Muketing at KFC: The Roles of Brand Emotional Attachment and Superstitious Belief Levels in Shaping Experiential Purchase Intention

Abstract

          This study aimed to: 1) examine the indirect effect of belief-based marketing communication (Muketing) on experiential purchase intention through brand emotional attachment as a mediating variable; 2) investigate the direct effect of belief-based marketing communication on experiential purchase intention; and 3) explore the moderating effect of belief in superstition on the relationship between belief-based marketing communication and experiential purchase intention. This study employed a quantitative research design. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from 392 consumers familiar with the KFC brand and exposed to KFC’s “Lucky Bucket Bag” campaign. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group analysis were used to test the proposed hypotheses.

           The findings revealed that 1) the belief-based marketing communication had an indirect effect on experiential purchase intention through brand emotional attachment, with brand emotional attachment serving as a partial mediator; 2) this communication had a direct effect on experiential purchase intention; and 3) the belief in superstition significantly moderated the relationship between belief-based marketing communication and experiential purchase intention. Specifically, belief-based marketing communication had a significant positive effect on experiential purchase intention among consumers with high levels of superstitious belief, whereas the relationship was not significant among consumers with low levels of superstitious belief. The findings contribute to the marketing and consumer behavior literature by explaining the psychological mechanism underlying belief-based marketing communication and provide practical insights for marketers in developing communication strategies that align with consumers’ beliefs and behavioral characteristics in contemporary markets.