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Comments From The Editors, Tulay Girard, Melek Meral Anitsal

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Comments from the Editors:

We welcome you to the current issue of the Journal of Applied Marketing Theory. The Journal of Applied Marketing Theory (JAMT) aims to provide a reputable platform for publishing academic research that advances marketing knowledge and offers insights for marketing managers.

In the current issue, we are pleased to present six manuscripts that offer unique insights into several diverse topics. Each article received praise from our review team and we are happy to have the opportunity to present them to you in this edition of JAMT.

Psychosocial Factors Affecting Intention To Play Esports, Soojung K. Park, Jennifer Y. Mak, Lei Ouyang

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

According to a report by Newzoo (2023), global e-sports revenue will reach US$187.7 billion in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 2.6%. By understanding the motivations of esports players, marketers can tailor their strategies, messages, and products better to meet the needs and desires of the esports community, ultimately enabling more effective marketing campaigns and increased brand success. This study explored the psychosocial factors that influenced esports participation and attempted to identify the most influential motivational factor among these three factors: enjoyment, escapism, and social interaction. The data for analysis is based on reliable responses from 200 eSports players gathered through …

Digital Vs. Traditional: Comparing Sales Students' Initial Post- College Career Search Preferences Before And After Covid-19, Linda Mullen, Randy Stuart, Michael L. Thomas

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the

career search strategies of college students studying professional

sales. The research consists of a post-pandemic study that is

compared to a previous study conducted pre-pandemic in 2019. The

paper investigates the preference of sales students for digital

media versus face-to-face interactions in their career searches.

The pre-pandemic study revealed that while sales students

engaged with digital media, they still heavily relied on traditional

methods. The post-pandemic results differed primarily in students’

interviewing preferences. Despite the challenges posed by the

pandemic, students continue to utilize both online and traditional

resources. …

Customer Service Brand Engagement Among International Students: The Roles Of Preferred University Brand Attainment, Thuy Nguyen, Qin Sun, Gopala Ganesh

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This research is motivated by the industry and academic needs to corroborate a holistic understanding of preferred service brand status and customer service brand engagement (CSBE). The study investigates the impact of achieving preferred university brand status and how different touchpoints in higher education influence the CSBE outcomes of host universities, as seen from the perspective of international students. Data was collected from 22 American Universities with at least 1,000 international student enrollments using an online survey. The study systematically defines and identifies appropriate touchpoints within the higher education decision-making journey. Second, the findings indicate variations in the experiences of …

Student Perceptions And Preferences Of University-Affiliated Athletic Merchandise And Logos, Robin Hardin, Michelle L. Childs, Kirby D. Simpson

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

College sports are certainly ingrained in the fabric of American society, and a significant aspect of this phenomena is the pageantry associated with college sports. This pageantry includes team logos and official team colors, and both are important aspects of fandom and team identification. Utilizing social identify theory as the theoretical framework for this research, the purpose of this study was to examine students’ university-affiliated athletic merchandise and logo preferences and related behaviors. Two focus groups were conducted with results showing three major themes, where students demonstrated polarizing views and opinions. These themes were (a) fashion and function, (b) orientation …

The Digital Engine Model: Lead Generation Through Applied Dcm Strategies, Kyle A. Huggins, John D. Hansen

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Digital Content Marketing (DCM) has become a primary tool for marketers in driving lead generation in today’s digital marketing world. Leading brands are creating and curating content trying to build brand equity and trust, connecting content to consumer action through brand story. And while strong theoretical models of content marketing have been discussed in the marketing literature, like Hollebeek and Macky (2019), there is a dearth of understanding about the application and direct impact of organic digital content strategies on marketing directives. This paper investigates an applied model, called The Digital Engine, which provides instruction on proper inbound marketing techniques …

Real But Fictional: A Research Agenda Of Virtual Influencers For Brand Communications In Social Media Marketing, Lei Huang

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

With the rise of virtual influencers (VIs) and their impacts on influencer marketing, this paper proposes a future research paradigm on how to develop brand communication strategies through a novel understanding of VIs from both the consumer and company perspectives. Built on the parasocial interaction theory and the human brand theory, six propositions aim to provide research guidelines for influencer and social media marketing by leveraging the use of VIs in a brand-consumer relationship. The theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed.

How Likely Are Viewers To Watch Television Commercials: A Connectedness Perspective, Velitchka D. Kaltcheva, Anthony Patino, Dennis Pitta

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

With the recent return to more advertising-generated content by entertainment providers, it again becomes important to understand what will drive consumers to view commercials. We utilize the construct of television connectedness developed by Russell, Norman, and Heckler (2004) to predict viewers’ propensity to watch television commercials. Based on data derived from a survey completed by 816 residents of the United States, we estimate a logistic regression model and find that older (35+) viewers high on connectedness are more likely to view television commercials. We further employ correspondence analysis of free-response data to uncover differences in motivations to view commercials among …

Using The I3 Model To Understand Overeating, Kenneth Herbst, Mark Peterson, Suman Saha

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper uses a conceptual framework, the I³ Model (pronounced the ‘I-Cubed Model’), for understanding the influence of external and internal factors on eating behavior. According to the I³ Model (Instigation, Impellance and Inhibition), three processes can explain how overeating can occur. This paper provides support for the I³ Model through a field experiment and two laboratory experiments. The I³ Model sheds light on the nature of overeating when a perfect storm arises in which instigation and impellance are strong and inhibition is weak. The identification of this perfect-storm condition suggests that …

Chamber Of Commerce Membership: An Explanatory Model Of Member Organizations’ Normative, Continuance And Affective Commitments, Shawn F, Clouse, Simona Stan, Nader H. Shooshtari

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Organizations join associations to gain a wide range of benefits, such as advocacy in the local community, more expertise, or access to markets and new technologies. However, these benefits do not always result in readily observable positive outcomes as compared to the monetary costs and time investment for businesses. Such value judgements may result in lower commitment to the association and ultimately dropped memberships. The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors that drive member organizations’ commitment to a chamber of commerce. The results of the empirical study show a positive impact of members’ role expectancies and …

The Sport Marketing Portfolio Matrix: A Theory-Integrative Exploration Of Fans’ “Buy,” “Hold,” And “Sell” Behaviors, Kirk Damon Aiken, Richard M. Campbell, Ajay Sukhdial

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

The field of sport marketing lacks a comprehensive understanding of how fan behaviors link directly to sport products. This work introduces a model that accurately categorizes sport products, better recognizes fan behaviors, and simultaneously provides strategic guidance to sport managers. The model integrates the foremost theories of fan behavior with the financial theory of portfolio management. This novel perspective posits that sport fans should be viewed as “investors” who buy, hold, and sell athletes and teams. Fans manage their individual portfolios in line with personal goals, values, and social influences. The integration of theories bears significant implications regarding how sport …

Comments From The Editors, Tulay Girard, Melek Meral Anitsal

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

We welcome you to the current issue of the Journal of Applied Marketing Theory. The objective of Journal of Applied Marketing Theory (JAMT) is to provide a reputable platform for publishing academic research that advances marketing knowledge and offer insights for marketing managers.

What Drives Cryptocurrency Adoption? Exploring The Role Of Psychological Traits And Environmental Orientation, Sooyeon Choi, Seungho Shin

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Cryptocurrency is gaining worldwide recognition. This research examines the psychological determining factors of consumers’ cryptocurrency adoption behavior based on the theory of planned behavior. 452 samples are collected from U.S consumers and the data are analyzed by PLS-SEM. The findings reveal that consumer innovativeness has positive influences on the attitude and perceived behavioral control for cryptocurrency and in turn affects the intention to use cryptocurrency. Subjective norm is a significant predictor of cryptocurrency intention and the LOHAS lifestyle moderates the influence of attitude on the intention. This research offers theoretical and practical implications for the cryptocurrency market.

Sophisticated Vs. Rugged: Examining Gendered Brand Communication Styles And Social Media Engagement, Joanne T. Cao, Jamye Foster, Gallayanee S. Yaoyuneyong, Lacey K. Wallace

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Advertising and marketing managers understand that not all brands need to be on social media, but what is not clearly understood is consumers’ engagement expectations for brands that are on social media. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of brand personality, specifically sophisticated and rugged brands, and gendered communication styles on consumers’ expectations of social media engagement. A scenario-based experiment is performed to test the hypotheses using a mock brand. The main study consisted of a Qualtrics consumer panel, and a MANOVA was utilized to examine three components of social media engagement (consumption, contribution, and creation) on the two brand …