BUILDING MOVIE BRAND EQUITY: A MODERATED MEDIATION PERSPECTIVE OF EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Abstract

In the contemporary movie industry, films are increasingly positioned as brands whose success depends not only on box-office performance but also on the strength of audience perceptions and emotional connections. This study examines how movie brand experience influences movie brand equity through audience emotional engagement, while also considering the conditional role of social influence. Drawing on experiential consumption theory, customer-based brand equity theory, and social influence perspectives, the study proposes and tests a moderated mediation model using data collected from cinema industry professionals across major Indian film industries. A structured questionnaire was administered, and 445 valid responses were analysed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS (Model 14) with bootstrapping. The findings reveal that movie brand experience has a significant direct effect on brand equity and an indirect effect through emotional engagement. Importantly, social influence was found to weaken the relationship between emotional engagement and brand equity, indicating a negative second-stage moderation. The results highlight that while emotionally engaging movie experiences are critical for building brand equity, their impact varies depending on the surrounding social discourse. The study offers valuable theoretical insights into movie branding and provides actionable implications for filmmakers and marketers operating in socially mediated entertainment environments.