Modern Research in Decision Making

Investigation of the Effect of Social Media Marketing on Brand Equity and Brand Attachment in the Insurance Industry with the Mediating Role of Brand Trust and Commitment

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Hossein Norouzi 1
Mobina Rahmani Gohar 2

1 Associate Prof., Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

2 MSc., Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
With the rapid advancement of digital technologies and the increasing influence of social media, traditional marketing practices have given way to more contemporary strategies. Social media, in particular, has emerged as a pivotal platform for facilitating interaction between brands and consumers. This study investigates the influence of social media marketing on brand equity and brand attachment, focusing on the mediating roles of brand trust and brand commitment within the context of Iran’s insurance sector. The research adopts a descriptive-survey methodology, targeting customers of Asia Insurance in Tehran as the statistical population. Data were gathered using a standardized questionnaire comprising 36 items and analyzed using structural equation modeling through Smart PLS 3 software. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique, combined with a non-random convenience approach, was employed, resulting in 330 valid responses for analysis. The results indicate that social media marketing exerts a significant and positive influence on brand equity, brand attachment, brand trust, and brand commitment. Moreover, brand trust and commitment are found to serve as key mediators in these relationships. This study underscores the strategic relevance of social media in marketing and offers a novel contribution by comprehensively examining these constructs within the Iranian insurance industry, thereby enriching both theoretical frameworks and practical applications.

Keywords

Social media marketing
brand equity
brand attachment
brand trust
brand commitment
[1] Nuseir, M. T., El Refae, G. A., Aljumah, A., Alshurideh, M., Urabi, S., & Kurdi, B. A. (2023). Digital marketing strategies and the impact on customer experience: A systematic review. The effect of information technology on business and marketing intelligence systems, 21-44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12382-5_2 
[2] Noroozi, M. , khadivar, A. and Abbasi, F. (2023). Modeling and predicting mobile phone purchase intention of Twitter users based on sentiment analysis. Modern Research in Decision Making, 8(1), 91-112.[In Persian]
[3] Sharabati, A. A. A., Ali, A. A. A., Allahham, M. I., Hussein, A. A., Alheet, A. F., & Mohammad, A. S. (2024). The Impact of Digital Marketing on the Performance of SMEs: An Analytical Study in Light of Modern Digital Transformations. Sustainability, 16(19), 8667. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198667 
[4] Nikolinakou, A., Phua, J., & Kwon, E. S. (2024). What drives addiction on social media sites? The relationships between psychological well-being states, social media addiction, brand addiction and impulse buying on social media. Computers in Human Behavior, 153, 108086.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108086 
[5] Zeqiri, J., Koku, P. S., Dobre, C., Milovan, A. M., Hasani, V. V., & Paientko, T. (2025). The impact of social media marketing on brand awareness, brand engagement and purchase intention in emerging economies. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 43(1), 28-49.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/MIP-06-2023-0248 
[6] Norouzi, H. , Nosratpanah, R. and Rahmani Gohar, M. (2024). Predicting purchase intention through brand experience: New challenges and opportunities in attracting and retaining customers with an emphasis on brand attitude, trust, and attachment. Journal of Advertising and Sales Management, 5(1), 19-46. [In Persian]  https://doi.org/10.22034/asm.2024.714211 
[7] Bozkurt, S., Gligor, D., Ozer, S., Sarp, S., & Srivastava, R. (2024). The impact of perceived social media interactivity on brand trust. The mediating role of perceived social media agility and the moderating role of brand value. Journal of marketing analytics, 12(3), 523-536.‏ https://doi.org/10.1057/s41270-023-00268-w 
[8] Wong, A. (2023). Understanding consumer brand love, Brand Commitment, and brand loyalty. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 22(2), 87-114.‏ https://doi.org/10.1080/15332667.2023.2173937 
[9] Febrian, A., Nani, D. A., Lina, L. F., & Husna, N. (2022). The Role of Social Media Activities to Enhance Brand Equity. Journal of Economics, Business, & Accountancy Ventura, 25(1), 20.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.14414/jebav.v25i1.2881 
[10] Özer, M., Özer, A., Ekinci, Y., & Koçak, A. (2022). Does celebrity attachment influence brand attachment and brand loyalty in celebrity endorsement? A mixed methods study. Psychology & Marketing, 39(12), 2384-2400.‏ https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21742 
[11] Shad, Z. , Anisseh, M. and Shirooyehpour, S. (2024). Investigating the impact of social media marketing activities on brand equity. Journal of Advertising and Sales Management, 5(1), 309-331. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22034/asm.2024.713405 
[12] Haghighinasab, M. , MirzaeianKhamseh, P. and Soltani Tajabadi, M. (2024). The Effect of Social Media Marketing on Brand Equity with the Mediating Role of Brand Experience and Social Media Benefits. Quarterly Journal of Brand Management, 10(4), 13-66. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22051/bmr.2023.40987.2366 
[13] Rahimniya, F., Eslami, G. and Ghadrei, F. (2019). Investigation on the Relationship Between Social Media Marketing and Customer Commitment with the Mediator Role of Brand Value (Case Study: Women Buying Clothes Online). Commercial Surveys, 17(94-95), 23-39. [In Persian]
[14] Ramazani, A., & Alavi Vafa, M. (2017). Investigating internal challenges facing the Iranian insurance industry in crisis conditions: A case study of fire insurance in Asia Insurance Company. Insurance Research Studies, 1(2), 145–181. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22054/irisk.2019.18586.1016 
[15] HOSSEINZADEH, H. , Sanavi Fard, R. and KHAJEH, M. (2023). Deciding On The Main Components Affecting The Social Media Marketing Model By Meta-Synthesis. Modern Research in Decision Making, 8(3), 133-161. [In Persian]
[16] Sohaib, M., & Han, H. (2023). Building value co-creation with social media marketing, brand trust, and brand loyalty. Journal of retailing and consumer services, 74, 103442.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103442 
[17] Ellitan, L., Harvina, L. G. D., & Lukito, R. S. H. (2022). The effect of social media marketing on brand image, brand trust, and purchase intention of somethinc skincare products in surabaya. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business, 3(2), 104-114.‏ https://doi.org/10.24123/jeb.v3i2.4801 
[18] Morgan, R. M., & Hunt, S. D. (1994). The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing. Journal of marketing, 58(3), 20-38.‏
[19] Hafez, M. (2021). The impact of social media marketing activities on brand equity in the banking sector in Bangladesh: the mediating role of brand love and brand trust. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 39(7), 1353-1376. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-02-2021-0067
[20] Hasangholipour yasory, T. , Nosratpanah, R. and Mohammadzadeh Vanestan, S. (2024). Passing the Selling Concept and changing the attitude towards life insurance as an Unsought product: A purchase decision model based on consumers' insurance literacy, trust, perception and attitude. Journal of Advertising and Sales Management, 5(2), 200-222. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22034/asm.2024.715374
[21] Amoroso, D. L., & Ackaradejruangsri, P. (2024). Brand commitment as predecessor to the factors of continuance intention. Journal of Marketing Analytics, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41270-024-00333-y 
[22] Turri, A. M., Smith, K. H., & Kemp, E. (2013). Developing affective brand commitment through social media. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 14(3).
[23]Aaker, D. A. (1992). The value of brand equity. Journal of business strategy, 13(4), 27-32.‏
[24]Aghazade, H., Amini Kesbi, H., Jafari, E. (2021). Investigating the Role of Brand Personality in Forming Brand Equity: Case of Hamrah-e- Avval Telecommunication Oprator. Management Research in Iran, 20(2), 1-20. [In Persian]
[25] Dehdashti Shahrokh, Z., Naeli, M. (2021). The Impact of Social Media Marketing Activities On Customer Equity of Luxury Brands A Study of Dorsa Brand. Management Research in Iran, 24(1), 33-57. [In Persian]
[26] Seo, E. J., & Park, J. W. (2018). A study on the effects of social media marketing activities on brand equity and customer response in the airline industry. Journal of Air Transport Management, 66, 36-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2017.09.014
[27] Thomson, M., MacInnis, D. J., & Whan Park, C. (2005). The ties that bind: Measuring the strength of consumers’ emotional attachments to brands. Journal of consumer psychology, 15(1), 77-91.‏
[28] Barreda, A. A., Nusair, K., Wang, Y., Okumus, F. & Bilgihan  A. (2020). The impact of social media activities on brand image and emotional attachment: A case in the travel context. Journal of hospitality and tourism technology, 11(1), 109-135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-02-2018-0016 
[29] Sanjari Nader, B. , Yarahmadi, F. and BALOUCHI, H. (2020). The Impact of Social Network Based Brand Communities on Brand Evangelism through Strengthening Brand Trust. Consumer Behavior Studies Journal, 7(2), 24-47. [In Persian]
[30] Peng, L., Adeel, I., Ayub, A., & Rasool, Z. (2024). Investigating the roles of word of mouth and brand image between social media marketing activities and brand equity. Sage Open, 14(1), 21582440231220113. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231220113 
[31] Wei, L. H., Huat, O. C., & Thurasamy, R. (2023). The impact of social media communication on consumer-based brand equity and purchasing intent in a pandemic. International Marketing Review, 40(5), 1213-1244. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IMR-12-2021-0353 
[32] Hafez, M. (2023). The nexus between social media marketing efforts and overall brand equity in the banking sector in Bangladesh: testing a moderated mediation model. Journal of Internet Commerce, 22(2), 293-320. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15332861.2022.2042968 
[33] Dwivedi, A., Johnson, L. W., Wilkie, D. C., & De Araujo-Gil, L. (2018). Consumer emotional brand attachment with social media brands and social media brand equity. European journal of marketing, 53(6), 1176-1204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EJM-09-2016-0511 
[34] Chahal, H., & Rani, A. (2017). How trust moderates social media engagement and brand equity. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 11(3), 312-335. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-10-2016-0104 
[35] Lam, L., Nguyen, P., Le, N., & Tran, K. (2021). The relation among organizational culture, knowledge management, and innovation capability: Its implication for open innovation. Journal of open innovation: technology, market, and complexity, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7010066 
[36] Hair, Jr, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2010). SEM: An introduction. Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective. A global perspective, 5(6).
[37] Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). Rethinking some of the rethinking of partial least squares. European journal of marketing, 53(4). https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-10-2018-0665
[38] Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of marketing theory and practice, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679190202
[39] Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2013). Multivariate data analysis: Pearson new international edition PDF eBook. Pearson Higher Ed.‏
[40] Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (pls-sem) - joseph f. hair, jr., g. tomas m. hult, christian ringle, marko sarstedt. , Sage.

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Reviewers

Contact Us