Artificial intelligence (AI) marketing technologies are reshaping customer engagement in service sectors, yet their performance within integrated digital ecosystems remains poorly understood. Existing research often examines AI tools in isolation, overlooking how the holistic quality of the virtual customer experience (VCE) shapes their impact on consumer decisions, particularly in intangible service contexts such as telecommunications. This study addresses this gap by investigating the influence of four AI technologies—chatbots, dynamic pricing, voice search, and visual search—on purchasing decisions, with VCE tested as a critical moderating mechanism. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and survey data from 487 telecommunications customers in Saudi Arabia, the findings confirm significant positive direct effects for all four AI tools. Moreover, the VCE significantly amplifies these individual relationships and further strengthens their combined contribution to decision quality, enabling the model to explain 71.2% of the variance in purchasing decisions. The results indicate that competitive advantage in AI-enabled service markets depends not on deploying isolated technologies, but on orchestrating a coherent, high-quality virtual experience ecosystem. By integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, this study advances the theoretical understanding of how AI and experience design jointly enhance digital decision-making. Practically, it underscores the need for managers to prioritize integrated VCE design to drive sustainable consumption and strengthen customer loyalty in increasingly digital service environments.

This study examines the mediating role of electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM) in the relationships between digital marketing strategies and electronic loyalty (e-loyalty). Using partial least squares structural equation modeling with data from 274 Saudi Arabian consumers collected via cross-sectional survey, we tested direct and indirect effects of digital marketing, electronic digital services, and social media marketing on e-loyalty through e-CRM mediation. Results reveal that all three digital marketing strategies significantly predict both e-CRM and e-loyalty. E-CRM, in turn, significantly predicts e-loyalty (β = 0.168, p = 0.005). Mediation analysis demonstrates that e-CRM partially mediates the relationships between digital marketing strategies and e-loyalty, with significant indirect effects for digital marketing (β = 0.060, p = 0.023) and electronic digital services (β = 0.056, p = 0.011). The model demonstrates substantial explanatory power (R² = 0.782 for e-CRM; R² = 0.838 for e-loyalty) and strong predictive relevance (Q² = 0.777 and 0.827, respectively). Findings suggest that digital marketing strategies are associated with enhanced e-loyalty both directly and indirectly through improved customer relationship management capabilities. Organizations may benefit from considering integrated digital marketing approaches while leveraging e-CRM systems to enhance customer loyalty outcomes. The study contributes theoretical insights into digital marketing effectiveness and provides practical considerations for sustainable digital customer engagement strategies in emerging markets.

This study investigates the complex role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and User-Generated Content (UGC) in enhancing Online Brand Equity (OBE) within the food industry, focusing on the emerging sport tourism markets of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It specifically explores how AI-driven digital environments and word-of-mouth reshape brand loyalty among fans and tourists during major global sporting events. Employing a quantitative research design, the study utilizes a primary dataset collected via questionnaires from 606 consumers across both countries. The participants were specifically screened to include consumers who actively follow or participate in sport tourism activities, ensuring the data reflects the intersection of sports travel and food brand consumption. The theoretical model posits Brand Familiarity as a moderating variable and Consumer Engagement as a mediating variable, with data analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results and Discussions: The findings validate that UGC is pivotal in strengthening OBE, with a marginally stronger effect in Egypt compared to Saudi Arabia. Notably, Consumer Engagement mediated the relationship between brand promotion and OBE differently in each country: Saudi consumers favored low-engagement, brand-initiated promotions, while engagement fully mediated the effect in Egypt. In both contexts, Brand Familiarity acted as a psychological anchor, reinforcing trust when fans seek familiar food brands like 'Blabn' or 'Baheeg' during sporting events. This research contributes actionable insights for food industry marketers by providing a robust, comparative model for leveraging UGC in emerging tourism markets. It highlights the necessity of tailoring engagement strategies based on specific cultural preferences and the regional sport tourism calendar. The study proves that while digital tools are global, the psychological path to loyalty varies significantly across borders. Marketers are encouraged to launch UGC-driven campaigns during major events to convert spectator enthusiasm into sustainable brand advocacy.

In saturated service markets, brands use emotionally resonant strategies, such as nostalgic advertising, to strengthen consumer relationships and encourage advocacy. This study builds on the Brand Admiration Model (BAM). It examines how nostalgic advertising affects brand admiration and advocacy. The study also considers emotional customer engagement as a mediator and brand prominence as a moderator. The research uses a quantitative design and collects data from a convenience sample of 374 fast-food restaurant customers in Egypt. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed relations. The findings show that nostalgic advertising predicts brand admiration, emotional engagement, and advocacy. Emotional engagement partly mediates the effects of nostalgic advertising on brand admiration and advocacy, showing nostalgia-driven emotions are key to favorable brand outcomes. Brand admiration strongly drives advocacy, underscoring its role in motivating consumers to promote brands. The analysis finds that brand prominence only strengthens the link between brand admiration and advocacy, so admired brands gain more from advocacy if they are top of mind with consumers. This study advances the BAM by introducing nostalgia as a strategic cue in hospitality and foodservice. Findings show that nostalgic campaigns foster engagement and admiration, particularly for prominent brands seeking greater word of mouth and advocacy. By empirically testing nostalgic advertising in the Brand Admiration Model in an emerging hospitality market, the study reveals how emotion-based strategies enhance brand admiration in quick-service restaurants. These findings guide hospitality and fast-food managers to apply nostalgic marketing to build brand advantages.