The effect of consumer-perceived COVID-19 ad value on health-protective behavior: Mediating role of engagement.

Rafeh MA, Abbasi AZ, Hollebeek LD, Ali MA, Ting DH

Health Mark Q - (-) 1-32 [2024-06-04; online 2024-06-04]

Though the pandemic has passed, social media-based messaging continues to exhibit COVID-19-related cues (e.g., wearing a face mask to stay safe), continuing to foster consumers' health-protective behavior. However, it remains unclear how social media communications (e.g., advertising) affect such behavior, exposing an important literature-based gap. Addressing this gap, we deploy Ducoffe's advertising value model to examine how pandemic-related advertisements (e.g., those urging consumers to stay safe, including post-the pandemic) impact their health-protective behavior. We also examine how consumer engagement (CE) mediates these associations. To explore these issues, we collected data from a sample of 301 Gen Z consumers, which was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). We find that informative, credible, irritating, and obtrusive ads raise consumer engagement and health-protective behavior. Engagement was also found to strengthen these associations, revealing their strategic value. We conclude by outlining important theoretical and practical implications that arise from our analyses.

Category: Social Science & Humanities

Type: Journal article

PubMed 38832765

DOI 10.1080/07359683.2024.2355378

Crossref 10.1080/07359683.2024.2355378


Publications 9.5.1