M3 - Marketing and AdvertisingReturn

Many individuals enjoy sharing their stories and experiences through social media, which exemplifies social media word-of-mouth (social media WOM). This study examines the role of social media WOM in driving masstige purchase behaviour. This study involves perceptual distance, luxury perception, purchase intention and gender in such an investigation. Masstige refers to providing prestige to the masses, indicating luxury products for a broad audience. A survey of 246 consumers is conducted and structural equation modelling is employed to analyse the data. We find that social media WOM positively influences perceptual distance, luxury perception and purchase intention. Perceptual distance negatively influences purchase intention, while luxury perception positively influences such intention. Purchase intention positively influences purchase behaviour. This study does not find support that gender moderates the relationship between perceptual distance and purchase intention, as well as between luxury perception and purchase intention. The findings suggest that marketers need to identify social media platforms that match the luxury perception of their target audience and present exclusive content to encourage purchase intention and, further, masstige purchases. Masstige purchase behaviour is vital for collectivist countries because it can increase their consumers’ social status and prestige.
Implications for Central European audience: Cultural and social homogeneity among Asian people brings the popularity of masstige brands from Western countries (Paul, 2015), especially Central European brands to capitalise on the capabilities they have created (Alić et al., 2022). The findings of this study are crucial as Indonesia and the Visegrád Group (V4) of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have strong business relationships (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, 2019). 

In the days when the notion of “keeping up with Joneses” is stepping back to “keeping up with the network”, it is of great importance to seek an understanding of how classical theories and thoughts (such as Veblen’s conspicuous consumption theory from 1899) are potentially affected as a result of the development of social media (SM). Nowadays, social media catalyses conspicuous consumption while expanding what is considered a social group and social classes and fuelling the aspirant group influence and social comparison. This paper provides a theoretical framework of the conspicuous consumption school of thought and characteristics of premium luxury fashion goods. It traces deep-rooted consumption patterns from Bulgaria's background and argues the potential underlying motives of conspicuous consumption. It further investigates consumer behaviour and addresses the existing gaps in the extant academic literature by discussing the results of an online survey among 130 respondents (53.1% of the respondents were 25 years of age or less, and 46.9% were above 25). The main objective of the paper is to study the relationship between variables of conspicuous consumption, the symbolic value of images displayed online, social media intensity and the fulfilment of social needs in the context of Instagram as a selected social media. The study data demonstrate that Instagram intensity fosters social comparison, which leads to an increased need for uniqueness. Younger individuals and females, in general, have the desire to project a conspicuous image online, and they would most likely post their luxurious premium fashion products online. Our findings confirm that social media fosters social comparison, resulting in an increased need for differentiation, uniqueness and social conformity. The findings add to a growing body of literature on social media and substantially to our understanding of Bulgarian customers’ perception of premium luxury fashion products.
Implications for Central European audience: The paper builds on extant literature in the field of conspicuous consumption, which is a common phenomenon in post-socialist countries. It provides a custom methodology for studying the conspicuous display of fashion items on Instagram, which is one of the most used communication media on a regular basis among young people in CEE (Eurostat, 2022) and the second most popular social media in Europe (Statcounter, 2022). The distribution of global social media users accounts for 5.7% in Central Europe and 5% in Eastern Europe (Statista, 2022). The results can be used by companies in the sector, new entrants, influencers, opinion leaders, etc.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the intercultural and gender differences between American and Czech customers in relation to their perceptions of the verbal and nonverbal personality characteristics of a salesperson during the personal sales process. This research provides scholars and practitioners with an understanding of the cultural and gender-specific personal interaction factors that should be addressed when designing effective interpersonal sales approaches. The study utilized an experimental design approach. Personal selling scenarios were filmed and shown to respondents (university students acting as potential customers) who completed a survey regarding sales effectiveness. The resulting data was factor analyzed and a conceptual personal sales model was developed. The model suggests that salesperson authenticity and personal interaction factors impact sales success in both the U.S. and the Czech Republic. However, there are variations in the receptivity of potential U.S. and Czech customers to specific interpersonal communication factors. Gender-based variations were also identified. The study focused on automotive retail sales scenarios in the United States; however, the results can be generalized to similar markets.

Due to the rise in consumers' "health-conciousness", the health-related market has become one with the most potential. However, most studies on health-related consumption have been carried out within the Western world, while the evolution of health management in Central and Eastern Europe has been radically different. This paper builds on two separate qualitative studies of consumers' perception and practices in the sphere of health and food in Denmark and the Czech Republic. Each of these studies explored in its own way, how consumers in each of the two cultural settings deal with consumption through different forms of governmentality. It shows how in the Danish setting the notion of agency and the reflexive self unfold as a theme where consumers depend on an inner voice and a "gut feeling", while in the Czech context consumers increasingly seek guidance from expert systems. These findings thus enlighten the meanings and processes behind consumer choices, having significant implications for marketing of companies operating on these growing markets.

Delivering superior service quality to customers in today's business environment is very crucial and important due the stiff competition in the local and international markets. The ability to provide high service quality will strengthen the image, enhance retention of customers, attracting new potential customers through customer satisfaction and loyalty. This study investigates the customer satisfaction and loyalty relationship in terms of basic service, advanced service employed by Jamuna Bank Limited and customer perceptions regarding cost and prestige of receiving banking service of the concerned bank. The study reveals that there is a significant relationship observed among advanced service, cost & prestige and customer satisfaction. There is an insignificant relationship observed between basic service and customer satisfaction and finally a positive significant relationship observed between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty relationship.

This article brings managerial guidelines for new market expansion and current market penetration on the example of a Czech medical devices manufacturer. We describe the strategy in evaluation of the opportunities in the territories, of setting up the benchmarks, the steps how to deal with partners in current territories and how to approach the acquisition of new territories. We show how significant the sales growth is for financials, and we mention the limit defined in the Theory of Sustainable Growth. We show how important the level is, how the products are advanced and how important it is to have unique products. The objective of the article is to bring a basis for new thoughts to readers who might intend to look for new markets acquisition. The information and facts provided show a real example of an existing company's approach.