Influence of emotional marketing on consumer behavior towards food and beverage brands during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study from Lebanon

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, the advertising industry has struggled to adapt to a new reality. The current study aims to explore the impact of emotional advertising during this pandemic on The Lebanese consumers’ behavior. We are particularly interested in fast-food chains due to the contradiction between their unhealthy offerings and their empathetic marketing. A convenience sample of 270 respondents was analyzed. Findings show that positive attitudes towards emotional marketing create positive actions towards the brand, which are mediated by more positive emotions towards the brand–even in times of crises. However, there was no effect of perceived lack of authenticity on attitudes or actions. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.