Disentangling the drivers of brand benefits: Evidence from social media marketing of two cosmetics companies

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of brand social media messaging content (news, dialog, or contests) on perceived benefits (informational, social or hedonic) and consequent consumer brand engagement and purchase intentions in the context of two cosmetics companies. The primary goal of this study is to understand if (i) different content types result in different perceptions of brand benefits and (ii) if these distinct types of perceived benefits differentially affect the engagement intention, loyalty, and purchase intention toward the brand. Our findings suggest that distinct content types indeed lead to diverse perceptions of benefits - informational, social, or hedonic - and further highlight that only social and hedonic benefits are significantly associated with self-reported brand loyalty as well as engagement and purchase intention. Implications for research and practice.