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

Article


Salem, S., Alanadoly, A. B. and Sulaiman, M. A. B. A. 2024. Immersive gaming in the fashion arena: an investigation of brand coolness and its mediating role on brand equity. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing. 18 (4), pp. 529-548. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-02-2023-0053
AuthorsSalem, S., Alanadoly, A. B. and Sulaiman, M. A. B. A.
Abstract

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.

KeywordsBrand coolness; Online games; Brand equity; Fashion in-game collaborations
JournalJournal of Research in Interactive Marketing
Journal citation18 (4), pp. 529-548
ISSN2040-7122
Year2024
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-02-2023-0053
Publication dates
Online30 Sep 2023
Print14 Aug 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted17 Sep 2023
Deposited25 Oct 2023
Copyright holder© 2023, The Authors
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File access level: Anyone

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