Harnessing the power of brand social media

marketing on consumer online impulse

buying intentions: a stimulus-organism-
response framework
Asif Ali Safeer
Business School, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, China

Abstract
Purpose – Social media marketing has become a powerful strategic tool for many brands, but scholarly research in this domain is still in its infancy.
This study aims to examine the effects of social media marketing activities on consumer online impulse buying intentions via brand resonance and
emotional responses by incorporating the direct and moderating effects of social network proneness toward fashion retail brands.
Design/methodology/approach – By using snowball sampling, this study recruited 441 netizens (who were using fashion retail brands) and
obtained their responses through an online survey. Structural equation modeling was applied to 394 responses for analysis.
Findings – The findings discovered that social media marketing activities significantly influenced brand resonance, consumer emotional responses
and online impulse buying intentions. Likewise, brand resonance and emotional responses were positively associated with online impulse buying
intentions and acted as decisive mediators. Social network proneness’s direct and moderating effects significantly increased consumer online
impulse-buying intentions toward fashion retail brands.
Practical implications – This study provides recommendations to retail managers for creating and executing brand positioning, segmenting and
targeting strategies to enhance consumers’ intentions for engaging in online impulsive purchases for fashion brands.
Originality/value – This original research contributes to the branding literature and stimulus–organism–response theory by focusing on social
media marketing activities, brand resonance, emotional responses, social network proneness and consumer online impulse buying intentions toward
fashion retail brands.
Keywords Social media marketing activities, Online impulse buying intentions, Social network proneness, Brand resonance, Emotional responses
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
In recent years, brand communication patterns have shifted
from one-to-many to a dynamic, interactive and personalized
one-to-one paradigm. This trend has transformed social media
by allowing consumers to communicate regardless of location
or time constraints (Hewett et al., 2016). Social media
platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, play an important
role in brand communication by influencing consumer
perceptions, surpassing traditional communication channels
(Moslehpour et al., 2021). Social media marketing is becoming
vital to a brand’s marketing strategies in contemporary times
(Cheung et al., 2020). Previously, scholars have studied the
effects of social media marketing activities on purchase
intentions and brand equity (Yadav and Rahman, 2017; Koay
et al., 2020), customer loyalty (Yadav and Rahman, 2018),
brand knowledge and customer satisfaction (Chen and Lin,
2019; Cheung et al., 2020), repurchase intentions (Cheung
et al., 2021; Sohaib et al., 2022) and brand experience (Khan,
2022). The literature on social media marketing is fragmented,
making it challenging to develop a holistic understanding of the
subject (Dwivedi et al., 2021; Li et al., 2021; Li et al., 2023).
This study aims to fill the research gaps outlined in earlier
studies (Dwivedi et al., 2021; Li et al., 2021; Sohaib et al., 2022;
Redine et al., 2023). First, this study examines the effects of
social media marketing activities on consumers’ online impulse
buying intentions, brand resonance and emotional responses
toward fashion retail brands. The rise of technological and
marketing innovations has transformed the way impulse buying
occurs, as it has moved beyond traditional retail settings into
online channels (Yang et al., 2021). Online impulsive purchases
boost social presence, joy and quality of life by providing
pleasure and well-being (Kursan Milakovic and Ahmad, 2023).
With the rising prevalence of online transactions among
customers, it is crucial to understand the growing pattern of

The author expresses gratitude to the editors and anonymous reviewers for
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald their insightful feedback, which significantly improved the manuscript’s
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1061-0421.htm quality.

Received 28 July 2023

Revised 29 October 2023
Journal of Product & Brand Management 30 January 2024
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421] 4 March 2024
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-07-2023-4619] Accepted 4 March 2024
 Power of brand social media marketing
Asif Ali Safeer
impulse buying in digital retail (Barta et al., 2022; Zhang et al.,
2023).
Previous research has indicated that brand resonance can be
enhanced by using online content to understand consumer
behavior, which may be helpful for developing online branding
strategies (Cheng et al., 2019). Marketing researchers have
contended that consumer emotional responses play an essential
role in online environments, potentially influencing consumers’
purchasing decisions (Beig and Khan, 2020; Meng et al., 2021;
Lazaris et al., 2022). This study argues that social media marketing
activities can enhance brand resonance and evoke emotional
responses, facilitating perennial consumer–brand relationships.
Second, this study seeks to investigate the direct and indirect
effects of brand resonance on consumers’ online impulse buying
intentions for fashion retail brands. Brand resonance relates to
how easily consumers synchronize their associations (i.e.
attachment, engagement and judgment) with a brand (Keller,
2010; Husain et al., 2022). Previous studies revealed that brand
resonance shapes consumers’ purchase and consumption
decisions and strengthens brand loyalty (Shieh and Lai, 2017;
Zhao et al., 2021; Husain et al., 2022). Extant literature rarely
explores the direct and mediating effects of brand resonance on
consumer online impulse buying intentions for fashion retail
brands in the social media context. This study aims to contribute
fresh insights into theory and management practices.
Third, this research examines how consumer emotional
responses (directly/indirectly) influence their online impulse
buying intentions for fashion retail brands. The value of
emotional responses has grown because of consumers’ prevailing
anxiety and insecurity toward online platforms (Lazaris et al.,
2022). Prior studies indicated that emotional responses influence
consumer purchase intentions, choices, word of mouth (WOM)
and revisit intentions (Wu et al., 2014; Guerreiro et al., 2015;
Kumar et al., 2021; Lazaris et al., 2022), as well as brand
engagement (Loureiro et al., 2020). Few studies have reported
the effects of emotional responses on online impulse buying
intentions, particularly by emphasizing the presentation mode of
electronic products (Liao et al., 2016) and live-streaming on e-
commerce (Li et al., 2022) in different contexts. This study seeks
to uncover new insights into emotional responses regarding
online impulsive purchases of fashion retail brands.
Fourth, this study intends to examine the direct and
moderating effects of social network proneness on consumers’
online impulse buying intentions for fashion retail brands. Social
network proneness pertains to the digitally connected
environment where consumers frequently interact with others
who share their interests and purchasing experiences (Kumar
et al., 2016). Social network proneness enables marketers to
develop valuable social media marketing strategies and engage
them with target audiences to attract specific consumer segments
(Nasir et al., 2021). Previously, social network proneness has
been used to examine consumer spending, cross-buying and
purchase intentions across various consumer segments (Kumar
et al., 2016; Nasir et al., 2021). Social network proneness is
becoming more relevant in social media and digital marketing as
brands strive to understand consumers’ motivations and buying
behavior in social media settings.
This study advances the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R)
theory and offers valuable managerial recommendations. This
study has been meticulously structured by splitting it into distinct
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sections. First, the introduction accentuates the topic’s
significance, the current research progress and gaps by following
the specific objectives. Second, this study constructs the
theoretical framework drawing upon the S-O-R theory
(Mehrabian and Russell, 1974) and formulates hypotheses aligned
with the theory. Third, it defines the research methodology and
interprets the results. Finally, this study concludes with the results
discussions, theoretical and managerial contributions, limitations
and future research directions.
2. Theoretical background and hypotheses
development
2.1 Stimulus–organism–response theory
The S-O-R theory explains how individuals respond to various
environmental stimuli. The theory proposes that external
environmental factors, such as visual, auditory, or tactile cues,
serve as stimuli that affect an organism’s mental and cognitive
state (organism), leading to a behavioral response (Mehrabian
and Russell, 1974). The S-O-R theory suggests that a stimulus
(input) affects the mental and cognitive state (organism as a
process), which in turn leads to a behavioral response (output)
(Kim et al., 2020). The individuals’ mental and cognitive state
is critical in determining how they respond to environmental
stimuli. The S-O-R theory indicates the importance of
considering an individual’s internal state when analyzing their
behavior in response to external stimuli (Jacoby, 2002; Kim
and Lennon, 2013). The S-O-R theory is often used in
consumer behavior and marketing to explain why people
behave in specific ways in response to external stimuli (Kim
et al., 2020). For example, a marketer might use the S-O-R
theory to design an advertisement that appeals to a consumer’s
emotions and triggers a positive behavioral response, such as
purchasing a product (Kim and Lennon, 2013).
Previous studies have recognized the S-O-R theory’s vital role
in elucidating consumers’ internal states and behavioral
responses to stimuli in digital settings. For instance, marketing
scholars advanced the S-O-R theory by identifying social media
marketing activities as stimuli that influence customer responses
in terms of their brand loyalty, repurchase intentions and
consumer–based brand equity (Yadav and Rahman, 2018; Koay
et al., 2020; Sohaib et al., 2022; Yang et al., 2022). Integrating
creative concepts into digital marketing communication has the
potential to advance the S-O-R theory (Sohaib et al., 2022; Li
et al., 2023). The S-O-R theory provides a structured framework
for evaluating the effects of social media marketing activities
(external stimuli) on online impulse buying intentions (response)
via brand resonance and emotional responses (organisms) by
incorporating the direct and moderating effects of social network
proneness for fashion retail brands (see Figure 1).
2.2 Social media marketing activities’ associations with
online impulse buying intentions, brand resonance and
emotional responses
Social media marketing activities refer to the processes used by
firms to develop and maintain stakeholder relationships by
creating, communicating and distributing online marketing
offerings of products or services via social media platforms
(Sohaib et al., 2022). The main attributes of social media
marketing activities encompass the different components:
 Power of brand social media marketing
Asif Ali Safeer
Figure 1 Proposed model
Stimulus
Input
Brand Resonance
(Brand Attachment, Brand
Social Media Engagement, Brand Judgment)
Marketing Activities
Interaction H2
Entertainment
Trendiness
H3
Word of Mouth
Customization
Emotional Responses
H1
Moderation: H6b
Social Network Proneness
Source: The author’s work
interaction, entertainment, trendiness, WOM and customization
(Kim and Ko, 2012). The interaction focuses on creating
opportunities for consumers to connect with like-minded
consumers and participate in specific product-or brand-related
discussions. Brands can cultivate customer loyalty by facilitating
consumer interaction through a digital platform (Kim and Ko,
2012). Entertainment demonstrates the importance of providing
entertaining and engaging content to social media users,
stimulating participation and inspiring user-generated content
(Muntinga et al., 2011; Kim and Ko, 2012).
Trendiness emphasizes the need to keep up with the most
recent social media news and trends and promptly disseminate
this information to consumers (Kim and Ko, 2012). WOM is the
most influential tool for brands because it allows satisfied
customers to spread positive words about a brand to their friends
and followers (Kim and Ko, 2012). Social media WOM is more
pertinent, empathic and credible than the information sources
marketers publish on their websites (Seo and Park, 2018; Khan,
2022). Customization is critical because it allows brands to tailor
their messages to a specific audience (Kim and Ko, 2012).
Brands can establish deeper connections with consumers by
creating customized messages that directly engage their specific
audience (Seo and Park, 2018; Khan, 2022). Social media
platforms have drastically shifted businesses’ marketing
communication strategies. These platforms aim to increase
consumer awareness of products and services and facilitate
purchasing decisions, particularly impulse buying in social media
environments. Impulse purchasing is the unexpected purchase of
a product or service prompted by exposure to stimuli and the
decision to buy immediately (Lin and Lo, 2016; Redine et al.,
2023).
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Organism Response
Process Output
Mediation: H4b H4a
Online Impulse
Buying Intentions
Mediation: H5b H 5a
Arousal
Pleasure
H6a
Brands can engage in reciprocal communication with their
target consumers using the advantages of social media
platforms (Sohaib et al., 2022). The integrity of social media
marketing communication translates to increased customer
loyalty and purchasing intentions (Yadav and Rahman, 2018;
Khan, 2022). Companies leveraging Instagram influencers and
celebrities as a social media marketing strategy can increase
impulsive online buying (Koay et al., 2021; Zafar et al., 2021).
The S-O-R theory suggests that external environmental stimuli
influence the cognitive processes of humans and drive them to
respond accordingly (Jacoby, 2002). This study postulates that
social media marketing activities (as stimuli) can significantly
influence consumers’ online impulse buying intentions
(response). It is proposed:
H1. Social media marketing activities will positively affect
online impulse buying intentions.
Companies create social media accounts to promote their brands
and cultivate consumer relationships (Ibrahim et al., 2020),
which may increase brand resonance by enhancing brand
evaluation, attachment and engagement. These relationships can
be fostered by using social media marketing activities to
understand consumer behavior in social media environments,
enabling firms to offer new products and services (Sohaib et al.,
2022). Brands should prioritize interactive, entertaining, trendy,
customized and scintillating social media communication that
facilitates two-way communication rather than publishing to
maintain an active online presence (Kim and Ko, 2012; Ibrahim
et al., 2020). For example, early adopters like Louis Vuitton have
reaped benefits by developing and managing widely followed
 Power of brand social media marketing
Asif Ali Safeer
social media communities (Kim and Ko, 2012). Electronic
WOM influences brand resonance by increasing brand reach,
consumer engagement and attachment. Brands can improve
consumer interactions and boost brand resonance by actively
monitoring and responding to electronic WOM (Habib et al.,
2021). Prior studies demonstrated that social media marketing
activities positively influence brand attachment and judgment,
ultimately developing and strengthening the brand’s relationship
with its audience (Pham and Gammoh, 2015; Panigyrakis et al.,
2020; Khan et al., 2022). In this background, it is proposed:
H2. Social media marketing activities will positively affect
brand resonance.
Companies’ integration of advanced digital technologies has
significantly transformed global business dynamics and
consumer behavior (Lazaris et al., 2022; Li et al., 2022). Now,
marketers can interact with consumers via social media and
engage them with brands to enhance their arousal and pleasure
(Loureiro et al., 2020). Technology-savvy consumers actively
collaborate and develop emotional connections with social
media platforms, and these attributes assist companies in
nurturing consumer–brand relationships in digital settings
(Loureiro et al., 2020; Hsieh et al., 2021). Previous studies
demonstrated that website design features (i.e. colors,
interactive features and images) and additive omnichannel
atmospheric cues elicit consumers’ emotional responses (Ha
and Im, 2012; Lazaris et al., 2022). Social media content also
impacts consumer–brand interaction and triggers consumers’
emotional reactions regarding arousal and pleasure (Kim and
Johnson, 2016). Social media marketing activities can assist
enterprises in increasing brand romance by stimulating
consumers’ emotional reactions (Beig and Khan, 2020).
Therefore, it is posited that social media marketing activities
can serve as stimuli that tend to influence consumers’ cognitive
responses:
H3. Social media marketing activities will positively affect
emotional responses.
2.3 Brand resonance association with online impulse
buying intentions
Brand resonance relates to profound psychological and emotive
relationships between consumers and brands, leading to
different cognitive and affective consequences (Huang et al.,
2015). The emotional and psychological connections between
consumers and brands are cultivated through positive brand
experiences, which foster brand loyalty and strengthen
consumer–brand relationships (Keller, 2010). Brand resonance
is essential to brand equity, representing a brand’s value to a
business. Brand resonance can be developed by integrating
brand attachment, engagement and judgment (Husain et al.,
2022).
Brand attachment is “the strength of the bond connecting
the brand with the self” (Park et al., 2010, p. 2). The
phenomenon of attachment is driven by emotional factors and
is characterized by an explicit objective of fostering intimate ties
between consumers and brands (Husain et al., 2022). Brand
engagement describes:
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The extent to which consumers are willing to invest their own personal
resources – time, energy, money – on the brand, beyond those resources
expended during purchase or consumption of the brand (Keller, 2013, p. 320).
Brand judgment comprises consumers’ beliefs and opinions
about a particular brand (Keller, 2010). Scholars have revealed
that brand resonance has various positive brand-related
outcomes, such as improving brand loyalty and consumer–
brand partnerships (Jung Jung et al., 2014) and brand equity
(Shieh and Lai, 2017). Few studies have examined the
influence of brand resonance on purchase intention (Zhao
et al., 2021) and luxury brand consumption (Husain et al.,
2022). The literature on brand resonance is limited in
determining its effect on consumer online impulse buying
intentions. It is hypothesized as follows:
H4a. Brand resonance will positively affect online impulse
buying intentions.
Social media’s impact on consumers’ lives has radically changed
their purchasing patterns, consumption and interpersonal
interactions. Social media platforms enable companies to
strengthen the quality of their brands’ relationships with
customers (Sohaib et al., 2022). For example, electronic WOM
significantly impacts consumers, enhancing consumer brand
relationships and improving brand resonance (Habib et al.,
2021). Research studies indicate that engaging in social media
marketing activities assists consumers in developing a more
profound affinity toward a brand by improving emotional
attachment and evaluation (Pham and Gammoh, 2015; Khan
et al., 2022), which leads to an increase in consumer purchasing
and consumption patterns (Zhao et al., 2021; Husain et al.,
2022). This study hypothesizes that brand resonance can
potentially serve as an effective mediator between social media
marketing activities and online impulse buying intentions:
H4b. Brand resonance positively mediates between social
media marketing activities and online impulse buying
intentions.
2.4 Emotional response associations with online
impulse buying intentions
Arousal and pleasure are fundamental elements that contribute
to emotional responses (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974). These
elements delineate individuals’ emotions and reflect their
feelings in the online realm (Loureiro et al., 2020; Kumar et al.,
2021). Arousal denotes “the extent to which an individual feels
stimulated, excited, alert or active” (Liu and Jang, 2009,
p. 495), while pleasure arises when a person feels happy, joyful
or satisfied (Holmqvist and Lunardo, 2015). Consumer
emotional responses, such as arousal and pleasure, play an
important role in increasing purchase intentions in online store
shopping (Wu et al., 2014; Lazaris et al., 2022), branded app
continued use and brand loyalty (Hsieh et al., 2021), online
food delivery apps revisit intentions and WOM (Kumar et al.,
2021) and impulsive purchases in mobile shopping (Liu et al.,
2020). The S-O-R theory asserts that emotional responses are
the cognitive mental processes of consumers that influence
them to generate responses (Liao et al., 2016; Kumar et al.,
2021). This study posits that consumers’ emotional responses
 Power of brand social media marketing
Asif Ali Safeer
may help stimulate their online impulse buying intentions for
fashion retail brands. It is hypothesized as follows:
H5a. Emotional responses will positively affect online
impulse buying intentions.
Social media platforms spark consumer arousal and pleasure by
forming social connections with other users via user reviews
(Kim and Johnson, 2016). Social media marketing has the
potential to support businesses in involving customers in their
social media activities, which may potentially elevate their
emotional reactions by stimulating their arousal and pleasure
(Beig and Khan, 2020). These emotional states potentially
increase consumer purchase intentions and impulsive
purchases (Wu et al., 2014; Liu et al., 2020; Lazaris et al.,
2022). The S-O-R framework demonstrates that emotional
responses are fundamental elements of organisms (Mehrabian
and Russell, 1974; Kim and Johnson, 2016) that can be
influenced by external stimuli (i.e. social media marketing
activities) to produce consumer responses (Sohaib et al., 2022;
Li et al., 2023). This study proposes that consumer emotional
responses are a key mediator that might positively influence the
relationship between social media marketing activities and
online impulse buying intentions. It is hypothesized as follows:
H5b. Emotional responses will positively mediate between
social media marketing activities and online impulse
buying intentions.
2.5 Social network proneness association with online
impulse buying intentions
Social network proneness refers to “the digitally connected world
where consumers are spending increasing amounts of time online
interacting with other consumers with whom they may share
common interests and consumption experiences” (Kumar et al.,
2016, p. 11). The online presence of a brand’s followers on social
media positively impacts customer purchasing decisions by
offering evidence and approval for the brand’s offerings (Naylor
et al., 2012). Socially prone consumers are more receptive to
social media connections, as social media offers them a platform
to interact with individuals and create a sense of community
around a brand or product (Schulze et al., 2014). Social media
users are more likely to respect the opinions of others with similar
beliefs, increasing their receptivity to content generated by
companies and comments made by other social media
community members (Kumar et al., 2016). This study
anticipates that social network proneness will facilitate consumer
interaction in a social media environment, enhancing consumers’
ability to learn from others’ viewpoints regarding fashion brands.
As a result, positive brand experiences shared by other consumers
may influence their impulse purchasing decisions in social media
settings. This study hypothesizes that social network proneness
will enhance consumers’ knowledge and potentially influence
their online impulsive buying intentions for fashion retail brands:
H6a. Social network proneness will positively affect online
impulse buying intentions.
Several factors influence consumers’ buying intentions for
products and services promoted through social media advertising,
including perceived relevance, impulse purchasing tendency,
Journal of Product & Brand Management
informativeness and social network proneness (Nasir et al., 2021).
Social networks and online brand communities influence the
purchasing decisions of other customers in virtual environments
(Naylor et al., 2012). Social media networks have become crucial
for companies to promote their products and services, influencing
consumers’ purchasing decisions (Kumar et al., 2016). This study
postulates that consumers who have a higher tendency to be social
network-prone dedicate more time to social media platforms,
develop more online connections and actively participate in more
social interactions to share content and seek information. Thus,
the interactive effects of social network proneness and firms’
media marketing activities may positively increase online impulse
buying intentions for fashion retail brands, particularly among
highly social network-prone consumers. Therefore, it is
hypothesized as follows:
H6b. The interactive effects of social network proneness and
social media marketing activities will significantly
increase online impulse buying intentions for high
social network-prone consumers.
3. Research methods
An online survey was administered to evaluate the proposed
hypotheses. Fashion retail brands, including apparel and
accessories, footwear and jewelry, were the focus of this study.
The primary motivation for selecting these fashion retail brand
categories was their value to managers in positioning and
targeting consumers. Besides, fashion retailing is an emerging
business in the modern era (Lynch and Barnes, 2020). The
survey was designed to reach netizens involved in online
fashion retail purchases of brands and follow online retailers on
social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and X
(formerly Twitter). The following criteria were used to select
prospective consumers:

a consumer must follow at least one online retailer;

must be interested in fashion retail brands (at least in one
of apparel and accessories, footwear or jewelry);

must be frequently visited social media platforms to see
online retailers new products and offers;

must be at least 18 years old; and

must be proficient in English.
Each participant was asked to select one of three product
categories and evaluate it while keeping in mind the brand they
were already using for that product category.
3.1 Sampling and data collection methods
This study used snowball sampling to recruit a subset of the
target population to identify the rest. Survey referrals greatly
facilitate recruiting reliable and challenging-to-reach individuals
(Sekaran and Bougie, 2016; Khan, 2022). Snowball sampling
works well in online environments, particularly in the context of
social media (Pasternak et al., 2017), because using snowball
sampling facilitates asking for information about other
participants and streamlines the process of identifying
participants on social media networks (Baltar and Brunet, 2012).
A remunerated survey team was recruited to collect data from
targeted consumers. This study obtained data from consumers of
various age ranges and professions. However, most data were
 Power of brand social media marketing
Asif Ali Safeer
obtained from young consumers (18–25 years old) because they
are fashion savvy, frequently use fashion brands and visit social
media networks (Sohaib et al., 2022). Likewise, identical samples
facilitate more rigorous testing of theoretical relationships,
yielding more reliable and valid results. Many multinational
corporations consider young consumers an essential market
segment (Safeer and Liu, 2023).
It is imperative to conduct a pilot test study to evaluate the
language and wording of the survey (Sekaran and Bougie,
2016). A total of 77 responses were obtained for the
preliminary assessment of this study. The results demonstrated
that Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability values (ranging
from 0.81 to 0.92), as well as the convergent validity AVE
values (i.e. average variance extracted) spanning from 0.52 to
0.64, were deemed satisfactory (Hair et al., 2017). After
assessing the pre-test results, 441 responses were obtained from
the desired consumer population.
Scholars have demonstrated that partial least squares
structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) does not depend on
strong assumptions about the normalization of the data (Hair
et al., 2019). However, highly non-normal data can lead to
misleading conclusions (Hair et al., 2017; Hair et al., 2019).
This study followed a rigorous data screening process using
SPSS software version 25 and identified some outliers and
skewed straight-lining responses. Some respondents did not
fulfill the initial selection criteria. As a result, 47 responses were
eliminated, and 394 were selected for final analysis. The online
survey was restricted to answering all questions, and no missing
values were found. The consumer demographics consisted of
211 males and 183 females. The age ranges were as follows:
18–25 (184), 26–33 (106), 34–41 (76) and 42–49 (28). The
respondents achieved varying levels of education: 114
bachelor’s degrees, 223 master’s degrees, 31 doctoral degrees
and 26 earned other professional degrees. In this study, 209
participants selected apparel and accessories, 117 selected
jewelry and 68 selected footwear as their preferred fashion
product category.
3.2 Measures
This study used well-established scales. All construct items
were modified and examined using a seven-point Likert scale,
representing 1 as strongly disagree, 4 as neutral and 7 as
strongly agree, except for emotional responses, which were
examined using a seven-point differential scale. The construct
of social media marketing activities was examined using 11
items (Kim and Ko, 2012; Zollo et al., 2020; Khan, 2022);
brand resonance with 9 items (Husain et al., 2022); emotional
responses with 7 items (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974;
Demoulin, 2011); social network proneness with 4 items
(Kumar et al., 2016; Nasir et al., 2021); and online impulse
buying intentions with 3 items (Darrat et al., 2016).
4. Results
PLS-SEM is a robust statistical technique growing in
acceptance because of its ability to effectively analyze intricate
relationships between latent constructs and their indicators
(Hair et al., 2017; Hair et al., 2019). PLS-SEM is prevalent in
marketing, management and consumer behavior primarily
because of its focus on predictive analysis and its ability to
Journal of Product & Brand Management
effectively manage large and intricate datasets (Hair et al.,
2019; Safeer and Liu, 2023). The PLS-SEM technique has two
stages: the measurement stage and the structural model stage.
4.1 Measurement model
The measurement model estimates the relationships between a
group of observed variables (i.e. indicators) and their
underlying constructs (Hair et al., 2019). This study applied
the PLS consistent (PLSc) algorithm to examine the reliability
and validity of the constructs. Table 1 demonstrates that the
loading values (i.e. 0.61–0.85), Cronbach’s alpha and
composite reliability (i.e. 0.83–0.92) and AVE values (i.e.
0.52–0.65) are all within the acceptable range (Hair et al.,
2017; Hair et al., 2019). The results indicate that some values,
such as SMMA3, 0.61; SMMA6, 0.68; SMMA10, 0.68; BR9,
0.66; ER2, 0.67; ER7, 0.61; and SNP3, 0.65, fall within the
range of 0.60 to 0.70 and do not affect the reliability and
validity of the model (Hair et al., 2017). Therefore, this study
includes these indicators in the proposed model.
After assessing the reliability and convergent validity of the
constructs, the heterotrait–monotrait (HTMT) ratio method
was used to calculate discriminant validity (Henseler et al.,
2015; Hair et al., 2019). Discriminant validity is assessed by
examining the distinction between variables, and values below
0.90 are typically deemed acceptable to validate the presence of
discriminant validity (Chen and Lin, 2019; Husain et al.,
2022). The findings indicate (see Table 2) that the HTMT
method satisfies the threshold values (<0.90) for establishing
discriminant validity (Henseler et al., 2015; Chen and Lin,
2019; Husain et al., 2022).
4.2 Structural model
The structural model estimates the causal relationships
between the latent constructs (Hair et al., 2019). Following the
guidelines of Hair et al. (2017), this study applied the variance
inflation factor (VIF) to assess the multicollinearity of the
model. The results revealed that all VIF values were less than 3,
indicating no multicollinearity in the data (Hair et al., 2019).
The findings demonstrated that the R2 values for brand
resonance, emotional responses and online impulse buying
intentions were 0.66, 0.40 and 0.87, respectively. These values
indicate that the endogenous constructs had a higher explained
variance (Chin, 1998). Therefore, the proposed model
exhibited strong predictive explanatory power. The predictive
relevance of the model was evaluated using the PLS-
blindfolding technique. The results revealed that the Q2 values
for brand resonance, emotional responses and online impulse
buying intentions were 0.34, 0.20 and 0.53, respectively. These
findings demonstrate that endogenous constructs possessed
more substantial predictive relevance (Hair et al., 2019). The
model fit was examined by determining the standardized root
mean square residual measure. The result value of 0.04
indicates a strong fit of the proposed model (Hair et al., 2017).
The hypotheses were evaluated following the bias-corrected
and accelerated bootstrap technique with 5,000 subsamples, a
two-tailed test and a significance level of 0.05 (Hair et al.,
2017). Table 3 demonstrates that social media marketing
activities did not significantly affect online impulse buying
intentions, failing to support H1, whereas social media
marketing activities positively impacted brand resonance and
 Power of brand social media marketing Journal of Product & Brand Management
Asif Ali Safeer

Table 1 Constructs reliability and validity values

Code Item description Loading value
Social media marketing activities (Cronbach’s alpha 0.92; CR 0.92; AVE 0.52)
SMMA1 Interacting with this brand’s social media platform is an enjoyable experience 0.73
SMMA2 The social media content of this brand is interesting 0.71
SMMA3 This brand’s social media platform facilitates the exchange of information 0.61
SMMA4 This brand’s social media platform facilitates discussions and the exchange of opinions with others 0.76
SMMA5 It is convenient to express my viewpoint using the social media platform of this brand 0.73
SMMA6 This brand’s social media posts feature the most recent information 0.68
SMMA7 It is very trendy to use this brand’s social media platform 0.72
SMMA8 This brand’s social media platforms provide a customized search for information 0.72
SMMA9 The social media platform of this brand offers customized services 0.83
SMMA10 I wish to share information about this brand and its products with my friends through its social media platform 0.68
SMMA11 I wish to share content from this brand’s social media accounts on my blog or microblogging platform 0.73
Brand resonance (Cronbach’s alpha 0.92; CR 0.92; AVE 0.56)
BR1 This is my absolute favorite brand 0.82
BR2 I have a strong attachment to this brand 0.74
BR3 This brand holds a significant personal value to me beyond being a mere product 0.75
BR4 I am eagerly engaging in discussions with others regarding this brand 0.72
BR5 I take pride in openly acknowledging my preference for this brand 0.74
BR6 I regularly stay informed about the latest news and updates related to this brand 0.74
BR7 This brand demonstrates a strong understanding of its consumers’ preferences 0.83
BR8 This brand exhibits a high degree of innovation 0.71
BR9 This brand consistently demonstrates concern for its consumers and values their feedback 0.66
Emotional responses (Cronbach’s alpha 0.90; CR 0.90; AVE 0.56)
This brand is
ER1 Interesting – Uninteresting 0.78
ER2 Attractive – Unattractive 0.67
ER3 Cheerful – Depressing 0.77
ER4 Good – Bad 0.80
ER5 Bright – Dull 0.81
ER6 Pleasurable – Unpleasurable 0.76
ER7 Comfortable – Uncomfortable 0.61
Social network proneness (Cronbach’s alpha 0.83; CR 0.83; AVE 0.55)
SNP1 I use social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) daily 0.78
SNP2 I follow fashion retailers and their brands through social networking platforms and online blogs 0.71
SNP3 I would feel regretful in the event of the closure of my social networking Web page 0.65
SNP4 My disconnection increases if I fail to access a social networking platform 0.81
Online impulse buying intentions (Cronbach’s alpha 0.85; CR 0.85; AVE 0.65)
OIB1 If I see a new fashion brand online, I intend to buy it 0.85
OIB2 I wish to purchase a fashion brand online to discover its new features 0.83
OIB3 I like to purchase newly introduced fashion brands online 0.75
Notes: CR = composite reliability; AVE = average variance extracted
Source: The author’s work

emotional responses. As a result, these findings supported H2
and H3. The findings revealed that brand resonance, emotional
responses and social network proneness significantly impacted
online impulse buying intentions, which supported H4a, H5a
and H6a. The findings also indicate that the interaction effects
of social network proneness and social media marketing
activities significantly influenced impulsive online buying
intentions, leading to increased impulsive online buying among
highly social network-prone consumers, which supported H6b.
Finally, this study assessed the mediating effects by examining
the direct and indirect impacts of the path coefficient (Hair
et al., 2017). The findings demonstrate that brand resonance
and emotional responses positively mediated the relationships
between social media marketing activities and online impulse
buying intentions. As a result, H4b and H5b were supported.
5. Discussions and theoretical contributions
Social media has accelerated consumer–brand interactions.
Understanding consumer spending is critical for fashion brands
because consumers often use fashion brands to express
themselves (Schivinski et al., 2022). This study contributes fresh
 Power of brand social media marketing Journal of Product & Brand Management
Asif Ali Safeer

Table 2 Discriminant validity – heterotrait–monotrait ratio
Construct 1 2 3 4
1. Brand resonance
2. Emotional responses 0.63
3. Online impulse buying intentions 0.89 0.70
4. Social media marketing activities 0.81 0.63 0.80
5. Social network proneness 0.86 0.67 0.87 0.80
Source: The author’s work
insights into the S-O-R theory (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974)
and the existing literature on social media marketing activities
(Kim and Ko, 2012) by shedding light on consumer behavior for
fashion retail brands. First, the findings revealed that social media
marketing activities (i.e. stimuli) significantly influenced brand
resonance by increasing consumer brand attachment,
engagement and judgment (i.e. organisms) in the social media
ecosystem. Social media marketing activities, mainly electronic
WOM, strengthen consumer–brand relationships by fostering
brand resonance regarding consumer reach, engagement and
attachment in virtual settings (Habib et al., 2021).
Social media marketing activities are a critical business
strategy that can assist companies in improving brand
attachment and brand evaluation and reinforcing consumer–
brand relationships (Panigyrakis et al., 2020; Khan et al.,
2022). The empirical findings indicated that social media
marketing activities strengthened brand resonance and
cultivated more robust connections through brand attachment,
engagement and judgment on social media platforms. Second,
the findings revealed that social media marketing activities
positively influenced consumer emotional responses by eliciting
feelings of arousal and pleasure. The findings are supported by
previous research indicating that various firms’ virtual
activities, such as website design factors and advertisements,
can stimulate consumers’ emotions by influencing their arousal
and pleasure (Ha and Im, 2012).
Third, the findings indicate that brand resonance and
emotional responses are significant determinants that stimulate
impulsive purchasing behavior among consumers in virtual
environments. Marketing researchers have revealed that brand
resonance supports generating consumer purchase intentions
5
and luxury brand consumption (Zhao et al., 2021; Husain et al.,
2022). Likewise, brand resonance strengthens consumer–
brand relationships (Jung Jung et al., 2014). These
relationships can influence consumer behavior by fostering
brand attachment, engagement and judgment and stimulating
impulse purchases in virtual settings. On the other hand, it has
been found that consumer emotional responses significantly
influence online impulsive buying intentions. Emotional
responses, such as arousal and pleasure, lead consumers to
indulge in online impulsive buying behavior (Lin and Lo, 2016;
Liu et al., 2020). This research did not observe direct,
significant effects of social media marketing activities on
consumers’ online impulse buying intentions for fashion retail
brands. In contrast, social media marketing activities
significantly influenced online impulse buying intentions via
brand resonance and emotional responses. Consequently,
brand resonance and emotional responses served as valuable
mediators in eliciting online impulsive purchasing.
Finally, the findings indicate that consumers who were more
inclined to use social networks were more likely to engage in
online impulsive purchasing toward fashion retail brands.
When consumers communicate digitally with each other, they
learn more about products and have better buying experiences,
increasing consumer benefits and company profits (Kumar
et al., 2016). The digital representation of brand followers on
social media platforms can positively impact consumers’
buying decisions (Naylor et al., 2012). The inclination toward
social networks plays a crucial role in facilitating the increase of
online impulsive purchases among consumers of fashion
outlets. On the flip side, the interplay between social media
marketing activities and consumers’ inclination toward social
networks is crucial in amplifying online impulsive buying
intentions among consumers.
Firm-generated communication encourages social media-
savvy consumers to share product knowledge, influencing their
purchasing behavior and increasing sales and profitability
(Kumar et al., 2016). The findings revealed that consumers

Table 3 Hypotheses results

Hypothesized relationships b-value t-value Result
Direct relationships
H1 Social media marketing activities ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.11 1.23 Not supported
H2 Social media marketing activities ! Brand resonance 0.82 23.44 Supported
H3 Social media marketing activities ! Emotional responses 0.63 11.67 Supported
H4a Brand resonance ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.44 4.69 Supported
H5a Emotional responses ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.19 3.25 Supported
H6a Social network proneness ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.41 2.94 Supported
Moderating relationships
H6b Social media marketing activities  Social network proneness ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.06 4.12 Supported

Mediating relationships Indirect Direct Mediation

H4b Social media marketing activities ! Brand resonance ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.36 NS Full Supported
H5b Social media marketing activities ! Emotional responses ! Online impulse buying intentions 0.12 NS Full Supported
Notes: t > 1.96 at  p < 0.05; t > 2.58 at  p < 0.01; t > 3.29 at  p < 0.001 (two-tailed); NS = non-significant
Source: The author’s work
 Power of brand social media marketing
Asif Ali Safeer
who are highly inclined to use social networks tend to exhibit a
higher tendency to make online impulsive purchases of fashion
brands. In contrast, consumers who are less willing to use social
media networks tend to exhibit a lower tendency to make
online impulsive purchases of fashion brands. Companies must
adopt proactive social media marketing strategies to connect
with social media-savvy consumers by enhancing their brand
knowledge and experiences and fostering long-term
relationships (Nasir et al., 2021; Sohaib et al., 2022).
In summary, this study contributes to the S-O-R theory
(Mehrabian and Russell, 1974; Jacoby, 2002) by providing
empirical evidence that social media marketing activities (i.e.
interaction, entertainment, trendiness, WOM and
customization), as external stimuli, influence brand resonance
(i.e. brand attachment, engagement and judgment) and
emotional responses (i.e. arousal and pleasure), as organisms, to
generate consumer responses by stimulating their online
impulsive buying intentions for fashion retail brands. This study
endorses that consumers who are more inclined to engage with
social networks are more likely to make online impulsive
purchases. This study also indicates that businesses can adopt
social network proneness as a strategic approach to increase
online impulsive purchasing intentions for fashion retail brands.
5.1 Managerial contributions
This research offers valuable managerial recommendations for
designing and executing powerful brand positioning, segmenting
and targeting strategies for retail outlets. First, retail managers are
recommended to use social media marketing strategies, including
interaction, entertainment, trendiness, WOM and customization,
using different social media platforms, including Instagram,
Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). These strategies strive to
improve consumer–brand relationships by fostering brand
attachment, engagement and brand evaluation, which contribute
to brand resonance and stimulate spontaneous online buying
intentions among consumers for fashion brands. Social media
marketing has become increasingly dynamic, playing a decisive
role in enhancing the quality of relationships between firms and
customers, leading to a higher likelihood of repeat purchases in
online environments (Sohaib et al., 2022). Second, retail
managers should use social media marketing activities as a
strategic tool to elicit consumers’ emotional responses, which may
assist managers in increasing online impulsive purchases for
fashion brands.
Third, retail managers should prioritize consumer emotional
responses and brand resonance. These determinants contribute
to building strong relationships with consumers and increasing
online impulse buying of fashion brands. Likewise, brand
resonance and emotional responses can serve as a bridge
between social media marketing activities and online impulse
buying intentions. Thus, understanding consumer emotions
and cultivating brand resonance for building relationships has
become vital in the modern age. Fourth, this study discovered
that social network proneness was critical in stimulating
consumers’ online impulse purchases, particularly among high
social network-prone consumers. Social network proneness
creates motivation among consumers (Kumar et al., 2016).
Retail managers should develop brand communities on social
media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly
Twitter) to encourage consumers to share their positive
Journal of Product & Brand Management
purchasing and consumption experiences. Sharing positive
customer experiences can increase sales and profits for retail
outlets. Finally, retail managers should design fashion brand
strategies by integrating social media marketing activities with
social network proneness. This integration may help retailers
effectively position, segment and target consumers, leading to
more online impulsive sales and ensuring the long-term
sustainability of retail businesses.
5.2 Limitations and future research directions
This research has several limitations that might guide future
scholars with opportunities to delve deeper into the subject to
add new contributions. First, this study examined fashion
brands across product categories (i.e. apparel and accessories,
jewelry and footwear) to extrapolate the findings to the retail
business. Future researchers should focus on specific fashion
brands or individual product categories to yield new insights
into the retail sector. Second, this study examined the
synergistic effects of brand resonance, including brand
attachment, engagement and judgment, in the context of the
fashion retail business. Future studies might disintegrate the
three core components of brand resonance – specifically, brand
attachment, engagement and judgment – to uncover its more
profound implications in the retail sector.
Third, this study collected data from a diverse group of
consumers spanning various age groups, ranging from 18 to
49 years. Future studies should collect data from different age
cohorts, such as Generation Z, Y and X, to formulate effective
segmentation, positioning and targeting strategies that cater to
each generational cohort’s unique characteristics and
preferences. Fourth, this study used the snowball sampling
technique. Future research can use random sampling to
extrapolate the findings. Fifth, this research did not include any
control questions or covariates. Future research should use
control questions or covariates to uncover new insights. Finally,
this study had one moderator (i.e. social network proneness)
from the perspective of technology usage. Future studies
should explore other moderators related to consumer traits,
such as satisficers versus maximizers (Barta et al., 2023), to
understand their online impulse buying patterns.
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About the author
Asif Ali Safeer is a Certified Professional Marketer (Asia)
with extensive experience in industry and academia. He has
over 13 years of experience in marketing and branding. In
addition, he has over six years of academic experience. His
scholarly contributions have been featured in reputable
journals, including Technological Forecasting and Social Change,
Journal of Product & Brand Management, Management Decision,
Marketing Intelligence and Planning and Asia Pacific Journal of
Marketing and Logistics, among others. His research interests
include brand management, consumer behavior, digital
marketing, international marketing and corporate social
responsibility. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor
of Marketing at the Business School, Huanggang Normal
University, Huanggang, China. Asif Ali Safeer can be
contacted at: aasafeer@outlook.com