Issue #2 (Volume 21 2025)

Consumer awareness of environmental issues is increasing, which impacts marketing efforts to encourage consumer buying interest. This study aims to determine the role of the image of green brands in intervening with the influence of green marketing and corporate social responsibility in increasing the purchase intention of green brands of personal care products in Indonesia. This study surveyed 200 adolescent and adult women using Google Forms. The sampling technique employed was regional sampling. The data analysis employed a structural equation model utilizing SMART-partial least square.
The study’s findings suggest that green marketing (β = 0.665, p = 0.000) and corporate social responsibility (β = 0.205, p = 0.000) are essential for establishing an image of a green brand. Additional findings indicate that green marketing (β = 0.399, p = 0.000) substantially enhances customer purchase intention, whereas corporate social responsibility (β = 0.177, p = 0.071) does not.
This study further reinforces the image of green brands as an intervening variable in the relationship between green marketing and customer purchase intention (β = 0.189, p = 0.001), while it does not serve as a mediator for corporate social responsibility (β = 0.058, p = 0.052). This research elucidates the significance of marketing managers in the effective creation of green marketing programs to enhance the image of green brands and consumer purchasing intentions.

Digital marketing has become a central driver in tourism promotion, reshaping how destinations engage with potential visitors. This study investigates the impact of digital marketing strategies ‒ social media marketing, electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), and online advertising ‒ on brand awareness and tourists’ intention to visit destinations in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region. The study utilized a sample size of 400 participants, with a 70% response rate, resulting in 280 completed surveys. The sample represented a diverse demographic, with 57.1% male, 42.9% female, 89.3% Saudi nationals, and 96.4% domestic tourists. Data were collected from tourists visiting key attractions such as the Al-Soudah Mountains and Abha, either in person or via digital channels. The survey assessed the effectiveness of digital marketing tools and their influence on brand awareness, intention to visit, and tourist satisfaction.
The results analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression, revealed that all three digital marketing strategies significantly influenced both brand awareness and the intention to visit. Social media marketing showed the strongest impact (β = 0.31**, p < 0.01), followed by online advertising (β = 0.30**, p < 0.01) and e-WOM (β = 0.25**, p < 0.01). These findings highlight the effectiveness of digital marketing in shaping tourist behavior and decision-making, with significant implications for tourism marketing in emerging destinations like Asir.

Acknowledgment
The authors are thankful to the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at University of Bisha for supporting this work through the Fast-Track Research Support Program.

The rapid expansion of social media has transformed marketing strategies, with influencer marketing emerging as a powerful tool for consumer engagement. Particularly in the cosmetics business, TikTok has become well-known as a major platform where influencers influence buying habits. Given the increasing reliance on influencer recommendations, understanding the key characteristics that drive purchase intentions is crucial for businesses aiming to optimize their marketing strategies. This study investigates the impact of TikTok influencers’ characteristics, such as physical attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise, and interactivity, on Vietnamese consumers’ cosmetics purchase intentions. Grounded in social learning theory, the research explores how users observe and emulate influencers’ behaviors in their decision-making process. A mixed-method approach was adopted, beginning with qualitative interviews with 20 TikTok users to identify key influencer attributes affecting purchase decisions. This was followed by a quantitative survey of 312 Vietnamese TikTok users with prior experience purchasing cosmetics. The study employed statistical analyses, including correlation and regression tests, to determine the significance of influencer characteristics on purchase intention. The study revealed notable gender differences in cosmetics purchasing motivations, with women showing a higher propensity to purchase due to their greater engagement with these products. The attractiveness of influencers is the strongest predictor of purchase intention, followed by trustworthiness, and interactivity, whereas expertise does not play a critical role. These insights provide valuable implications for cosmetic brands, emphasizing the importance of selecting visually appealing influencers while maintaining credibility and audience engagement.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia have a strategic role in the national economy and face challenges in global competition. These challenges include limited access to capital, limitations in technology adoption, low innovation capacity, and the need for more human resource development. Many SMEs also operate informally, facing obstacles in obtaining policy support or broader market access. This study aims to analyze the effect of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and market orientation on SMEs’ performance, with innovation capabilities as a mediating variable. The study was conducted on 348 respondents who were SMEs business actors producing packaged food in North Sumatra. The method used is quantitative through surveys and data analysis using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. The results of the study indicate that Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has a positive influence on SMEs performance (p=0.000) and innovation capabilities (p=0.011). Besides, market orientation also contributes significantly to SMEs’ performance (p=0.000) and innovation capabilities (p=0.000). Innovation capabilities have been proven to improve SMEs’ performance (p=0.000). In the indirect effect, innovation capabilities mediate between CRM and SMEs’ performance (p=0.013) and between market orientation and SMEs’ performance (p=0.000). These results indicate that CRM and market orientation not only have a direct effect on SMEs’ performance but also indirectly through increasing innovation capabilities.

Acknowledgment
Gratitude to the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia, Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi, Riset, Dan Teknologi) for providing financial support through funding for Regular Fundamental Research in 2024 with contract number 103/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2024; 16/LL1/AL.04.03/2024; 10/II.3-AU/UMSU-LP2M/C/2024. Gratitude to the Leaders of the University and the Leaders of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) [University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara] for their support and provision of facilities during the research process. Thank you to all parties who have contributed directly and indirectly to supporting and assisting this research. The assistance, time, and attention given are significant in completing this research.

This study aims to investigate how green marketing practices influence product success through the mediating effects of green corporate image and green innovation. This study utilizes survey data collected from employees in large and medium-sized manufacturing companies in Saudi Arabia, focusing on industries such as petrochemicals, construction materials, and food processing. The sample includes employees in managerial, operational, and technical roles, ensuring relevance to green practices and their impact on product success (totaling 297 individuals). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used for analysis. The results indicated that green marketing practices have a significant positive influence on green corporate image (β = 0.908, p = 0.000) and green innovation (β = 0.858, p = 0.000). However, their impact on product success was not statistically significant (β = 0.224, p = 0.216). Green innovation significantly influenced product success (β = 0.389, p = 0.001), whereas the direct influence of green corporate image on product success (β = 0.357, p = 0.050) and the indirect effects of green marketing practices on product success via green corporate image (β = 0.324, p = 0.059) were not supported. Conversely, the indirect effects of green marketing practices on product success via green innovation were significant (β = 0.334, p = 0.001). Moreover, the study underscores the importance of holistic sustainability approaches, emphasizing the integration of green practices across marketing strategies, corporate branding, innovation endeavors, and product development initiatives.

Acknowledgment
The author extends the appreciation to the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research at Majmaah University for funding this research work through the project number (R-2025-1667).

Tourism has become one of the most important activities, contributing significantly to national development. That is why understanding tourist behavior is essential but also very complex, as each tourist manifests different motivations when making a tourist trip. The objective of this research has been to evaluate the psychometric perspectives and invariance of the tourist behavior scale in the Peruvian context. The study focuses on the positivist paradigm with a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional methodological perspective. The data collection was carried out with a non-probabilistic sampling by convenience to tourists who visited the tourist destinations of the Peruvian jungle as Laguna Azul, Ahuashiyacu, Alto Mayo, Lamas, obtaining as a sample 778 valid responses. The results show a two-dimensional scale (intention to revisit α=0.819; intention to recommend α=0.882) with adequate internal consistency indices. On the other hand, the convergent and discriminant validation indices (CR=0.825; 0.850; AVE=0.612; 0.654) guarantee a valid and representative scale. Furthermore, the scale’s factor structure was shown to be strictly invariant in the groups of men and women, which suggests that both genders share a similar conception of the tourist behavior scale and have a similar interpretation of the items of each factor. In conclusion, the factorial invariance indicates that the scale can be reliably applied in mixed samples (men and women), guaranteeing its validity and reliability in the measurement of tourism behavior. Furthermore, it is suggested to consider its use in future research and in the evaluation of tourism marketing strategies, since it is an accurate and robust tool for understanding tourists’ intentions.

Changes in consumer behavior are influenced by green marketing and brand equity dimensions. Green marketing places high concerns on consumers’ environmental attitudes as a determinant of purchases and word of mouth. Green marketing increases brand awareness, fosters consumer loyalty and enhances reputation. The study aims to assess the influence of green marketing on consumers’ word of mouth through the mediating effect of brand equity dimensions. This descriptive causal research establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between variables, employing a quantitative research method. The questionnaire was deployed to collect the data and was pre-tested using a pilot test. 495 Lebanese consumers were included in the sample, which was collected using the convenience sampling technique. The results validated that green marketing reinforces consumers’ word of mouth (β = 0.663). It has a strong influence on brand equity (β = 0.899), brand loyalty (β = 0.772), brand trust (β = 0.663) and perceived quality (β = 0.353). The results corroborated that brand trust has the strongest mediating in this study (SE: 0.950; CR: 6.602; p < 0.01). Brand loyalty, while not a significant mediator in this relationship (SE: 0.012, CR: 0.872, p: 0.383 > 0.005), still plays a crucial role in brand management. This study concludes that giving brands a voice will appeal to the target audience and keep them committed. It highlighted the need for managers to review their loyalty strategies.

Tourist loyalty is the commitment of tourists to a destination, which is reflected in their desire to make repeat visits, give positive recommendations to others, and maintain a preference for the destination despite similar choices. This research investigates the impact of omni-channel marketing on tourist loyalty by analyzing the roles of inbound marketing, memorable tourist experiences, and destination images. This study’s population consists of domestic tourists who visit several tourist attractions on Lake Toba, especially in Balige Regency, Simalungun Regency, and Samosir Regency. However, the sample is determined as part of the total population chosen to represent the entire population. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 356 participants via questionnaires. Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was employed, followed by Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). Results indicate that omni-channel marketing contributes significantly to creating memorable tourist experiences, though it does not directly influence loyalty. Furthermore, omni-channel marketing positively affects attractive inbound marketing, enhancing memorable tourist experiences. However, despite these enhancements in experience, more than memorable tourist experiences are required to drive loyalty substantially. Likewise, attractive inbound marketing does not significantly affect loyalty through memorable tourist experiences. However, destination attributes directly influence tourist loyalty, underscoring the importance of well-maintained and appealing attractions for fostering repeat visits.

E-commerce is the process of buying and selling goods via the use of various Internet platforms. E-commerce is crucial for companies that sell products or services online because it provides a reliable, easy, and 24/7 channel of commerce for clients worldwide. Therefore, this study examines the impact of utilitarian value, hedonic value, and online reviews on client satisfaction, trust, and repurchase intentions in e-commerce platforms. This study used the cognition-affect-conation paradigm as the theoretical basis for developing the research framework. A partial least squares method was used to verify the proposed model via Google Forms from August 2024 to September 2024, using data gathered from 297 participants who participated in online purchasing on e-commerce platforms in Vietnam. This research used an online survey because of its increasing popularity and its ease, convenience, and cost-effectiveness as a data-gathering method. The findings demonstrate that utilitarian value beneficially affected buyer satisfaction (β = .242, t = 4.121), trust (β = .202, t = 3.257), and repurchase intention (β = .221, t = 3.757). Likewise, hedonic value positively impacted consumer satisfaction (β = .281, t = 3.894), trust (β = .446, t = 6.122), and repurchase intention (β = .268, t = 3.753) on e-commerce platforms. Moreover, online client reviews had a beneficial impact on consumer satisfaction (β = .182, t = 3.463) and trust (β = .145, t = 2.570). Additionally, client satisfaction (β = .215, t = 4.064) and trust (β = .215, t = 4.064) positively influenced repurchase intention.

Acknowledgment
The author acknowledges Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City that supported this study.

The increasing use of virtual influencers in marketing has opened new avenues for product placement strategies on social media. This study investigates how virtual influencer product placement affects brand recall and brand salience among university students in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, representing diverse economic and cultural segments in Indonesia. Data were collected from students at Universitas Tarumanagara [Tarumanagara University], Universitas Trisakti [Trisakti University], and Universitas Krida Wacana [Krida Wacana University] in Jakarta, and Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta [Yogyakarta State University] and Universitas Gadjah Mada [University of Gadjah Mada] in Yogyakarta. Jakarta, the country’s economic hub, represents a high-income urban consumer market, whereas Yogyakarta reflects a more cost-conscious and service-oriented shopping culture. A pre-test and post-test experimental design without a control group was employed, featuring Instagram content from the virtual influencer “Allysa Gladys” promoting Nike and Gucci products. The study involved 319 university students from Jakarta and 211 from Yogyakarta. The results showed a significant increase in brand recall and brand salience after exposure. In Jakarta, brand recall for Gucci increased from 0.6050 to 0.7994 (p < 0.01) and for Nike from 0.8527 to 0.9248 (p < 0.01). In Yogyakarta, Nike’s brand recall rose from 0.4737 to 0.9617 (p < 0.01), while Gucci’s recall increased from 0.5762 to 0.8190 (p < 0.01). Brand salience also showed improvement, with Nike in Jakarta (p < 0.01) and Yogyakarta (p < 0.01) showing a stronger effect than Gucci in both cities (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that product placement via virtual influencers effectively enhances brand awareness.

Acknowledgment
This research was funded by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, through the Regular Fundamental Research scheme (Number: 829/LL3/AL.04/2024). The authors would like to express their gratitude to Angely Olivia Putri and Fransisca Tiffany for their assistance during the research process.

This study aims to characterize the online shopping style of the young consumer in Indonesia. The study’s primary data were gathered through a survey of 410 Generation Z and Millennial respondents conducted in Bandung, Indonesia in 2024. The data were subjected to factor analysis. According to the survey, both generations prefer to shop online for food, clothing, technology, and personal care products This study discovered three unique online shopping styles for the young generation: fashionable and smart, premium product orientation, and impulsive. The first style represents the young consumer, who enjoys shopping online while seeking contemporary products that save money. Meanwhile, premium product consumers seek high-quality or branded products online, this young consumer buys online seeking exclusivity. The third type is the youthful consumers who commonly purchase online spontaneously without careful review and planning, and regard internet shopping as entertaining. The finding fills the gap in understanding customer behavior, particularly the online shopping style of young consumers.

Acknowledgment
Work by the authors was funded by a research grant from the Universitas Padjadjaran [University of Padjadjaran], Indonesia.

The main motive of the said study was to investigate the role of third-party agent marketing strategies and financial performance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector (hotels). For the said purpose, a structured questionnaire is used to collect the data from respondents (hotels’ managers). The analysis was performed on the sample of 305 5-star, 4-star, and 3-star hotels. The study likely explored how these explanatory variables (number of review (NbRev), valence of review (ValRev) and consumer rating (ConsRat)) contribute to shaping consumer behavior and the effectiveness of marketing strategies in hospitality. Financial performance was measured through revenue per available room (RevPar). Correlation and t-test were used to measure the significance of marketing strategies on the financial performance of the hotel industry. The findings of the current study have shown the acceptable association of variables. While test of significance results have shown statistically significance relationship, the coefficient further assessed to get the influence of the explanatory variables on the criterion variable (financial performance). The results show that NbRev has a significant positive impact on revenue per available room (Beta = .173, t-value = 3.161, and sig-value=.002). The study also indicated that ValRev is statistically significant, and it has a positive impact on dependent variable (Beta = .212, t-value = 3.819, and sig-value = .000). The ConsRat is also found statistically significant with positive impact on the criterion variable (Beta = .253, t-value = 4.453, and sig-value = .000). The study found and concluded that online travel agency marketing strategies play a vital role in uplifting financial performance.

The growing use of mobile augmented reality in gaming, e-commerce, education, and social media has influenced user interactions with digital material. The purpose of this study is to assess the technological acceptability and learning transfer theories in India among Gen Z and Millennial smartwatch purchasers using mobile augmented reality. In the months of July to September of 2024, 389 individuals were selected at random from a shopping center in Chennai, India. All of the participants got their hands on a free augmented reality shopping app for their smartwatches. They filled out a Google Form survey after a quick overview of the features of mobile augmented reality. Participants are already actively engaged in purchasing and may be more inclined to employ an Augmented Reality (AR) shopping application in a shopping center. The study results found that mobile augmented reality habits significantly impact Behavioral Intention, Performance Expectancy, Hedonic Motivation, and Effort Expectancy (β = 0.589, p = 0.001-0.871, p = 0.003-0.024). Behavioral intention between Generation Z and Millennials is not moderated by mobile augmented reality habits (β = 0.254, p = 0.227), but Performance Expectancy, Hedonic Motivation, and Effort Expectancy demonstrate significant moderating effects (β = 0.168, p = 0.012, p = 0.029, p = 0.000, β = 0.261, p = 0.005). This model states that Mobile Augmented Reality habits influence Millennials’ performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, and effort expectancy. Age negatively moderates Habit using Mobile Augmented Reality on Performance Expectancy and Behavioral Intention, indicating Gen Z values quality more.

Social media increasingly shapes people’s thoughts and actions. From a social media advertising perspective, users’ gratification factors influence their purchasing behavior. This study aims to investigate factors that could influence an individual’s online behavioral intentions to purchase fashionable clothing in Thailand. This study employs the purposive sampling technique to collect 214 questionnaires. This study collected the data through Google Forms from a diverse population of young consumers across various industries in Thailand in the third quarter of 2024. This study used Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to determine the validity and reliability of the indicators and their corresponding constructs. The study confirmed the existence of seven constructs associated with 22 variables. Each variable was accessed using a 5-point Likert scale. This study validated the proposed research framework and its assumptions through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The entertainment (β=0.312) and convenience (β=0.347) were found to have a positive impact on attitude towards social media advertising, and attitude towards social media advertising (β=0.697) significantly influences purchase intention. Attitude towards social media advertising exhibits a VAF of 65.9%, confirming its role as a mediating variable. Marketers can use this study’s identification of consumer buying trends in their social media advertising campaigns. Social media advertising requires precise product descriptions and clear visuals to help shoppers find things. Finally, the study provided limitations and recommendations for future research.

Data-driven strategies have become essential for brand valuation optimization in today’s rapidly evolving virtual economy, where organizations face increasing pressure to gain real-time, accurate insights to maintain a competitive edge. The purpose of the study examine the impact of machine learning in monitoring key market factors to predict future brand value, addressing the growing need among industry professionals for tools that enhance strategic decision-making. From April to September 2024, a purposive sample of 350 upper-level brand managers and sales marketing directors from various Jordanian companies targeted due to their direct involvement in brand evaluation and marketing strategy. 229 completed and valid responses were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The data analyzed using AMOS software and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the research hypotheses. Results indicated that all proposed factors significantly influenced the prediction of future brand value, with purchase frequency (β = 2.681), industry trend monitoring (β = 2.228), consumer behavior (β = 0.353), and social media metrics (β = 0.345) showing statistically significant effects (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of machine learning in identifying predictive patterns relevant to brand performance and provide a practical framework for leveraging digital tools to enhance brand valuation strategies. The study concludes that integrating machine learning with key performance monitoring enables organizations to make more informed, timely, and impactful branding decisions in a dynamic digital landscape.

Acknowledgment
We would like to thank the Business School at Al Ahliyya Amman University, Jordan. Specifically, many thanks go to the Department of E-marketing and Digital Communications.

Consumer well-being reflects subjective physical, emotional, and psychological satisfaction derived from services. This study investigates how the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), trust, and intention to use fintech services influence consumer well-being in urban Indonesia, with financial behavior as a moderating variable. The research surveyed 390 active fintech users in the Jabodetabek metropolitan area in Indonesia, which includes Jakarta, Bogor, Depok Tangerang, and Bekasi selected due to their high engagement with digital financial services, with the survey being conducted over a three-month period from May to July 2024. The findings reveal that TAM and trust significantly influence consumers’ intention to use fintech services, which mediates their impact on consumer well-being. Notably, intention to use has the strongest direct effect on well-being (path coefficient = 0.548, p < 0.001). However, financial behavior does not significantly moderate the relationship between intention to use and well-being (p = 0.441). These results highlight the pivotal role of trust and ease of access in enhancing consumer satisfaction. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that fintech providers and policymakers should focus on financial literacy to mitigate risks associated with unregulated fintech use. This study extends theoretical insights into the intersection of technology acceptance and consumer behavior, emphasizing the importance of user-centered approaches. Future research should explore these dynamics in rural contexts to compare community-specific impacts.

Acknowledgment
This research was funded by Directorate of Research, Technology and Community Service (DRTPM) of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture in 2024 with the National Competitive Basic Research Grant scheme with contract number; 0667/E5/AL.04/2024. 

This study examines the influence of restaurant attributes on customer engagement with traditional food products (TFP), and how this engagement affects revisit intention and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM). Conducted from January to September 2024 in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, Indonesia, the study surveyed 160 customers who had dined at traditional Acehnese restaurants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale and analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that Food Quality (β = 0.323; p < 0.001), Staff Service (β = 0.256; p < 0.001), Health Involvement (β = 0.219; p = 0.013), and Involvement in Luxury (β = 0.282; p < 0.001) significantly enhance TFP Engagement. In contrast, Convenience Orientation does not show a significant effect. Moreover, TFP Engagement strongly predicts Intention to Revisit (β = 0.877; p < 0.001) and positive e-WOM (β = 0.757; p < 0.001), acting as a mediator between restaurant attributes and customer behavioral outcomes.