9th Student Research Conference in Marketing (SRCM) - 2025

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/29644

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Brand Evangelism

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    Investigating the Impact of Influencer Marketing on Brand Evangelism of Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) Industry: The Mediating Role of Brand Trust with Special Reference to Generation ‘Z’ in Sri Lanka
    (Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Sachintha, H. P. K.; Dissanayake, D. M. R.
    This study critically investigates the impact of influencer marketing (IM) on brand evangelism (BEV) within Sri Lanka’s Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) industry, with a focus on Generation Z consumers. The research is motivated by the pressing need to address a critical challenge: the inability of IM campaigns to consistently convert high digital engagement into actionable consumer trust and advocacy. This issue is particularly significant in the BPC sector, where Generation Z, a digitally native demographic, prioritizes authenticity, transparency, and relatability in their interactions with brands. The study emphasizes the mediating role of brand trust (BT) as a pivotal factor that bridges IM dimensions—source credibility, source attractiveness, source familiarity, and attitude toward influencers—with BEV outcomes, such as purchase intentions, positive referrals, and oppositional referrals. Positioned within the evolving discourse on digital marketing and consumer behavior, this research contributes by constructing a localized, context-specific framework to evaluate how IM strategies influence BEV through the mediating effect of BT. By focusing on the unique preferences and behaviors of Generation Z in Sri Lanka, the study bridges a critical gap in the literature, which has insufficiently addressed the mechanisms driving advocacy in this market. The findings underscore the strategic importance of trust in leveraging IM as a tool for fostering long-term consumer loyalty and advocacy. Moreover, the study provides actionable insights for marketers and businesses to design effective, trust-centric IM campaigns tailored to the competitive and rapidly evolving BPC industry in Sri Lanka. The research employs a robust quantitative methodology anchored in the positivist paradigm, ensuring methodological rigor and replicability. Data were collected from 385 Generation Z respondents across Sri Lanka using a structured online survey. These respondents were selected based on their active engagement with BPC industry influencers on social media. The survey employed validated scales to operationalize IM sub-variables, BT, and BEV. Statistical analyses, including multiple regression, mediation testing, and correlational analysis, were conducted using SPSS 23 to test the hypothesized relationships within the conceptual framework. This methodological approach ensured the reliability and validity of findings while offering nuanced insights into the influence of IM on BEV through the mediating role of BT. The findings provide empirical evidence that IM significantly influences BEV, with BT serving as a critical mediator. Regression analyses reveal that IM explains over 79% of the variance in BEV behaviors, underscoring its strategic importance in fostering consumer advocacy. Among IM sub-variables, source credibility and source attractiveness are the most impactful in building BT, while source familiarity and positive attitudes toward influencers enhance BEV behaviors. Mediation testing confirms that BT partially mediates the relationship between IM and BEV, reinforcing the pivotal role of trust in converting digital engagements into actionable advocacy. These results align with global IM literature while emphasizing unique dynamics in Sri Lanka, such as the heightened importance of authenticity and relatability in influencing Generation Z consumers. Despite its contributions, the study is subject to several limitations. First, its focus on Generation Z within the BPC industry in Sri Lanka may limit the generalizability of findings to other demographic groups or industries. Second, reliance on cross-sectional data constrains the ability to capture temporal shifts in consumer behavior and the evolving dynamics of IM practices. Third, the use of self-reported data introduces potential biases, such as social desirability bias, that may affect the accuracy of responses. Future research should address these limitations by employing longitudinal designs, expanding the demographic and industrial scope, and integrating advanced qualitative methods to provide deeper insights into consumer perceptions and behaviors. Theoretically, this study advances the field by integrating IM, BT, and BEV into a cohesive framework tailored to an emerging market. It bridges significant gaps in the literature by offering localized insights into how IM strategies foster trust and advocacy in a socioculturally distinct context. The findings extend the application of key theories, such as the Source Credibility Theory, by demonstrating their relevance in shaping consumer behavior in Sri Lanka’s BPC sector. Practically, the study offers actionable recommendations for marketers and policymakers. Marketers are advised to prioritize influencer authenticity, demographic alignment, and culturally resonant messaging to build trust and drive advocacy. BT should be positioned as a strategic priority in IM campaigns, as trust fosters long-term consumer loyalty and advocacy beyond transactional engagements. Policymakers, in turn, are encouraged to develop guidelines that promote ethical practices and transparency in influencer collaborations, ensuring consumer protection and equitable market dynamics. The research also has implications for academia, providing a foundation for future studies exploring IM’s impact in other emerging markets. It highlights the importance of incorporating cultural and generational nuances into theoretical and practical applications, paving the way for comparative studies across diverse contexts. By addressing the interplay of IM, BT, and BEV in Sri Lanka’s BPC industry, the study contributes to the global discourse on digital consumer engagement and advocacy.
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    Investigate the Impact of Brand Identification on Brand Evangelism with the Mediating Effect of Online Brand Community Engagement with Special Reference to the Retail Fashion Industry in Sri Lanka
    (Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Wijesinghe, G. K. G. D.; Mirando, U. J.
    Digital marketing is crucial because it enables businesses to effectively reach and engage their target audience online, driving growth and measurable results in a cost-efficient manner. This study examines the mediating role of online brand community engagement in the relationship between brand identification and brand evangelism within the Sri Lankan retail fashion industry. Despite the increasing significance of online brand communities in enhancing consumer loyalty and emotional connections, significant performance deviation persists in their practical implementation within this industry. While previous studies have explored these dynamics separately, limited empirical focus exists on their interrelations, especially in localized contexts such as Sri Lanka. A review of existing literature reveals gaps in understanding the interplay between brand identification, online brand community engagement, and brand evangelism, particularly given the unique cultural and economic characteristics of Sri Lankan retail fashion industry. In light of these discrepancies, this study aims to fill them by analyzing how brand identification impacts on brand evangelism with the mediating effect of online brand community engagement. The research adopted a positive philosophy, utilizing a deductive approach to test predefined hypotheses. A structured quantitative methodology was employed, with data gathered via a cross-sectional survey of 390 participants, selected through convenience sampling. The questionnaire, developed using established measures and validated through pilot testing, focused on brand identification, online brand community engagement, and brand evangelism. Data was analyzed using SPSS software, employing multiple regression to examine relationships and mediation effects. This rigorous methodology ensures the validity and reliability of findings, contributing to a robust understanding of consumer behaviors within the studied context. Key findings indicate a significant positive relationship between brand identification and brand evangelism, mediated effectively by online brand community engagement. Consumers with strong brand identification demonstrate higher levels of brand evangelism when actively engaged in brand communities. The study underscores the role of emotional and cognitive dimensions in fostering brand loyalty and highlights how strategic community-building initiatives can amplify brand evangelism. These results emphasize the necessity of integrating digital platforms to leverage consumer-brand relationships effectively, ensuring a competitive edge in the Sri Lankan retail fashion industry. Managerially, the findings provide actionable insights for enhancing brand strategies in digital ecosystems. Companies are encouraged to focus on fostering engaging online brand communities to strengthen consumer-brand connections. Further, empirically, the study extends theoretical frameworks by integrating mediating variables in the relationship between brand identification and brand evangelism. However, limitations include the use of non-probability sampling and the restriction to the Sri Lankan context, potentially affecting generalizability. Moreover, research could explore longitudinal approaches, diverse cultural settings, and additional mediators to deepen the understanding of these dynamics.
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    Influence of Social Media Content Marketing on Brand Evangelism Towards Fashion Brands: Mediating Role of Brand Love Among Gen Z
    (Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Senarath, S. R. R. T.; Dissanayake, D. M. R.
    This study examined the influence of social media content marketing on brand evangelism in the Sri Lankan fashion industry, focusing on the mediating role of brand love among Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers. With their digital-native background, Gen Z represents a key demographic that interacts deeply with brands on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These platforms provide opportunities for brands to connect with their audience through interactive and visually appealing content. A quantitative research approach was employed, using structured online questionnaires to collect data from 305 Gen Z respondents in Sri Lanka. Statistical techniques such as regression, mediation, and correlation analyses were used to examine the relationships between social media marketing strategies, brand love, and brand evangelism. The findings demonstrate that social media content marketing significantly impacts both brand love and brand evangelism. Key drivers of these relationships include authentic storytelling, influencer collaborations, visually appealing content, and user-generated contributions. Brand love emerged as a critical mediator, amplifying consumer advocacy behaviors. The study underscores the importance of creating emotionally engaging and value-driven social media content that resonates with Gen Z consumers. Furthermore, it highlights how platforms like Instagram and TikTok can be strategically used to foster emotional connections, enhance brand loyalty, and drive advocacy behaviors such as word-of-mouth promotion. The research emphasizes that brands should adopt strategies that align with Gen Z's values, such as transparency, sustainability, and inclusivity. These elements are crucial for fostering trust and emotional attachment, which are necessary precursors to brand evangelism. By creating content that reflects shared values and engaging directly with consumers through interactive formats, fashion brands can build meaningful relationships with Gen Z. However, the study also identifies limitations. The research is geographically confined to Sri Lanka's fashion industry and focuses exclusively on Gen Z consumers. The reliance on self-reported data and the cross-sectional nature of the study limits its generalizability and ability to infer causality. Future research could explore additional mediators, cross-cultural comparisons, and longitudinal designs to provide a more comprehensive understanding. Conclusively, this study contributes knowledge for applications for fashion brands linked with the marketing applications of social media marketing, brand love, and consumer advocacy. It emphasizes the necessity for Sri Lankan brands to harness social media's full potential, bridging emotional connections with Gen Z to achieve long-term brand loyalty, advocacy, and sustained market relevance.