Advertising, Hedonic Consumption, and Cognitive Dissonance: Mediating influence of Impulse Buying Behavior towards Apparel Consumers

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of advertising and consumers' hedonic consumption tendencies on pre-purchase cognitive dissonance, with impulse buying as a mediating factor. A descriptive and explanatory research design was employed, and 384 apparel shoppers from retail outlets were purposively selected as the participants. The analysis was conducted using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that advertising significantly influences impulse buying, and hedonic consumption tendencies also have a notable effect on impulse buying. Additionally, impulse buying was found to have a significant impact on cognitive dissonance. However, impulse buying did not mediate the relationship between advertising and cognitive dissonance, whereas hedonic consumption tendencies exhibited partial mediation. These findings offer valuable insights for marketers and apparel brands, enabling them to make informed strategic decisions regarding advertising campaigns, celebrity endorsements, social media engagement, and product positioning by understanding how advertising and hedonic consumption shape consumer behavior.