Issue #2 (Volume 22 2026)

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This study investigates the influence of Korean popular (K-pop) music values on behavioral intentions toward tourism, positing emotional involvement and referential reflection as mediating variables. Utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), data were analyzed from a sample of 153 Indonesian K-pop fans aged 18 to 50. Data were collected between January and April 2025 via questionnaire, adhering to strict ethical protocols regarding informed consent and confidentiality. The results indicate that four dimensions of K-pop music values —character-visual, imitation-attachment, message-vocal, and idol-aesthetic — exert significant positive effects on tourism behavioral intention through the mechanisms of emotional involvement and referential reflection. Path analysis reveals a sequential process: first, the four K-pop value measures significantly enhance both emotional involvement and referential reflection; second, these mediators positively influence behavioral intention; and third, this intention manifests in four specific tourism-related attitudes, namely familiarity with Korean culture, shopping and travel intentions, interest in Korean cuisine, and motivation to learn the Korean language. Collectively, these findings validate the mediating roles of emotional involvement and referential reflection in translating music values into tourism behavioral intentions.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Direct-to-consumer brands bypass the traditional distribution channel and directly market their products to their target consumers through the internet. In recent years, direct-to-consumer brands have become the preferred choice for Gen Y and Gen Z consumers during online shopping. This study aims to investigate the impact of online ratings and reviews, recommendations, and brand awareness on customer attitudes and brand trust towards direct-to-consumer brands, as well as the roles of brand trust and brand attitude in influencing the purchase intentions of Gen Z and Gen Y in India. This study employed a cross-sectional and quantitative research design, and primary data were collected from Indian Gen Z and Gen Y consumers who frequently purchase food from DTC brands online, providing relevant insights into the buying behavior of DTC brands. Self-administered questionnaire was designed and circulated online via email and LinkedIn platform. Data were collected from 8 December 2024 to 8 January 2025 in Bhubaneswar, a smart city in India. Furthermore, out of the 300 distributed questionnaires, 214 correctly filled questionnaires are considered for further data analysis. This study adopted Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling for data analysis. The study’s findings suggest that review and ratings (β = 0.124, p < 0.05), recommendations (β = 0.276, p < 0.001), and brand awareness (β = 0.475, p < 0.001) all contribute to building brand trust. Further recommendations (β = 0.298, p < 0.001), brand awareness (β = 0.475, p < 0.001), and review and ratings (β = 0.115, p < 0.05) all have a positive influence on brand attitude. Furthermore, attitude (β = 0.710, p < 0.001) and brand trust (β = 0.178, p < 0.05) significantly influenced purchase intention. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on DTC brand buying behavior of Gen Z and Gen Y. This study also offers valuable insights for direct-to-consumer brand managers seeking to enhance the engagement and conversion rates of Gen Z and Gen Y consumers.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Understanding how digital marketing campaigns translate into online purchase decisions remains a critical issue in rapidly growing e-commerce markets. This study explores how digital marketing campaigns translate into online purchase decision by testing a moderated mediation model in which purchase intention serves as a mediator and brand recall functions as a moderator in e-commerce. A two-wave survey design was employed, with data collected at two different time points separated by a time interval, in order to mitigate common method bias and strengthen causal inference. A two-wave survey was conducted among 297 online consumers aged 18 years and above who had prior experience with major e-commerce platforms in Vietnam. Data were collected via structured online questionnaires using a convenience sampling approach and analyzed with R statistical packages to test the proposed relationships. The empirical results indicate that digital marketing campaigns have a significant positive effect on purchase decisions, with purchase intention serving as a key mediating mechanism (β = 0.120, 95% CI [0.058, 0.195], p = 0.001). Besides, the total effect of digital marketing campaigns on purchase decisions was found to be significant (β = 0.485, 95% CI [0.384, 0.596], p < 0.001). The moderated mediation analysis further shows that the indirect effect remains positive across levels of brand recall but is strongest and statistically significant at low levels of brand recall, while gradually weakening and becoming statistically insignificant at higher levels, declining from 0.090 at −2 SD to 0.020 at +2 SD. These findings suggest that when brand recall is low, consumers are more likely to rely on central-route processing, whereby purchase intention plays a pivotal role in translating digital marketing exposure into purchase decisions. As brand recall increases, the influence of this intention-based pathway diminishes. By identifying low brand recall as a boundary condition of central-route persuasion within the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), this study clarifies how digital marketing effectiveness varies across consumer cognitive states and provides differentiated strategic implications for emerging versus well-established brands in e-commerce contexts.