ESP-3779

Published

2025-07-31

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 7 (2025): Published

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Eya Atallah Zouari*, Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih , Houda Nouicer, Hussein N.E. Edrees

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Atallah Zouari, E., Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih, Nouicer, H., & Hussein N.E. Edrees. (2025). The impact of congruence on consumer engagement with brands on social media. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(7), ESP-3779. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i7.3779

The impact of congruence on consumer engagement with brands on social media

Eya Atallah Zouari

Department of Management and Marketing, College of business and economics, Qatar University,Doha,2713,Qatar

Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih

Management Department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia

Houda Nouicer

Department of Management, Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management of Tunis, El Manar University, Tunis,1068,Tunisia

Hussein N.E. Edrees

Data Management and Decision Support Office, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i7.3779


Keywords: Marketing influence; congruence of perception; engagement with consumers; brand marketing; visit intention; social media; Instagram; tourism marketing

Abstract

This study examines the mechanisms behind the effectiveness of influencer marketing on social media and its role in shaping consumer engagement. Therefore, the study surveyed 703 Tunisian consumers on Instagram, analyzing different forms of congruence (brand-influencer, brand-consumer, and influencer-consumer) and their impact on consumer engagement with brands on social media. The study's findings reveal that consumer engagement significantly influences brand image and visit intention. However, while influencer-consumer congruence and brand-influencer congruence strongly affect engagement indicators, brand-consumer congruence does not show a significant effect on consumer engagement. Consumer engagement acts as a key mediator, positively influencing brand image and visit intention. These results offer valuable insights for marketing professionals seeking to optimize their social media influence strategies, particularly regarding influencer selection and the importance of fostering authentic connections with target audiences.

References

[1]. 1.We Are Social. (2021). Digital 2021: Global Overview Report. Available from https://wearesocial.com/blog/2021/01/digital-2021-the-latest-insights-into-the-state-of-digital (accessed 19 January 2025).

[2]. 2.Ao, L., Bansal, R., Pruthi, N., & Khaskheli, M. B. (2023). Impact of social media influencers on customer engagement and purchase intention: A meta-analysis. Sustainability, 15(3), 2744.https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032744.

[3]. 3.Talha, M., Tahir, Z., & Mehroush, I. (2023). Enhancing customer engagement through source appearance and self-influencer congruence in mobile advertising. Spanish Journal of Marketing - ESIC, 28(4), 382–401. https://doi.org/10.1108/SJME-03-2023-0073.

[4]. 4.Kamins, M. A. (1990). An investigation into the "match-up" hypothesis in celebrity advertising: When beauty may be only skin deep. Journal of Advertising, 19(1), 4-13.

[5]. 5.Till, B. D., & Busler, M. (2000). The match-up hypothesis: Physical attractiveness, expertise, and the role of fit on brand attitude, purchase intent and brand beliefs. Journal of Advertising, 29(3), 1-13.

[6]. 6.Verma, S., Kapoor, D., & Gupta, R. (2024). Role of influencer–follower congruence in influencing followers' food choices and brand advocacy: Mediating role of perceived trust. British Food Journal, 126(12), 4055–4071. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2023-1146.

[7]. 7.Sirgy, M. J. (1982). Self-concept in consumer behavior: A critical review. Journal of Consumer Research, 9(3), 287-300.

[8]. 8.Kressmann, F., Sirgy, M. J., Herrmann, A., Huber, F., Huber, S., & Lee, D. J. (2006). Direct and indirect effects of self-image congruence on brand loyalty. Journal of Business Research, 59(9), 955-964.

[9]. 9.Koay, K. Y., & Lim, W. M. (2024). Congruence effects in social media influencer marketing: The moderating role of wishful identification in online impulse buying intentions. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 33(5), 687–702. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2023-4709.

[10]. 10.Van Doorn, J., Lemon, K. N., Mittal, V., Nass, S., Pick, D., Pirner, P., & Verhoef, P. C. (2010). Customer engagement behavior: Theoretical foundations and research directions. Journal of Service Research, 13(3), 253-266.

[11]. 11.Hollebeek, L.D., Glynn, M.S., & Brodie, R.J. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social media: Conceptualization, scale development and validation. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 28(2), 149-165.

[12]. 12.Sudha, M., & Sheena, K. (2017). Impact of influencers in consumer decision process: the fashion industry. SCMS Journal of Indian Management, 14(3), 14-30.

[13]. 13.Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. A. (2011). Who are the social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 90-92.

[14]. 14.McCracken, G. (1989). Who is the celebrity endorser? Cultural foundations of the approval process. Journal of Consumer Research, 16(3), 310-321.

[15]. 15.Kamins, M. A., & Gupta, K. (1994). Congruence between spokesperson and product type: A matchup hypothesis perspective. Psychology & Marketing, 11(6), 569-586.

[16]. 16.De Vries, N. J., & Carlson, J. (2014). Examining the drivers and brand performance implications of customer engagement with brands in the social media environment. Journal of Brand Management, 21(6), 495-515.

[17]. 17.Brock, T. C. (1965). Communicator-recipient similarity and decision change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1(6), 650-654.

[18]. 18.Sokolova, K., & Kefi, H. (2020). Instagram and YouTube bloggers promote it, why should I buy? How credibility and parasocial interaction influence purchase intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101742.

[19]. 19.Carroll, B. A., & Ahuvia, A. C. (2006). Some antecedents and outcomes of brand love. Marketing Letters, 17(2), 79-89.

[20]. 20.Albert, N., & Merunka, D. (2013). The role of brand love in consumer-brand relationships. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 30(3), 258–266. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363761311328928.

[21]. 21.Lam, T., & Hsu, C. H. (2006). Predicting behavioral intention of choosing a travel destination. Tourism Management, 27(4), 589-599.

[22]. 22.Yusra, Y., Vilzati, V., Eliana, E., & Ariffin, A. A. M. (2023). Stimulating visit intention using social media influencer: Mediating role of enjoyment. Indonesian Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, 9(2), 295–305. https://doi.org/10.17358/ijbe.9.2.295.

[23]. 23.Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

[24]. 24.Tawa Influence Hub. (2021, 27 octobre). Tawa Influence Hub présente son étude sur le marketing digital en Tunisie. Managers. https://managers.tn/2021/10/27/tawa-influence-hub-presente-son-etude-sur-le-marketing-digital-en-tunisie

[25]. 25.Jaoued-Abbassi, L., & Chandon, J. L. (2015). Effet de l'endossement par les célébrités sur l'image de marque: Rôle mediator de la congruence avec l'image de soi. Revue Française du Marketing, 254, 7-23.

[26]. 26.Schivinski, B., Christodoulides, G., & Dabrowski, D. (2016). Measuring consumers' engagement with brand-related social-media content: Development and validation of a scale that identifies levels of social-media engagement with brands. Journal of Advertising Research, 56(1), 64-80.

[27]. 27.Ferns, B. H., & Walls, A. (2012). Enduring travel involvement, destination brand equity, and travelers' visit intentions: A structural model analysis. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 1(1-2), 27-35.

[28]. 28.Jin, S. V., & Ryu, E. (2020). “I'll buy what she's# wearing”: The roles of envy toward and parasocial interaction with influencers in Instagram celebrity-based brand endorsement and social commerce. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 55, 102121.

[29]. 29.Kiuru, K. (2014). The relationship between brand love and positive word of mouth. University of Jyväskylä. JYX Digital Repository. Available from http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-201405261831 accessed 19 January 2025).



21 Woodlands Close #02-10, Primz Bizhub,Postal 737854, Singapore

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com