Digital Advertising and Social Media Usage as Drivers of Consumer Buying Intentions: Evidence from the FMCG Sector of Pakistan
Abstract
This study investigates how social media marketing activities contribute to the development of brand love within Pakistan’s fashion apparel sector by examining the sequential roles of brand awareness and consumer engagement, while also considering the moderating influence of conspicuous consumption. The rapid expansion of digital platforms has transformed how fashion brands communicate with consumers; however, many Pakistani apparel brands struggle to convert online visibility into lasting emotional bonds. Addressing this gap, the research conceptualizes social media marketing activities as a strategic stimulus that shapes consumers’ cognitive recognition of brands and fosters active engagement, which together strengthen favorable brand perceptions and emotional attachment. Drawing on contemporary branding and consumer behavior perspectives, the study proposes a structured framework in which brand awareness enhances consumers’ familiarity and recall, while consumer engagement reflects deeper interactive and psychological involvement with fashion brands. Furthermore, the study acknowledges that consumers’ tendency toward conspicuous consumption may intensify or weaken these relationships by influencing how symbolic and status-oriented meanings are derived from fashion brands. Using a quantitative research design and structural modeling techniques, the study aims to provide empirical evidence relevant to Pakistan’s fashion apparel industry, an emerging market characterized by intense competition, trend sensitivity, and socially driven consumption patterns. The findings are expected to offer valuable theoretical contributions by integrating cognitive, behavioral, and symbolic dimensions of branding within a single model, while also delivering practical insights for fashion brand managers seeking to design more effective social media strategies that move beyond engagement metrics toward sustainable brand love and long-term consumer relationships.
Keywords: Social Media Marketing Activities; Brand Awareness; Consumer Engagement; Brand Love; Conspicuous Consumption; Fashion Apparel Industry; Digital Branding; Consumer Behavior; Emerging Markets; Pakistan; Online Brand Communities; Emotional Branding; Social Media Strategy; Brand Relationships; Fashion Marketing; Symbolic Consumption; Customer Engagement Theory; Digital Consumer Interaction; Brand Equity; Marketing Communication
