Antecedents and outcomes of online brand engagement

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of online consumer brand engagement (OCBE). In addition, a mediator effect of satisfaction and brand love in the relationship between OCBE and positive electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) is analyzed. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a panel sampling with 201 participants from the millennial generation provided by the software tool Qualtrics. The online questionnaire is composed of two screening questions, the items of the constructs and a section with the socio-demographic variables. Findings Involvement and online brand experience (OBE) are important drivers of online brand engagement. Brand love is a significant mediator between online brand engagement and e-WOM. Originality/value Studies about antecedents and outcomes of online consumer engagement are rare. This paper contributes to the fledgling online consumer engagement literature by analyzing three antecedents: involvement, OBE, and self-brand image congruency. For the first time, brand love and satisfaction were considered as direct outcomes of online brand engagement. New insights are provided into the mediating role of brand love between online brand engagement and e-WOM.