Branding fashion through gameplay: the branded gaming and the cool dynamics in the fashion markets. A game-theory approach

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the role of immersive gaming on brand coolness and brand equity, with particular emphasis on fashion gaming collaborations. We used game theory as a theoretical framework to analyse immersive branding strategies and gain a deeper understanding of fashion consumers’ decision-making process in gaming environments. Gender, as a significant factor affecting gamers, has been studied as a moderator that impacts the overall proposed framework. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative method was used to assess the significance of relationships within the proposed model empirically. The partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was implemented to assess the relationships of the framework with a sample size of 160 active Malaysian gamers. Findings The findings indicate that brand equity is positively associated with perceived brand coolness. Furthermore, of the three core values of online games, perceived enjoyment is most strongly associated with perceived brand coolness, ahead of the values of self-expression and perceived emotional challenge. The results of the multigroup analysis further suggest that in the fashion industry, building brand equity through online games is strongly related to perceived brand coolness among female respondents, the role of perceived brand coolness being weaker among male respondents. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature by providing a deeper understanding of the impact of immersive gaming branding practices on the overall equity of the fashion brand. The results provide insight for fashion brand managers into the significant effect on consumer behaviour outcomes of fashion-gaming collaborations.研究目的 本研究擬探討身歷其境的遊戲體驗在品牌酷感和品牌資產上所扮演的角色; 研究特別強調裝扮遊戲的合作。研究人員以博弈論作為研究的理論框架,來分析沉浸品牌策略、和對時裝消費者在遊戲的環境中如何作出決策取得更深入的瞭解。研究人員探討了性別作為影響遊戲參與者的重要因素,這因素被視為為整個被提出的框架帶來調節的影響和作用。 研究設計/方法/理念 研究人員採用定量方法進行研究,目的為於被提出的模型內之各種關聯的意義進行以經驗為依據的評估。研究人員採用了基於偏最小平方法的結構方程模型研究法,來對一個包含160名活躍的馬來西亞遊戲參與者的樣本進行框架的各個聯繫的評估研究。 研究結果 研究結果顯示,品牌資產與品牌酷感成正相關; 而且,在網絡遊戲的三個核心價值中,感知享受與品牌酷感之間的聯繫最為強烈和密切,超過自我表現和感知情感挑戰兩者的價值; 多群組的分析結果更暗示了在時裝產業裡,透過網絡遊戲去建立品牌資產在女性回應者中是與品牌酷感有強烈密切的關係; 而在男性回應者中,品牌酷感所扮演的角色則較弱。 研究的原創性/價值 本研究使我們能更深入認識沉浸遊戲品牌的慣常做法如何影響時裝品牌的整體資產。研究結果為時裝品牌經理提供了啟示,使他們明瞭時裝遊戲的合作會給消費者行為產生重要的影響

Immersive gaming in the fashion arena: an investigation of brand coolness and its mediating role on brand equity

Purpose This study's aim was to investigate the role of the perceived values of gaming on consumers' perceptions of brands as cool as well as the impacts on the consumer–brand equity relationship. The study proposed a framework highlighting the influences of fashion-branded games on brand coolness and building fashion brands' overall equity. As significant factors affecting gamers, gender and gaming have been studied as moderators affecting the overall proposed framework. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative method was used to assess the significance of the relationships within the proposed model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling technique was implemented to assess the framework's relationships with a sample size of 248 active online gamers. Findings The findings indicate that brand equity is positively associated with perceived brand coolness. Furthermore, of the three core online game values, perceived enjoyment was most strongly associated with perceived brand coolness, with other values, such as self-expression and perceived emotional challenge, having a weaker association. The multigroup analysis results further suggest that in the fashion industry, building brand equity through online games is strongly related to perceived brand coolness among female respondents, with the role of perceived brand coolness affecting male respondents to a lesser degree. Originality/value The contribution of this study to the existing literature consists in providing a deeper understanding of the impact of branded games on fashion brands' overall equity. The results provide insights for fashion brand managers into the significant effect of fashion gaming collaborations on consumers' behavioral outcomes

Driving customer engagement and citizenship behaviour in omnichannel retailing: evidence from the fashion sector

Purpose This study, grounded in the SOR theory, aims to enrich the understanding of customer citizenship behaviour in omnichannel fashion retail by examining how different customer experiences enhance customer engagement and how that engagement leads to customer citizenship behaviour. The influence of return policies on the relationship between customer engagement and customer citizenship behaviour was also examined. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to examine the framework of the proposed study with data collected through a survey (n = 251) to examine the opinions of the respondents about the variables mentioned. The authors also assessed the proposed framework using predictive power assessment using PLS predict. Findings The study results reveal that customers’ experiences of integration and flexibility in omnichannel retail are positively associated with their engagement. However, customer experiences of connectivity, consistency and personalization do not appear to affect customer engagement significantly in omnichannel retail. The return policy positively moderates the relationship between customer engagement and customer citizenship behaviour in the omnichannel fashion retail context. Predictive power assessment shows that the proposed model has high prediction accuracy. Originality/value This study contributes to the marketing literature by investigating different dimensions of consumer experience collectively and its impact on customer engagement and citizenship behaviour. Furthermore, the study contributes to omnichannel retail in fashion industry by testing the return policy as a moderator variable on the relationship between customer engagement and citizenship behaviour.Propósito Este estudio, basado en la teoría SOR, enriquece la comprensión del comportamiento cívico del cliente en el comercio minorista de moda omnicanal examinando cómo las diferentes experiencias del cliente mejoran el compromiso de éste y cómo dicho compromiso conduce al comportamiento cívico del cliente. También se examina la influencia de las políticas de devolución en la relación entre el compromiso del cliente y el comportamiento ciudadano del cliente. Diseño Se utilizó la modelización PLS-SEM para examinar el marco del estudio propuesto con datos recogidos mediante una encuesta (n = 251) para examinar las opiniones de los encuestados sobre las variables mencionadas. Los autores también evaluaron el marco propuesto mediante una evaluación del poder predictivo utilizando la predicción PLS. Conclusiones Los resultados revelan que las experiencias de integración y flexibilidad de los clientes en el comercio minorista omnicanal se asocian positivamente con su compromiso. Sin embargo, las experiencias de los clientes de conectividad, coherencia y personalización no parecen afectar significativamente al compromiso del cliente en el comercio minorista omnicanal. La política de devoluciones modera positivamente la relación entre el compromiso del cliente y el comportamiento ciudadano en el contexto del comercio minorista de moda omnicanal. La evaluación del poder predictivo mostró que el modelo propuesto tenía una alta precisión de predicción. Originalidad El estudio contribuye a la literatura de marketing investigando colectivamente diferentes dimensiones de la experiencia del consumidor y su impacto en el compromiso del cliente y el comportamiento ciudadano. Además, este estudio contribuye a la venta minorista omnicanal en la industria de la moda al probar la política de devoluciones como variable moderadora de la relación entre el compromiso del cliente y el comportamiento ciudadano.目的 本研究以 SOR 理论为基础, 通过研究不同的顾客体验如何提高顾客参与度, 以及顾客参与度如何推动顾客公民行为, 丰富了对全渠道时尚零售中顾客公民行为的理解。研究还探讨了退货政策对顾客参与和顾客公民行为之间关系的影响。 设计 本文采用 PLS-SEM 模型来检验拟议的研究框架, 并通过调查（n = 251）收集数据, 以检验受访者对上述变量的看法。作者还通过使用 PLS 预测评估预测能力, 对提出的框架进行了评估。 设计 通过调查（n = 251）收集的数据, 使用 PLS-SEM 模型来研究拟议的研究框架, 以考察受访者对上述变量的看法。作者还通过使用 PLS 预测评估预测能力, 对提出的框架进行了评估。 研究结论 研究结果表明, 顾客在全渠道零售中对整合性和灵活性的体验与他们的参与度呈正相关。然而, 顾客在连通性、一致性和个性化方面的体验似乎并未对顾客参与全渠道零售产生显著影响。退货政策对全渠道时尚零售中顾客参与和公民行为之间的关系起到了积极的调节作用。 预测能力评估表明, 所提出的模型具有较高的预测准确性。 独创性 本研究通过对消费者体验的不同维度及其对顾客参与和公民行为的影响进行综合研究, 为营销文献做出了贡献。此外, 本研究通过检验退货政策作为顾客参与和公民行为之间关系的调节变量, 为时尚行业的全渠道零售做出了贡献