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Title: Influence of YouTube commercial communication on organic eWOM, purchase intent and purchase associations among young consumers

Authors: Rodney Graeme Duffett

Addresses: Marketing Department, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, P.O. Box 652 Cape Town 8000, Hanover Street, District Six Campus, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract: This study ascertains if YouTube (YT) commercial communication (CC) influences the organic electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), purchase intention and purchase associations among young consumers. A sequential sampling method was employed in a survey of 2,122 South African high school learners. Structural equation modelling was utilised to investigate the hypothesised associations. The analysis established that organic eWOM had a positive impact on purchase intent and purchase. Favourable organic eWOM → purchase intent and eWOM → purchase associations were also shown for young consumers who accessed YT via both personal computers and mobile, were inexperienced YT users, used YT daily, used YT for briefer periods of time, were aged 15-18 years, and were of White ethnicity. Organisations could take advantage of the positive organic eWOM and behavioural attitude relationships, as well as the favourable responses regarding usage and demographic characteristics.

Keywords: YouTube; organic electronic word-of-mouth; eWOM; purchase; purchase intent; intention-to-purchase; commercial communication; generation Z.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2022.122394

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2022 Vol.18 No.1, pp.87 - 107

Received: 08 Mar 2021
Accepted: 19 Oct 2021
Published online: 22 Apr 2022 *