferensi konsumen yang membentuk keputusan pembelian booth BOCA. Pendekatan penelitian dilakukan secara kuantitatif dengan metode analisis faktor konfirmatori atau CFA yang diolah dengan bantuan software SmartPLS 3.0. Jumlah sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah 83 responden yang pernah membeli atau menyewa produk BOCA Booth Kayu. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan kuisioner berdasarkan indikator dari lima variabel yang diperkirakan menentukan keputusan pembelian. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa terdapat lima faktor yang menjadi faktor pembentuk keputusan pembelian booth BOCA. Kata kunci: Keputusan Pembelian, Preferensi Konsumen, Price, Tangible, Quality of Service, Brand, Quality of Products.

Customer participation, value co-creation and customer loyalty: evidence from Umrah travel agencies in Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to elucidate customer participation and value co-creation in enhancing customer loyalty in the context of Umrah travelers. First, it identifies the antecedents of Umrah travelers’ participation including service brand image, service employee performance and willingness to customize. Second, this study explores the impact of Umrah travelers’ participation in Umrah travelers’ loyalty. Finally, it explores co-creation value (hedonic, refreshment and price) and Umrah travelers’ satisfaction emerging in the relationship between Umrah travelers’ participation and Umrah travelers’ loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The survey draws its respondents from Umrah participants in Central Java Province, Indonesia, using the purposive sampling method with 459 samples. Data analysis used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings The results reveal that service brand image, service employee performance and willingness to customize significantly affect Umrah travelers’ participation. Umrah travelers’ participation has an insignificant effect on Umrah travelers’ loyalty; conversely, Umrah travelers’ participation has a significant effect on co-creation value (hedonic value, refreshment and price). Only the price of the co-creation value has a significant effect on Umrah travelers’ loyalty, while hedonic value and refreshment value do not. Finally, Umrah travelers’ participation directly affects Umrah travelers’ satisfaction, and, in turn, Umrah travelers’ satisfaction impacts Umrah travelers’ loyalty. Originality/value This study attempts to elucidate the theory of customer participation and value co-creation in the Umrah travelers setting. It identifies the factor determiner of customer participation from the professional aspects of the company, namely, service brand image, service employee performance and willingness to customize. This study explored the importance of value co-creation and customer satisfaction in enhancing customer loyalty.

Exploring Service Brand Associations: A Consumers' Perspective in Rising Service Economy

Across the globe, the importance of the service sector is flourishing as a result of which significance of research to understand the characteristics and attributes of services is rising exponentially. Poor understanding of service characteristics has led to an undue reliance on branding models previously designed for tangible products. Although most of the researches have tried to modify their branding models to cater to the requirements of service branding, most of them are largely based on managerial and organizational perspectives. Few researches have attempted to highlight consumer’s perspectives of what they consider important in a service brand. This study focuses on consumers’ perceptions of important service brand associations and aims to be a stepping stone in the process of developing a specialized model for service branding. The qualitative information garnered for this research allowed digging deeper into the consumer’s mind through in-depth personal interviews. The analytical method of coding, sorting, and sifting assisted in discovering the service brand associations. The results indicate salience of brand associations for consumers of service brands. The most frequently identified service brand associations include service environment and facilities, staff behavior, word-of-mouth communication, price, core service quality, experience (of the service provider and consumers), and advertising of the service brands.