Purpose: Purpose. Based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), theory of consumer brand engagement (CBE), and empirical findings, we examine the impact of social media marketing (SMM) on brand awareness (BA), consumer brand engagement (CBE), and purchase intention in emerging economies.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected in North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Romania, and Ukraine from 1808 social media users, through a self-administered online survey. Partial least square structural equation modeling was used to assess the theoretical model, and a multi-group analysis to explore the differences between countries.Findings: Social media marketing has a positive impact on brand awareness, brand engagement, and purchase intention, while country moderates the relationship between brand engagement and purchase intention. We reveal differences among countries regarding SMM's impact on brand engagement and purchase intention.Practical implications: The study promotes SM's impact on brand communications, providing consumer insights that help companies design effective SMM strategies, using similarities and differences in emerging economies. The different levels of CBE and their different influences on purchase intention require a focus on the motivations for brand engagement in social media and the type of content preferred by consumers in each country. The originality of our research lies in our examination of the impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior in five emerging countries. Additionally, we are investigating how the country of origin influences the relationship between social media marketing, brand awareness, consumer behavior, and purchase intention in different countries.Originality/value: The originality of our research lies in our examination of the impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior in five emerging countries. Additionally, we are investigating how the country of origin influences the relationship between social media marketing, brand awareness, consumer behavior, and purchase intention in different countries.

As consumers spend more time on social media, brands can take advantage of this opportunity to better serve and communicate with their followers. Still, given the characteristics of luxury, luxury brands may be reluctant to use social media. To determine the extent to which Millennials and Generation Z consumers perceive compatibility between social media marketing and luxury brands, a purposive sampling technique was employed. We collected data from 303 Romanian visitors of the Facebook page entitled Do You Like Luxury? This page, with postings from luxury producers, was specially created and sponsored in order to raise interest in completing the questionnaires. For data analysis, we used statistical tests, including confirmatory factorial analysis, regression, and independent-samples t-test. Our research shows that, for Millennials and Generation Z, luxury brands are compatible with social media apps as marketing channels. Even in the case of inadequacy, managers can still use the facilities of digital technologies to depict exclusivity, emotions, and sensory experiences specific to luxury. Unlike other studies, which only focused on a few dimensions, we proposed a multidimensional approach of the perceived value of luxury and social media marketing. Moreover, this is one of the few studies to focus on Eastern European consumers.

Purpose: This study aims to integrate the perspectives offered by TAM and related models, respectively, the theory of values, to examine the impact of branded mobile shopping apps perceived value dimensions on continuance and recommendation intention.Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research was conducted online on a sample of 459 Romanian consumers to investigate how various facets of the perceived value of mobile shopping apps of some fashion brands influence continuance intention and the intention to recommend mobile apps. Sample selection implied a mixed non-probability method, convenience sampling and snowballing method, and the research hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) and path analysis.Findings: This study validates significant positive relationships between perceived ubiquity, app incentive, respectively, epistemic value of branded mobile shopping apps and continuance intention, and between perceived hedonic value, social value, continuance intention and the intention to recommend branded mobile apps.Originality/value: The research provides a deeper understanding of the influence played by the perceived value of mobile shopping apps on the consumer post-purchase behaviour and takes into consideration the mediating role of continuance intention for the perceived value and recommendation intention relationship.

In today’s visually-driven marketplace, where social media and personal branding dictate consumer preferences, companies must strategically position themselves to align with evolving identity trends. This study provides managerial insights into the role of brand personality in shaping brand-consumer relationships, focusing on the impact of personality on trust, attachment, commitment, and customer satisfaction. This research employed a rigorous quantitative approach, including reliability analysis of measurement instruments, confirmatory factor analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) through path analysis, and the robustness of the estimates was assessed using the bootstrap procedure. The findings reveal the strategic importance of brand personality traits, demonstrating their influence across brand-consumer relationship dimensions. Furthermore, the study highlights the managerial implications of brand personality, offering a comparative assessment of personality profiles associated with global brands such as Zara, H&M, McDonald’s, and KFC. These insights enable brand managers to refine positioning strategies, optimize consumer engagement, and foster long-term brand equity.

This article analyzes the influence of cultural factors on the perceived risks of buying online. To this end, we conducted a survey on a sample of Francophone African students, through an online questionnaire. In order to test the developed research model, we opted for structural equation modeling (SEM), using the Smart PLS 2.0 software. Data analysis has highlighted the importance of power distance in perceiving the risks of online buying and, on the other hand, the fact that online buying risk perception is less important in cultures where uncertainty avoidance is high. Based on these research results, marketers could adapt their marketing approaches at a local, regional or international level. JEL classification: M31; M10; L81.