Customer Engagement and Advertising Message Strategy: An Application of the Stimulus Organism Response Model

ABSTRACT
It has been documented in the literature that customer engagement, defined as ‘‘customers’ behavioural manifestation toward a brand or firm, beyond purchase, resulting from motivational drivers”, leads to increased profits, sustained differentiation and superior competitive advantage. Scholars for a while have therefore focused on understanding the dynamics of this concept and, in particular, the factors that account for it. They have particularly called for studies that focus on message strategies that are employed in advertisement on social media which is a form of customer engagement. Others have asserted that such studies should be conducted in unexplored areas like Africa, South America and the Middle East. (Barger et al., 2016; Islam & Rahman, 2016b). This study, therefore sought to examine the customer engagement and advertising message strategy within the Ghanaian context. The objectives of this research include to determine which transmission message strategy has the greatest impact on customer emotions and attitude, to highlight the specific ritual message strategy that has the greatest impact on customer emotions and attitude, to ascertain if the emotions of pleasure and arousal, derived from an advertising message strategy stimulus leads to customer engagement, and to uncover if attitude towards advertisement is a determinant of customer engagement. The study draws on the stimulus-organism response model and Taylor’s (1999) advertising message strategy and aims to provide insights into the most effective advertising message strategies for both hedonic (luxury) and
utilitarian (functional) products. Through an extensive literature review, a conceptual framework and empirical results from over 400 individuals in top to middle-level management, the study employs a within-subjects quasi experimental research, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), confirmatory factor analyses along with structural equation modelling. The findings of the research show that for hedonic products, the most effective ritual message strategy is the social strategy, which has the most effect on emotions and attitude towards the advertisement. This is followed by the ego and then finally the sensory message strategies. In addition, the findings also show that for utilitarian products, all transmission message strategies have virtually the same effect on attitudes and emotions. Finally, regarding the relationship between emotions, attitude towards the advertisement and customer engagement, the study finds that pleasure and
attitude towards the advertisement have a significantly positive effect on customer engagement. From the findings, it is recommended that marketers should craft advertisements for hedonic products using the social message strategy in order to stimulate the emotions and attitude of customers. Also, when advertising utilitarian products, marketers are at liberty to choose among the transmission strategies.