International Journal of Marketing Studies, Issue: Vol.18, No.1

Creativity-Driven Innovation for Heritage Breed Conservation: Concept Development Using SCAMPER and Brainwriting

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 06:41:21 +0000

Innovation paths that link biodiversity protection with modern market dynamics are necessary for the preservation of heritage livestock breeds. Conceptual development efforts have mostly concentrated on food products, leaving wider innovation prospects underexplored, despite increased interest in native pig breeds in Mexico. This study looks at how two structured creativity methods—brainwriting (6–3–5) and SCAMPER—can aid in the formulation of early concepts pertaining to the value-adding of native Mexican pig breeds. Between August and November 2025, thirteen teams took part in creativity workshops that produced a variety of ideas. Thematic analysis showed that although brainwriting produced fewer but more cohesive and connected solutions, SCAMPER generated a significant number of exploratory ideas. Participants created multifaceted innovation concepts across techniques, including culinary items, experiential offers, educational programs, therapeutic applications, cultural events, and conservation-focused models. These results show that structured creativity methods can uncover diverse value pathways that extend beyond traditional food-based approaches. The findings contribute to research on sustainable marketing, biodiversity conservation and creativity-based innovation by demonstrating how interdisciplinary, facilitated ideation processes can broaden the strategic landscape for heritage-breed valorization. Practical implications for producers, educators and policymakers include opportunities for cross-sector collaboration, cultural engagement and diversified conservation strategies.

Factors Influencing Buying Behavior of Swedish Toy Collectors

Sat, 09 May 2026 02:53:50 +0000

This study explores the buying behavior and identity recognition of Swedish toy collectors, specifically adult collectors of collectible action figures—an under-researched segment in buying behavior literature. Using an exploratory, inductive qualitative approach, 10 individual case studies were conducted, applying elements of grounded theory to uncover the factors influencing the buying behavior of Swedish adult collectors of collectible action figures. The findings identify four key factors influencing the buying behavior of Swedish adult collectors of collectible action figures: nostalgia, gratification, a sense of community, and prestige, with nostalgia emerging as the dominant motivator. Additionally, the collectors identify themselves primarily as passionate, hobbyist, and expressive collectors, with some acknowledging aspects of inquisitive-like behavior to support their hobby. This study contributes to academic understanding by deepening insights into the emotional and identity-driven motivations behind collecting, particularly of Swedish adult collectors of collectible action figures. It also offers practical implications for marketers, suggesting strategies for positioning action-figure toys to align with nostalgic appeal and collector identities. Future research could broaden the geographical scope or focus on the collecting process and other categories of collectibles. This study fills a critical gap in consumer behavior literature by illuminating the psychological and social dynamics of adult toy collectors, specifically action figure collectors.

The Role of Professor Personal Branding in Fostering Student Advocacy

Thu, 14 May 2026 08:43:13 +0000

The rising trend of students showing support for their professors on social media has caught the attention of academic circles. It highlights the importance of not only word-of-mouth recommendations but also personal brand advocacy in education. This study builds upon recent literature on personal branding to shed light on how professors can foster brand advocacy among students. The study involved a survey of 327 students from different academic fields and found that when professors effectively address their students’ needs for relatedness and competence, the students develop strong attachment and satisfaction with their professors. This, in turn, positively impacts students’ willingness to advocate for their professors as brands. Additionally, the research found that satisfaction positively correlates with students’ trust in their professors. These findings suggest that building positive relationships with students and addressing their emotional and educational needs can foster professor brand advocacy. This study has important implications for educators as it emphasizes the significance of personal brand advocacy in education.

The Effect of Facebook Advertising Quality on Consumer Purchase Intention: A Comparative SEM Study of Ghana and Guyana. Incorporating Trust and Risk Perceptions

Thu, 14 May 2026 08:46:05 +0000

Background: The influence of social media advertising on consumer behaviour has received significant acceptance. However, there exist limited knowledge on the mechanisms through which advertising quality impacts purchase intention. Even though the direct influence of social media advertising on consumer behaviour has been widely researched, the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between advertising quality and purchase intention have received less attention. Hence, the relationship between Facebook advertisement quality and purchase intention, with a specific focus on the mediating roles of consumer trust and perceived risk is being investigated to address this gap using Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed for the analysis.

Methods: A quantitative research design was adopted. Survey data were collected from 520 active Facebook users in Ghana and Guyana. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to examine the direct and indirect relationships among the variables. Standardized path coefficients (β), t-values, and significance levels were used to evaluate the hypothesized relationships.

Results: The findings indicated that advertising quality significantly increased consumer trust (β = 0.48, p < 0.001) and significantly reduced perceived risk (β = −0.41, p < 0.001). Advertising quality was also found to exert a significant positive influence on purchase intention (β = 0.37, p < 0.001). In addition, consumer trust positively affected purchase intention (β = 0.52, p < 0.001), while perceived risk negatively influenced purchase intention (β = −0.44, p < 0.001). Consumer trust was found to significantly reduce perceived risk (β = −0.46, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that consumer trust mediated the relationship between advertising quality and purchase intention (β = 0.25, t = 5.87, p < 0.001). Perceived risk also mediated this relationship (β = 0.18, t = 5.12, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a sequential mediation effect was identified, whereby higher advertising quality increased consumer trust, which in turn reduced perceived risk, ultimately enhancing purchase intention (β = 0.10, t = 3.94, p < 0.001).

Implications: The study contributes to the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework by explaining how advertising quality shapes internal consumer evaluations that influence purchase behaviour. From a managerial perspective, it is recommended that marketers design clear, credible, and visually appealing social media advertisements in order to strengthen consumer trust, reduce perceived risk, and ultimately improve purchase intention in digital markets.

Challenging the Market Leader Through Sponsorship: The Role of Team Identification and Team Performance

Fri, 29 May 2026 09:11:30 +0000

Apparel sponsorship represents a major competitive arena for sportswear brands. Prior research suggests that challenger brands often overinvest in sponsorships to compete with more prominent rivals, yet there is little guidance on how these brands can enhance their competitiveness effectively. This study examines the extent to which team identification and team performance can strengthen a challenger brand’s position against leading competitors. A best–worst discrete choice experiment (BWDCE) was conducted among an Australian football club fans. The findings showed that both team identification and team performance were significantly associated with fans’ preferences for their team’s sponsoring brand and willingness to pay (WTP) a price premium. This study provides empirical evidence of the role of psychological and contextual factors in mitigating the prominence bias that often favours market leaders. It also offers a practical framework for identifying sponsorship-related factors that can generate greater economic value and higher profitability for challenger brands.

Examination of Factors Influencing Consumers’ Water Conservation Behavior: The Moderating Role of Information Publicity

Fri, 29 May 2026 09:13:25 +0000

This research investigates the effects of habit, perceived risk, religious norms, and behavioral intent on consumers’ water conservation behavior in addition to the basic variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior which are attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and behavioral intention. We also examine the moderating role of information publicity in the context of individuals’ and households’ water conservation behavior: The study employed a quantitative survey research method. An online self-administered questionnaire was used. An online survey was used to ask Tunisian citizens about their intentions and behaviors about water conservation. We used measurement scales that had previously been validated and considered reliable in previous studies. The conceptual model and research hypotheses were tested through exploratory and confirmatory analyses. The findings highlight that behavioral intention toward water conservation is directly influenced by attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and habit. However, we found that religious values have little bearing on behavioral intention. The results further confirmed that information publicity had a moderating effect on the associations between attitude and behavioral intention. The research offers empirical evidence on the influence of several psychological and social factors on the adoption of water conservation behavior. The results provide insightful information that helps scholars, decision-makers, and marketers comprehend the significance of the psychological and social factors that influence people to adopt water-saving behaviors and practices. Additionally, it provides significant recommendations for governments and organizations to encourage and educate consumers to modify their water wasting habits and practice conservation.

Reviewer acknowledgements for International Journal of Marketing Studies, Vol. 18, No. 1

Sat, 30 May 2026 01:44:09 +0000

Reviewer acknowledgements for International Journal of Marketing Studies, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2026.