Brand Activism and Consumer Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Value Alignment in the UAE Consumer Market Context.
Abstract
This research examines how brand activism (BA) affects consumer loyalty (CL) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including the mediating effect of value alignment (VA). The study examines the effects of consumers' alignment with brand values on shaping their loyalty behaviors in a culturally diverse, rapidly digitalized, and increasingly consumer-conscious market. We sampled 612 consumers in the UAE retail and service sector, such as fashion, technology, and food and beverage industries. The hypotheses and the test of the direct and indirect effects have been tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings are solid evidence on the research model. BA improved CL to a great extent when consumers felt that their personal values and the position adopted by the brand aligned. VA played the role of a holy broker and turned BA into increased trust, emotional attachment, and returning customers. On the other hand, the weak alignment of activism minimized the positive effect on loyalty, which raised concerns about the possible dangers of misplaced or hollow initiatives. The research is among the first to conduct empirical research on the mediating role of VA between VA and CL in the UAE market setting. The results can benefit brand management literature because they accentuate the necessity of strategic alignment of activism with consumer values as the key to obtaining loyalty in culturally diversified and rapidly changing markets.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2026.v.14.n.26.228-251
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International Journal of Marketing, Communication and New Media
ISSN: 2182-9306
DOI: 10.54663/2182-9306
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