Illuminating the Influence: How Facebook Advertising Content Shapes Customer-Based Brand Equity in Western Province Sri Lanka's Lighting Industry through Customer Engagement

Abstract

This study, focusing on the Western Province, explores the impact of Facebook advertising content on Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) within Sri Lanka's lighting industry. Specifically, it examines how perceived information quality, advertisement enjoyment, and perceived interactivity influence customer engagement, which, in turn, mediates brand awareness, customer loyalty, perceived quality, and brand association—key dimensions of the CBBE model. Grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework, the study addresses existing research gaps in digital marketing and branding by assessing the effectiveness of Facebook advertisements in shaping brand equity within a localized Sri Lankan context. A quantitative research approach was employed, with data collected through an online self-administered questionnaire distributed to active Facebook users in the Western Province who had previously engaged with lighting industry advertisements. The questionnaire utilized a five-point Likert scale to measure perceived information quality, advertisement enjoyment, perceived interactivity, customer engagement, and brand equity. Pearson correlation analysis and simple regression tests were conducted to examine the relationships between the constructs, while mediation regression analysis was used to assess the mediating role of customer engagement. The findings confirm a significant positive relationship between Facebook advertisement content and CBBE. The study highlights that perceived information quality, advertisement enjoyment, and perceived interactivity significantly enhance customer engagement, which subsequently strengthens brand equity. Furthermore, the mediating role of customer engagement suggests that well-designed advertisements not only foster brand awareness but also contribute to increased brand loyalty and improved quality perception among consumers. These insights underscore the strategic importance of engaging and interactive Facebook content in enhancing digital branding efforts. However, the study is limited in scope to the Western Province of Sri Lanka and focuses solely on Facebook, excluding other social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Additionally, platform-specific algorithm variations and technological constraints may affect the generalizability of the findings. From a theoretical perspective, this research extends prior literature on digital marketing by integrating customer engagement as a critical mediator in the relationship between Facebook advertising and brand equity. Practically, the study provides valuable insights for marketers, emphasizing the need to develop compelling and interactive Facebook advertisements to enhance brand visibility and engagement. The findings contribute to the development of predictive models for leveraging social media to cultivate long-term brand equity in both local and global markets. Future research may explore the effectiveness of advertisements across different social media platforms and industries, as well as investigate cross-cultural implications of digital branding strategies.