Purpose This study aims to explore how young Generation Z consumers evaluate skincare products in the context of influencer marketing, examining how consumption value and credibility are constructed and negotiated in digitally mediated environments. Design/methodology/approach Five focus group discussions were conducted with young Generation Z consumers (aged 18–22) in Thailand. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, allowing iterative movement between empirical insights and the theory of consumption value and influencer credibility literature. Findings Young Thai Generation Z consumers evaluated skincare through a layered evaluative process encompassing functional legitimacy, personal meaning and relational respect. Although influencer content served both informational and aspirational roles, its influence was critically negotiated, with purchase evaluations remaining grounded in product performance and trusted interpersonal sources. Practical implications Skincare brands targeting young Generation Z consumers in Southeast Asian markets should prioritize product effectiveness, transparent communication and clear ingredient disclosure. Influencer partnerships should complement, rather than replace, authentic user reviews and trusted interpersonal recommendations, thereby supporting consumers’ information verification and evaluation processes. Originality/value This study extends the theory of consumption value by demonstrating how consumption values are interpreted and prioritized through a layered evaluative process rather than as isolated value dimensions. It further identifies two paradoxes in influencer-mediated skincare consumption, namely, the skepticism–engagement paradox and the curation–desire paradox, offering new insights into how young Generation Z consumers negotiate digitally mediated beauty content.
Purpose This study aims to examine whether polite phrasing functions as a micro-linguistic social cue in conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and whether its effects differ across generational cohorts. Drawing on anthropomorphism and media-equation theory, it investigates how polite versus direct AI responses influence perceived warmth, human-likeness and helpfulness among Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X.Design/methodology/approach A 3 x 2 mixed experimental design was conducted with 300 participants from Hong Kong and the USA. Participants evaluated standardized AI-generated responses. Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance and regression models.Findings Generational cohort explained the largest share of variance in AI evaluations, with Gen Z reporting higher warmth, human-likeness and helpfulness overall. Significant Generation x Response Style interactions emerged for warmth and human-likeness, indicating that polite phrasing enhanced relational perceptions primarily among Gen Z, with weaker effects among older cohorts. No interaction effects were observed for helpfulness.Originality/value The study isolates polite phrasing as a distinct micro-linguistic cue and demonstrates that its effects are generation-contingent and domain-specific rather than universal.
Purpose This study aims to examine how Chinese youth use “animal fugue” emojis (i.e. personified animal images such as capybara, Malo [monkey] and mouse) as a distinctive mode of mimicry in social interaction. By analysing the psychological motivations, identity work and cultural logics underlying this practice, the authors reveal the human–animal–human interaction mechanism through which emotions are regulated, roles are performed and social relations are encrypted. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mixed-method design was adopted, involving three data collection methods: questionnaire survey, in-depth interview and participatory observation. In total, 210 questionnaires were distributed to youth aged 14–35 with prior use of animal emojis, of which 160 valid responses were retrieved. Fourteen interviews were then conducted with randomly recruited survey participants, who provided narrative accounts of the emojis’ meanings and usage contexts. Finally, observation of one-to-one and group chats complemented these data. In terms of analysis, descriptive statistics mapped usage patterns, while interview and observational materials were analysed thematically, informed by visual rhetoric, role theory and dramaturgical/self-presentation perspectives. Findings The results show that animal fugue emojis have shifted from decorative add-ons to strategic tools for affective expression, identity signalling and low-cost social coordination. Respondents exhibited strong associative cognition around specific animals; for example, capybara users associated the emoji with “emotional stability/lying flat” while mouse users interpreted it as “office worker” or “nobody/ordinary”. Usage motivations extend beyond easing awkwardness and adding fun to include integrating into circles, displaying preferences and shaping one’s persona. Usage was found to be situational and concurrent. Across cases, animal symbols function as a defensive self-protection mechanism and a gentle resistance to overperformed online personas, translating structural pressures into shareable, humorous symbols that foster intersubjective resonance and circle identity. Originality/value The study conceptualises animal fugue emojis as a form of mimicry sociality and proposes the notion of a human–animal–human interaction domain that integrates affect regulation, role performance and social encryption. Theoretically, it bridges communication studies with social psychological and cultural perspectives, moving the literature beyond “cute-pet” emoji research to show how youth repurpose meme culture for identity work, emotional coping and subtle cultural resistance in everyday digital life.
Purpose Young consumers increasingly encounter branded memes within participatory digital environments that prioritize authenticity yet remain saturated with commercial messaging. This study aims to examine how brands make persuasion culturally acceptable in meme marketing by focusing on the production practices of Chief Meme Officers (CMeOs), who translate organizational objectives into meme-based communication.Design/methodology/approach Ten in-depth interviews with CMeOs were conducted using a qualitative, interpretive approach. Thematic analysis was used to examine how practitioners anticipate audience expectations, respond to visibility pressures and enact persuasion in social media contexts.Findings Findings show that CMeOs construct authenticity through the calibration of aesthetic, relational and persuasive elements, balancing cultural fluency with commercial intent so branded messaging remains compatible with participatory standards. Interviewees describe engagement as occurring when content exposure is converted into socially validated participation and emphasize that this process is fragile and contingent on normative alignment. Persuasion knowledge is regarded as an antecedent constraint on message design. Findings also highlight an ethical tension between concealment and transparency of commercial intent, reflecting differing approaches to managing persuasive visibility.Originality/value This study shifts meme marketing research from audience effects to production logics by advancing the concept of strategic authenticity as a coordinated set of practices devised to optimize brand objectives within youth-oriented digital environments.
Purpose This study aims to compare the normative influence of parents at home and peers at school on healthy eating among children aged 6-15 years, focusing on fish consumption. It distinguishes between descriptive and injunctive norms and examines whether age moderates these influences.Design/methodology/approach A sample of Icelandic children (n = 743) aged 6-15 years completed a self-administered questionnaire, enhanced with a speech synthesizer and pictorial response options to support independent participation. The survey measured fish consumption frequency at home and in school, perceived parental and peer descriptive and injunctive norms and demographic variables including age.Findings The influence of descriptive and injunctive norms on fish consumption varied based on settings. At home, parental injunctive norms had a stronger effect than descriptive norms, suggesting that children are more motivated by perceived parental expectations than by modeled behavior. In school, the reverse was true, where peer descriptive norms were influential but peers' injunctive norms were not, indicating that school consumption is shaped by peers' behavior but not by perceived social approval. Including age as a moderator revealed a different picture: age did not moderate parental influence at home, but it significantly moderated peer influence at school, where younger children responded more to descriptive norms, while adolescents were more influenced by injunctive norms.Originality/value The study provides new insights into how normative influences vary by context and children's developmental stage. These insights have implications for designing age-sensitive and context-specific messages to promote healthy eating among children and adolescents.
Purpose Guided by the job characteristics model, this study aims to examine the effect of the expected specific job characteristic - theorised as work flexicurity - on organisational outcomes, operationalised as employees' perceptions of the company as an employer of choice, from the perspective of the Zalpha microgeneration.Design/methodology/approach Empirical research was conducted in Poland on 446 young adults aged 19-22 years using computer-assisted web interviews. Quota sampling was applied, with gender, age and region of residence serving as the stratification criteria. Work flexicurity was conceptualised as a construct of work flexibility, material security and psychological safety. Reliability and validity were assessed, followed by analysis of the measurement and structural models.Findings The results suggest that Zalphas expect work flexicurity and an adequate work-life balance and that employer-driven promotion of work-life balance mediates the relationship between expected job characteristics and organisational outcomes.Originality/value This study advances both academic discourse and organisational practice. It extends the job characteristics model by adding insights from work flexicurity and employer attractiveness concepts. The conceptual model examines relationships that, to date, have not been empirically investigated within a single model. The study contributes to the scholarly debate on generational cohorts and on the youngest entrants to the labour market. The findings offer implications for human resource management, particularly in the domain of employer branding. They provide guidance on developing an employment value proposition for Zalphas to enhance their perceptions of employer attractiveness.
Purpose Influencer marketing has become a pervasive strategy targeting adolescent consumers. While previous research has demonstrated its effectiveness in fostering product desire, such heightened desire may also cause intrapersonal conflict and interpersonal conflict. This study aims to investigate these unintended consequences.Design/methodology/approach Two cross-sectional surveys of adolescents aged 14-18 examined links between exposure to marketing by favorite influencers and product-related cognitions. Study 1 (n = 599) focused on cravings, post-purchase dissonance and social conflict drawn from the impulsive-buying literature. Study 2 (n = 594) investigated associations with affect-driven impulsive purchasing and adolescent compulsive buying.Findings Perceived exposure to influencer marketing was positively associated with impulsive-buying tendencies and related conflict. Study 1 found that higher exposure predicted stronger cravings and in turn greater post-purchase dissonance and increased social conflict. Study 2 showed that exposure was also linked to affect-driven impulsive and compulsive buying. These effects were stronger among adolescents who viewed influencers as friends or idols, underscoring the moderating role of parasocial relationships and wishful identification.Research limitations/implications The findings contribute to ongoing debates on adolescent consumer protection and offer guidance for designing evidence-based educational programs that empower adolescents to critically reflect on influencer marketing and its impact on their purchase intentions and behavior.Originality/value This research advances understanding of the psychological and behavioral correlates of influencer marketing among adolescents and underscores the potential of influencer-follower dynamics to function as a stressor in consumer decision-making.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the formation of herding behavior among young consumers in live streaming commerce contexts. It explores how key platform features trigger conformity-based purchasing decisions among digital native generations.Design/methodology/approach Study 1 used Python data scraping to collect high-frequency, real-time interaction data from TikTok live streaming rooms. Study 2 supplemented Study 1 with a survey questionnaire administered to 114 young consumers to measure perceptual factors. Data were analyzed using correlation and regression methods.Findings Herding behavior is prevalent among young consumers. Price promotions significantly stimulate impulsive purchases through scarcity cues. Trust in streamers, built on professionalism and authenticity, enhances identification and persuasiveness. Group participation and interactions create a contagious atmosphere of social proof, which primarily drives conformity purchasing. Real-time behavioral data showing that interactive peaks precede purchase peaks by 1-3 min, which is consistent with an emotional contagion behavioral following pathway.Practical implications The results suggest the need for streamers and brands to foster authentic communities and leverage real-time social interaction features to engage young audiences. Platforms can optimize interface design to enhance group participation while safeguarding against impulsive consumption among vulnerable young consumers.Originality/value This study offers methodological and contextual originality by integrating objective live streaming metrics with self-reported survey data to empirically decode herding behavior. Focusing specifically on live streaming ecosystems catering to young consumers, this research provides a novel understanding of how digital affordances transform social influence into conformity consumption. Its primary contribution lies in contextualizing the mechanisms of social influence within a unique digital marketplace, thereby enriching the literature on young consumers' behavior.
Purpose Fashion brands are increasingly showcasing curvy models, characterized by large breasts, wide hips, big buttocks and small waists, yet the psychological and behavioral impact of these representations on adolescent girls remains under-studied. This exploratory study aims to investigate how exposure to thin vs curvy models in fashion advertising relates to adolescent girls’ body image attitudes and purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach Thirty-four adolescent girls participated in six focus groups using photo-elicitation. Participants viewed Instagram fashion advertisements with thin or curvy models. Thematic analysis identified patterns in cognition, affect and behavior related to body image and purchasing. Findings Reports of body image attitudes and clothing purchase intentions varied little between groups exposed to thin vs curvy models. In each case, two contrasting clusters of attitudes and intentions were evident. Negative body image attitudes were indicated by upward appearance comparisons, feelings of inadequacy and limited purchase intentions, with the latter attributed to perceived discrepancies between the advertised clothing and participants’ body shapes. Conversely, positive attitudes were indicated by body acceptance and appreciation, assessment of the clothing independently of model size or shape and stronger purchase intentions. Practical implications Fashion marketers should take account of how adolescents’ responses to fashion model diversity vary with their body image orientations and social media literacy. Originality/value This study contributes new insights into how adolescent consumers interpret and respond to model body types in fashion marketing. It reveals that their body image plays a more salient role than model size in shaping consumer behavior.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of sustainability virtual influencers (SVIs)’ source credibility on young female consumers’ pro-environmental motivations predicting to engagement with the SVI’s. Design/methodology/approach Combining source credibility and goal-framing theory, the study conducted an online scenario-based survey, collecting 366 responses via the Prolific platform after exposing participants to a stimulus of fictional SVI. The study conducted structural equation modeling analysis and mediation analysis using SPSS and Amos. Findings The study found that young female consumers are driven by different pro-environmental motivations when engaging with SVIs, which is particularly mediated by hedonic and normative goal motivations. Research limitations/implications The study found that young female consumers are driven by different pro-environmental motivations when responded to engagement with the SVI’s content, which is particularly mediated by hedonic and normative goal motivations. Practical implications The study examined the SVI’s qualities and underlying pro-environmental motivations of young female consumers, offering practical implications for the strategic use of SVIs in social media green marketing and sustainability awareness initiatives. Originality/value The present study bridges a gap by combining source credibility and goal-framing theory to examine motivational mechanisms underlying young female consumers’ engagement with the SVI.
PurposeWhen starting university, most students manage their own money independently for the first time and encounter financial challenges that can negatively affect academic performance, mental health and well-being. Behaviour change interventions that support students to manage their money are needed. The few studies done on students' financial difficulties have mainly focused on financial literacy, budgeting and saving, but not spending. This study aims to understand how students navigate everyday expenditure by focusing on students' spending experiences and the attitudes, beliefs, values and contexts that may potentially influence spending decisions.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 UK first-year undergraduate students. Data were analysed using thematic analyses.FindingsFour themes were constructed. Results suggested that, while students form discrete "spending identities" that generate personal spending norms, social environments often prompted deviation from personal norms. Convenience and accessibility fostered spending. Results also highlighted the importance of students' mental representations of money and revealed a tension between maintaining financial autonomy while also often being dependent on financial support from family.Practical implicationsStudents' day-to-day spending is shaped by more than financial knowledge and budgeting. The findings of this study suggest that focusing on modifying perceptions of social norms, and encouraging planning strategies to help students navigate settings that encourage spending, may be optimal for promoting effective student money-management.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to explore how undergraduate students think, feel and act around spending.
Purpose This paper aims to examine children’s and adolescents’ “Get Ready With Me” beauty videos on TikTok as a visibility-driven form of consumer socialization. Guided by four research questions, the authors analyze how promotional formats shape engagement, how performer profiles align with these formats, how adult participation structures brand display and which themes organize their narratives. They show how creators strategically perform authenticity within algorithmic visibility regimes, where metrics recalibrate the boundaries between play, labor and commerce in youth culture. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a mixed-methods design integrating quantitative engagement analysis and qualitative interpretive inquiry. A corpus of 198 TikTok videos featuring children and adolescent creators was examined. Non-parametric statistical tests (Kolmogorov−Smirnov, Mann−Whitney U and Friedman) were used to identify engagement disparities between branded and organic content, while grounded theory techniques guided the thematic construction of emergent narrative and socio-cultural patterns. Findings The results indicate that authentic or non-sponsored content elicits higher engagement than overtly commercial posts, demonstrating the performative premium for authenticity within algorithmic economies. Four principal dynamics were identified: the aesthetic codification of selfhood through beauty routines; the normalization of aspirational labor among minors; the transformation of parental mediation into a participatory promotional practice; and the rearticulation of childhood as a commercially productive social identity. Originality/value This study identifies two mechanisms linking platform capitalism to youth beauty culture: a disclosure penalty, whereby overtly paid collaborations generate lower engagement than seemingly organic routines, and parental promotional mediation, where adult presence correlates with increased product display. These dynamics show how algorithmic visibility rewards commercially legible authenticity, positioning youth-branded participation within regulatory grey zones. The findings support child-centered platform governance and advertising frameworks that address not only explicit sponsorships but also routine-based, family-mediated, quasi-organic promotional practices.
PurposePackaging is generally regarded as the most effective form of advertising at the most critical stage of the purchasing process: the point of purchase. A product has only a few moments to make an impression and capture the consumer's attention in this competitive world. This study, theoretically grounded in stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory, aims to investigate the influence of packaging benefits (hedonic and utilitarian) of a new and emerging brand, i.e. Kinza soft drinks, on customer engagement (CE), brand experience (BE) and purchase intention of young Saudi consumers.Design/methodology/approachThe survey was conducted with young consumers in Saudi Arabia, and the 221 acceptable responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings of the research suggest that the hedonic benefits of Kinza soft drink packaging have a significant influence on CE and BE, whereas utilitarian benefits have a significant influence only on CE. CE shows a significant positive influence on both BE and purchase intention toward Kinza soft drinks. BE has a significant positive influence on the young Saudi consumers' purchase intention. The mediation result reveals that CE significantly mediates the relationship between hedonic and utilitarian packaging benefits and purchase intention, whereas the mediation effect of BE was not confirmed.Originality/valueThis study is unique as it examines how hedonic and utilitarian packaging benefits of a new soft drink brand influence purchase intention through the unexplored mediating roles of CE and BE among young Saudi consumers, who are an influential yet overlooked demographic in a market dominated by established global brands.
Purpose This study aims to use a mixed-method approach to investigate how impulse travel affects financial wellbeing, grounded in Self-Regulation Theory. It proposes and validates a conceptual framework highlighting mediating roles of financial attitude and behaviour. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method approach was used. In the (Study A) qualitative phase, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals aged 18–35 who had engaged in impulse travel within the past six months. Thematic analysis identified key insights from these interviews. In the (Study B) quantitative phase, a survey was distributed to 451 young working individuals who had travelled impulsively. Data were analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) via AMOS software (version 24) to test the proposed model. Findings Qualitative study shows, impulse traveling disrupts financial planning, delaying commitments and causing stress. However, self-assessment and emotional regulation help balance spontaneity with stability. In quantitative study, SEM confirms that although impulse travel negatively effects financial wellbeing, this effect mitigated through positive indirect influences via financial attitudes and behaviours, in both parallel and serial mediation models. Practical implications The study emphasises the need for flexible booking options, transparent travel costs and budgeting tools. It also highlights the role of education, parenting and financial literacy programs in fostering emotional and financial resilience to support sustainable travel without compromising long-term financial stability. Originality/value By integrating mixed methods within Self-Regulation Theory framework, this study uniquely identifies pathways to balance impulsive travel with financial responsibility, offering practical insights for travellers and the tourism industry.
Purpose This study aims to propose an extended Mobile Technology Acceptance Model (MTAM) to examine the key factors influencing Generation Z users’ attitudes and continuance intention towards mobile payment services in Malaysia, a rapidly developing emerging market. The model incorporates both technological and non-technological constructs to better reflect post-adoption behavioural dynamics. Design/methodology/approach The consistent partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was used, based on 357 valid responses from Malaysian Gen Z participants, to analyse the proposed theoretical framework. Findings The findings reveal that attitude significantly mediates the relationship between mobile payment features and continuance intention. In addition, gamification is shown to positively moderate the attitude–continuance intention link, highlighting its role as a cognitive-affective enhancer in digital financial behaviour. Originality/value This study extended MTAM by incorporating non-technological elements especially from the perspective of monetary reward and grievance redressal. The study also introduces the possible moderating effect of gamification in studying a users’ attitude and continued use perspective in the context of mobile payment service among Gen Z users. By contextualizing mobile payment continuance within Malaysia’s digital financial ecosystem, this study provides localized empirical insights with broader implications for fintech strategies in Southeast Asia and other developing economies.
PurposeAs nutrition apps increasingly shape young consumers’ daily health management, sustaining customer satisfaction remains a challenge. This study aims to examine how perceived competence predominance relative to warmth influences satisfaction with nutrition apps and whether this effect is strengthened by self-focus framing. Design/methodology/approachThree popular nutrition apps, MyFitnessPal, Lose It! and Fitbit, were identified through a preliminary survey of 305 young consumers aged 18–26. A total of 146,661 user reviews of these apps were collected over a 30-month period. Using a data-mining approach, a balanced subsample of 18,000 reviews was analysed. Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software was used to extract language-based constructs, followed by regression analyses to test the hypotheses. FindingsCustomer satisfaction is higher when nutrition apps are perceived as competence- predominant rather than warmth-predominant. This positive relationship is stronger among consumers who adopt a self-focus framing of their app experiences. Research limitations/implicationsThis research contributes to the literature on the stereotype content model and customer satisfaction in the context of consumer–technology-enabled health service interactions. Practical implicationsThe findings provide practical guidance for designing and marketing nutrition apps targeting young consumers, indicating that emphasising competence-related cues and self-focused framing in apps can enhance customer satisfaction. Originality/valueBy integrating the stereotype content model with construal level theory, this research clarifies the role of social cognition and psychological framing in shaping satisfaction with nutrition apps.
PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the efficacy of a United Nations (UN) sustainable communication campaign within a Spanish university community, framed through the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model. Theoretically, the study seeks to explore how a standardised external Stimulus (the campaign) influences the Organism’s internal states—specifically attitudes towards the message source (UN) versus the message object (Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs])—and the resulting behavioural (intention to adopt SDGs). Furthermore, it examines the “homogenisation effect” across diverse cognitive profiles: young students, faculty and research staff (ARS) and technical, management, administrative and services staff (TAS). Design/methodology/approachTo this end, a quasi-experimental pretest−posttest design was conducted with 705 participants across three university groups. Their attitudes and intentions were measured before and after visualising an official UN communication campaign. FindingsFirst, results revealed a divergence in persuasion outcomes: the campaign significantly enhanced attitudes towards the institutional source (the UN) but encountered a theoretical ceiling effect regarding the thematic object (the SDGs). However, the increase in behavioural intention indicated that the campaign functioned as an activation stimulus rather than an educational one. The “null” attitudinal effect obtained for the SDGs contravenes the Theory of Planned Behaviour, but is not a failure of the Persuasive Communication Theory, but a shift in its output: the message circumvented further “evaluative change” to directly “improve behaviours.” Second, initial intergroup differences (students vs. staff) were neutralised postexposure, supporting that the “standardisation” of the campaign led to a homogenisation effect. This suggested that source-driven persuasion (UN) is more resistant to segment differences than object-driven persuasion (SDGs). Practical implicationsThis research is pioneering in demonstrating the key role of universities in disseminating sustainable practices, highlighting why standardised social communication campaigns could be used to reach different audience profiles (young students, faculty and administration). Originality/valueThis research offers a pioneering theoretical application of the SOR model to institutional sustainability. Results have highlighted why standardised social communication campaigns could be used to reach different audience profiles (young students, faculty and administration). Second, the “Standardisation Hypothesis” in social marketing has been validated, suggesting that universal institutional messaging can effectively synchronise the responses of diverse stakeholders (students, faculty and staff) regardless of their initial attitudinal variance. Third, an attitudinal asymmetry has been probed, as far as persuasion is not a linear process where the object and source move in tandem; rather, the source is more “elastic” and susceptible to change than a saturated thematic object.
PurposeThis study aims to examine the phenomenon of cancel culture surrounding influencer marketing. It identifies the risks associated with cancellation and explores how influencers and their managers can respond to public backlash to minimize negative implications to their personal brands. This research is theoretically underpinned by concepts of herd mentality and influencer identity.Design/methodology/approachDetailed data have been gathered through 14 in-depth interviews with influencers, which is rarely examined in influencer research and is vital to understand from that perspective.FindingsFindings outline the fragility of influencer identities and the importance of pre-emptive crisis management. This study suggests recommendations for influencers, managers, brands and platforms to minimise the challenges when navigating cancellation episodes and rebuild trust.Practical implicationsThis study provides a six-stage, empirically grounded action plan tailored to influencer-specific contexts to minimise the challenges when navigating cancellation episodes and rebuild trust.Originality/valueThis study established the theoretical foundation of the cancel culture phenomenon by examining its origins and evolution, the social and psychological mechanisms underpinning it and the vulnerabilities of influencers as public-facing digital personas.
