The impact of digital content marketing on brand defence: The mediating role of behavioural engagement and brand attachment

AlFraihat, Sakher Faisal Ahmad; Ali, Ahmad Mahmoud; Hodaifa, Gassan; Mahmoud Alghizzawi Article The impact of digital content marketing on brand defence: The mediating role of behavioural engagement and brand attachment Administrative Sciences Provided in Cooperation with: MDPI – Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, Basel Suggested Citation: AlFraihat, Sakher Faisal Ahmad; Ali, Ahmad Mahmoud; Hodaifa, Gassan; Mahmoud Alghizzawi (2025) : The impact of digital content marketing on brand defence: The mediating role of behavioural engagement and brand attachment, Administrative Sciences, ISSN 2076-3387, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 15, Iss. 4, pp. 1-19, https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15040124 This Version is available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/321268 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your personal and scholarly purposes. You are not to copy documents for public or commercial purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. If the documents have been made available under an Open Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Received: 19 December 2024 Revised: 13 February 2025 Accepted: 25 March 2025 Published: 27 March 2025 Citation: AlFraihat, S. F. A., Ali, A. M., Hodaifa, G., & Alghizzawi, M. (2025). The Impact of Digital Content Marketing on Brand Defence: The Mediating Role of Behavioural Engagement and Brand Attachment. Administrative Sciences,15(4), 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ admsci15040124 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/). Article The Impact of Digital Content Marketing on Brand Defence: The Mediating Role of Behavioural Engagement and Brand Attachment Sakher Faisal Ahmad AlFraihat 1, Ahmad Mahmoud Ali 1, Gassan Hodaifa 2,* and Mahmoud Alghizzawi 3 1Department of Business Administration and Marketing, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain; [email protected] (S.F.A.A.); [email protected] (A.M.A.) 2Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering Area, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain 3Faculty of Business Administration, Private University of Applied Sciences, Amman 11931, Jordan; [email protected] *Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Marketers are increasingly interested in digital content marketing (DCM) strategies that have the potential to enhance consumer behaviour. However, there is a dearth of academic research that delves into the impact of DCM on brand defence. This study aims to investigate the impact of DCM on brand defence through behavioural engagement and brand attachment (in a Jordanian fashion industry case study). The results demonstrate a notable benefit of the direct effect of DCM on behavioural engagement, brand attachment, and brand defence. DCM is the strongest determinant of brand defence, followed by behavioural engagement and brand attachment. Behavioural engagement exerts a substantial beneficial impact on brand attachment. The results of this research indicate that both behavioural engagement and brand attachment significantly influence brand defence. The mediation results indicate that brand attachment fails to mediate the positive impact of DCM on brand defence. Moreover, the study determines that behavioural engagement mediates the positive impact of DCM on brand defence. This study is of high importance for marketing strategies, emphasising the pivotal importance of DCM in developing effective marketing approaches. Keywords: digital content marketing; behaviour engagement; brand attachment; brand defence 1. Introduction The advent of the digital era prompted numerous organisations and companies to transition their marketing strategies from traditional to digital formats. DCM has become a much sought-after, topical, and captivating subject, attracting a great deal of attention from consumers and marketers alike. It holds immense significance as a conceptual framework and plays a pivotal role in driving the success and growth of companies. Furthermore, it represents a recent and notable advancement in the utilisation of online technology (Ezekiel,2022). DCM has emerged as a pivotal component of a prosperous online marketing campaign and serves as the primary instrument inside the realm of digital marketing. In a corresponding manner, the revenue generated from worldwide DCM experienced an increase from USD 55.1 billion in 2021 to USD 72 billion in 2023. According to Statista (2023a), the anticipated value is expected to reach USD 107.5 billion by 2026. Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15040124 Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 2 of 19 Galdón-Salvador et al. (2024) indicated that DCM refers to the process of generating, disseminating, and exchanging pertinent, captivating, and timely content with the aim of engaging customers during their decision-making process and motivating them to achieve a favourable outcome for the organisation. In contrast to conventional methods, DCM in a digital context encompasses the production of many forms of content, including article blogs, social media postings, podcasts, videos, and other mediums, with the aim of effectively engaging a particular target demographic (Bui et al.,2023). Pektas and Hassan (2020) defined content marketing as a marketing strategy that strives to develop attractive, helpful information for the target consumers, disseminate it, and respond to it. Despite the increasing significance of DCM, there has remained a lack of academic comprehension in this field up to now (Hollebeek & Macky,2019). Due in large part to its relatively recent birth as a subject of study, there is still a major gap in the academic literature despite the acknowledged relevance of DCM (Muller & Christandl,2019). Although numerous research works have examined its influence on consumer engagement and brand results, a thorough comprehension of its consequences, particularly in particular sectors, is still lacking (Alfraihat et al.,2024). Additionally, the growing lack of trust that consumers have in traditional marketing methods highlights the necessity for creative strategies like DCM in order to draw in and keep consumers (Galdón-Salvador et al.,2024). Therefore, further research is necessary to investigate the field of DCM. Statista (2023b) reports that the fashion industry is still very profitable and continuously changing. In this sense, Jordanian firms have the opportunity to participate in international trade, which will strengthen the local economy, thanks to the worldwide fashion market, which is estimated to be worth USD 1.2 trillion (Ruth,2021). According to Al-Nsour and Yusak (2023), one of the most attractive investment opportunities in the Jordanian economy is the fashion business. The Department of Statistics (2024) projects that Jordan’s population will rise to 11,587 in 2024, positioning it as an emerging market. Datareportal (2024) estimates that people under the age of 34 make up 66.3% of its population. Young people make up the greatest buyer group for fashion products according to Gadhavi and Sahni (2020). The fashion industry in Jordan is a long-term endeavour that mostly relies on effective marketing tactics for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. This is achieved by emphasising customer preferences and keeping up with fashion trends (Alshurideh et al.,2024). Jordan’s fashion sector is dominated by about 10,700 small, independent fashion boutiques that sell clothes, shoes, and accessories; there are not many online merchants in the country. The industry employed over 57,000 workers from Syria and Jordan (Al-Nsour & Yusak,2023). In light of the above context, this study aims to investigate the impact of DCM on brand defence in the Jordanian fashion industry, with particular emphasis on the influence of behavioural engagement and brand attachment. The examination of these relationships will contribute to the current literature on DCM. In addition, it will offer significant new insights for companies seeking to improve their DCM strategies in order to have a favourable impact on brand defence and increase the likelihood of customers purchasing their promoted fashion products. 1.1. Literature Review for Conceptual Framework A context-specific research methodology was essential for the implementation of this study. A structured model that illustrates the relationships between digital content marketing, behavioural engagement, brand attachment, and brand defence is shown in Figure 1. This conceptual framework was developed based on findings from the literature review and the theoretical and practical assumptions made (Bougie & Sekaran,2019). Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 3 of 19 Adm. Sci. 2025, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 19 Figure 1. Conceptual Framework. 1.2. Digital Content Marketing (DCM) DCM has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its crucial role within the realm of digital marketing (Galdón-Salvador et al., 2024). DCM is increasingly recognised as an essential approach for organisations aiming to engage meaningfully with their customers. Hollebeek and Macky’s (2019) findings indicate that DCM is essential for developing consumer relationships and enhancing consumer engagement and trust. DCM, often known as deep customer marketing, is as a strategy focused on building relationships. Its primary objective is to foster emotional connections and facilitate meaningful interactions between consumers and brands, rather than solely concentrating on direct brand promotion (Sawaftah et al., 2021). DCM, in contrast to traditional advertising methods, facilitates interactive communication on digital or virtual platforms, generating value for users through various activities such as social engagements and information retrieval, including blogs, e-newsletters, and online posts (Pektas & Hassan, 2020). DCM provides the advantage of accessing a broader audience while minimising marketing expenses, thereby reducing the necessity for advertising and direct sales initiatives (Alfraihat et al., 2024). Consequently, DCM is focused on improving long-term sales performance through customer engagement and trust-building (Galdón-Salvador et al., 2024). DCM offers valuable content for an engaged target audience. Thus, understanding how content can be utilising in marketing for consumers’ engagement is important for generating effective marketing (Dewi et al., 2022). According to Taiminen and Ranaweera (2019), digital marketers anticipate that the usage of DCM will have a sustained impact on consumer behaviour, as conventional methods of product advertising and service promotion no longer effectively engage contemporary customers. In contrast, it is widely believed among digital marketers that content marketing presents a more cost-effective alternative to advertising across many media platforms, hence rendering it an enticing avenue for exploration within the realm of digital marketing. 1.2.1. Behaviour Engagement The concept of customer engagement is conceptualised as a multifaceted construct including various forms of communication, including both purchase-related and nonpurchase-related interactions, between individuals who have the potential to become Figure 1. Conceptual Framework. 1.2. Digital Content Marketing (DCM) DCM has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its crucial role within the realm of digital marketing (Galdón-Salvador et al.,2024). DCM is increasingly recognised as an essential approach for organisations aiming to engage meaningfully with their customers. Hollebeek and Macky’s (2019) findings indicate that DCM is essential for developing consumer relationships and enhancing consumer engagement and trust. DCM, often known as deep customer marketing, is as a strategy focused on building relationships. Its primary objective is to foster emotional connections and facilitate meaningful interactions between consumers and brands, rather than solely concentrating on direct brand promotion (Sawaftah et al.,2021). DCM, in contrast to traditional advertising methods, facilitates interactive communication on digital or virtual platforms, generating value for users through various activities such as social engagements and information retrieval, including blogs, e-newsletters, and online posts (Pektas & Hassan,2020). DCM provides the advantage of accessing a broader audience while minimising marketing expenses, thereby reducing the necessity for advertising and direct sales initiatives (Alfraihat et al.,2024). Consequently, DCM is focused on improving long-term sales performance through customer engagement and trust-building (Galdón-Salvador et al.,2024). DCM offers valuable content for an engaged target audience. Thus, understanding how content can be utilising in marketing for consumers’ engagement is important for generating effective marketing (Dewi et al.,2022). According to Taiminen and Ranaweera (2019), digital marketers anticipate that the usage of DCM will have a sustained impact on consumer behaviour, as conventional methods of product advertising and service promotion no longer effectively engage contemporary customers. In contrast, it is widely believed among digital marketers that content marketing presents a more cost-effective alternative to advertising across many media platforms, hence rendering it an enticing avenue for exploration within the realm of digital marketing. 1.2.1. Behaviour Engagement The concept of customer engagement is conceptualised as a multifaceted construct including various forms of communication, including both purchase-related and nonpurchase-related interactions, between individuals who have the potential to become Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 4 of 19 consumers or who are already customers and a particular company (Carlson et al.,2019). In their study, Mohammad et al. (2021) delineated customer engagement as the complex interplay of behavioural manifestations, attitudinal orientations, and attachment levels exhibited by customers towards a commercial entity. Customer engagement encompasses three aspects that encompass cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses (Chi et al., 2022). Cognitive engagement refers to a consumer’s concerns or interest in a brand and demonstrates their capacity to identify and learn more about the brand in question. Positive feelings towards the focal brand, like joy, affection, or pride, are indicated by emotional engagement as a result of the consumer–brand relationship (Alfraihat et al.,2024). Behavioural engagement, according to Hollebeek et al. (2014), is the amount of time, effort, and focus customers give to their interactions with brands. Within online communities, engagement is reflected from a behavioural perspective, resulting from cognitive engagement and/or emotional engagement, where the emotional form activates the growth of the next behavioural engagement (Hollebeek & Macky,2019). From a behavioural standpoint, customer engagement concentrates on the behavioural indicators concerning a brand (Sawaftah et al.,2021). Behavioural brand engagement might facilitate the value of the nexus to be more noticeable for the customers (Tarabieh et al.,2024). 1.2.2. Brand Attachment Bilondatu and Tjokrosaputro (2023) indicated that brand attachment refers to the degree of emotional connection that an individual has with a specific brand. Vieira and Sousa (2020) suggest that the idea of brand attachment holds significant importance in capturing the affective aspects of the consumer–brand connection. According to Alves et al. (2022), the notion of brand attachment can be defined as the cognitive and emotional connection that links a specific brand to an individual’s sense of self. The resultant association has the potential to impact an individual’s cognitive and affective capacities. When a strong relationship is established, the brand will accrue advantages from its customers, including, but not limited to, recurrent purchases, heightened brand trust, and a propensity to pay a comparatively higher price (Davis & Dacin,2022). Furthermore, the concept of brand attachment refers to a psychological inclination that has the potential to swiftly shape consumers’ perceptions of a specific brand (Shetty & Fitzsimmons,2022). Vahdat et al. (2020) identified two distinct approaches in the measuring of brand attachment, each emphasising different aspects of attachment. The scale of emotional attachment developed by Thomson et al. (2005) and the scale of brand attachment developed by Park et al. (2010) are two notable measures in the field. Thomson et al. (2005) suggest that attachment exhibits variability primarily in terms of its intensity, with stronger attachments being associated with heightened emotional experiences, particularly in terms of connection, affection, and passion. However, the measurement framework developed by Park et al. (2010) primarily focuses on cognitive aspects related to the accessibility of a brand and its integration into a customer’s identity. 1.2.3. Brand Defence In the world of marketing literature, the idea of brand defence is relatively new. Customer actions taken proactively to protect a brand from criticism and preserve its reputation are referred to as brand defence (Mostafa & Kasamani,2020). The act of brand defence has been recognised as a discretionary action (Ali et al.,2021) which serves as the most potent manifestation of WOM and signifies the favourable perceptions within the consumer–brand association that prompt customers to protect a brand from negative evaluations (Sawaftah et al.,2021). In a more exact manner, consumer behaviour can be characterised as the act of advocating for, voicing support on behalf of, safeguarding, and Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 5 of 19 proactively mitigating detrimental information concerning a brand, hence serving as a protective measure (Wilk et al.,2020). Javed et al. (2015) regarded the analysis of online brand advocacy as a significant component of their research. Ilhan et al. (2018) posited in their research that this behaviour extends beyond mere brand endorsement. Brand defence strategies are crucial for influencing consumer perceptions and maintaining brand loyalty (Sawaftah et al.,2021). Ali et al. (2021) identified six distinct types of defence techniques: vouching, advocating, rationalising, trivialising, postponing, and doubting. The concept of advocacy in defence pertains to customer responses to critical comments perceived as unwarranted (Roy et al.,2023). Justifying defence parallels promoting defence; however, it is executed in a more equitable and nuanced manner (Dalman et al.,2019). Hassan and Casalo Arino (2016) characterise trivialising defence as the employment of humorous remarks which are devoid of a robust defending argument. Deferring in defence does not necessarily imply the validity of the complainant’s allegations. The articulation of negative thoughts or critiques regarding a specific brand is termed vouching defence (Ali et al.,2021). Questioning the defence ultimately raises concerns about the authenticity of the complaint (Au et al.,2021). 1.3. Hypothesis Development 1.3.1. The Impact of DCM on BE DCM is essential for boosting consumer engagement, trust, and loyalty. Additionally, Dewi et al. (2022) look into how DCM affects consumer behaviour, emphasising its positive effects on brand loyalty and consumer engagement. The company must apply the concept of DCM in order to attain customer engagement (Galdón-Salvador et al.,2024). Every brand possesses various assets and, among them, having actively engaged customers is seen as a crucial asset, as they are recognised as brand advocates (Harrigan et al.,2021). Although social media serves as a platform for customer engagement behaviours, companies have the opportunity to utilise social media to promote their goods, motivate consumers, and establish a robust relationship between customers and the firm Sawaftah et al. (2021). To clarify, it may be argued that DCM serves both hedonic and utilitarian purposes, hence functioning as a source of inspirational content. Consequently, this can lead to increased levels of behavioural engagement (Hollebeek & Macky,2019). Taiminen and Ranaweera (2019) state that cultivating long-lasting customer relationships and encouraging active customer interaction with enterprises are the main goals of using DCM. In light of these results, the following theory is put forth: H1: DCM has a positive effect on BE. 1.3.2. The Impact of DCM on BD According to Hollebeek and Macky (2019), DCM serves both hedonic and utilitarian ends; for that reason, it can offer motivational material, which helps with brand defence. Additionally, Sawaftah et al. (2021) demonstrate how various DCM strategies may impact brand defence, with varying degrees of impact based on the message sources that consumers choose. Customers’ behavioural intentions can improve when they assess the reliability of content sources, as found by AlSokkar et al. (2025). In marketing communications, the strength of persuasive influences is linked to the theory of source credibility. This has to do with how many people believe that a source is knowledgeable about the topic being discussed and, as a result, reliable when providing an unbiased analysis of the circumstances. Consequently, when individuals are emotionally exposed to a message source that is seen as credible, such as user-generated content, they are more likely to develop stronger attachments and engagement in comparison to sources that are perceived as less credible. Consequently, the consumers will endeavour to establish a sense of identifi- Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 6 of 19 cation with fellow individuals and advocate for the aforementioned brand. The careful and thorough evaluation of the true merits of the provided information by an individual results in persuasion, such as the defence of a brand. The influence of DCM on brand defence is contingent upon the message source selected by the client (Sawaftah et al.,2021). Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed: H2: DCM has a significant positive effect on BD. 1.3.3. The Impact of DCM on BA According to the findings of Bilondatu and Tjokrosaputro (2023), DCM has the capacity to impact the emotional and cognitive states of both potential and current customers, which contributes to the establishment of brand attachment. According to Jun and Yi (2020), individuals who are regularly exposed to marketing content have heightened levels of brand attachment. Marketing strategy has a substantial role in captivating consumers. Marketing using social media is widely recognised as a highly efficacious approach in the contemporary era. Research has provided evidence to support the notion that DCM has the ability to influence consumer behaviour. Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed: H3: DCM has a significant positive effect on BA. 1.3.4. The Effect of BE on BA According to Wilk et al. (2018), brand attachment is enhanced by customer engagement. Therefore, the aforementioned data indicate that individuals who actively participate in online social media communities are inclined to form psychological connections with the business or community, and this increases brand attachment. According to Li et al. (2020), the act of customer engagement has a positive impact on the development of self–brand connection, which is a component of brand attachment. Additionally, it fosters emotional connections between customers and service providers. J. Kumar and Nayak (2019) imply that engaged customers are attached to a brand. Moreover, those who have developed an emotional connection to a particular brand demonstrate significant levels of loyalty towards that brand. According to Li et al. (2020), brand loyalty can be influenced by customer engagement through the mechanism of brand attachment. The objective of customer engagement is to cultivate emotional connections between service providers and customers, ultimately transforming customers into advocates for sellers (V. Kumar & Kaushik,2020). According to Coelho et al. (2018), those who actively participate in the online brand community tend to establish robust emotional connections with the brand. Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed: H4: BE has a significant positive effect on BA. 1.3.5. The Impact of BE on BD According to Harrigan et al. (2021), customer brand engagement and brand advocacy and defence are positively correlated. Brand supporters showed higher levels of involvement with brands inside online forums than the ordinary customer, according to a study by Wilk et al. (2018). Li et al. (2020) found evidence to support the idea that engaging in tourism-related activities is positively correlated with good perceptions of a brand, which in turn leads to higher levels of consumer loyalty. In the discipline of psychology, Harrigan et al. (2021) claim that the degree of participation positively increases the motivation driving these attitudes. Mishra’s (2019) study found that customers who actively interact with a business are more inclined to suggest it. As a result, it may be assumed that brand defence will most likely result from engagement. Customers will actively engage with a Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 7 of 19 brand and create a voluntary relationship that goes beyond simple transactions when they are inspired by aspects of that brand. Client engagement directly leads to brand defence. In contrast to individuals who are exposed to sources that are seen as less credible, customers who are emotionally exposed to a message source that they perceive as trustworthy are more likely to establish stronger attachments and display higher levels of engagement, according to attachment theory. As a result, consumers will make an effort to identify with their peers and promote the brand in question (Sawaftah et al.,2021). Consequently, the following hypothesis is proposed: H5: BE has a significant positive effect on BD. 1.3.6. The Impact of BA on BD Strong emotional ties and a robust bond between the customer and the brand constitute the foundation of brand defence. Customers exhibiting a strong emotional connection to a brand, coupled with a favourable attitude, are more inclined to engage in defensive behaviours to protect and maintain its reputation. According to Ali et al. (2021), true brand advocates are individuals who establish self-definitional relationships with a brand. According to Ilhan et al. (2018), individuals who express satisfaction with a particular brand demonstrate a propensity to share their favourable experiences with others to advocate for the brand. In the context of a dispute, criticism, attack, or threat, the provision of support may take on a defensive character (Wilk et al.,2018). Additionally, research indicates that consumers tend to adopt defensive behaviours to protect and maintain a brand when they establish a strong emotional connection with it (Sawaftah et al.,2021). Consequently, the subsequent hypothesis is proposed: H6: BA has a significant positive effect on DC. 1.3.7. DCM, BE, and BD Weerasinghe (2019) argues that delivering high-quality content that fosters brand engagement is essential for capturing consumer interest in a product. This is likely to result in a heightened propensity for future purchases. Moreover, a study conducted by Hollebeek and Macky (2019) supports the notion that digital content possessing both functional and hedonistic value can effectively enhance consumer engagement. Customers are subsequently motivated to voluntarily participate in behaviours such as brand defence due to this engagement, manifesting as behavioural engagement. The subsequent theory is therefore proposed: H7: BE mediates the impact of DCM on BD. 1.3.8. DCM, BA, and BD According to Chen and Qasim (2021), DCM contributes to enhancing brand attachment by demonstrating that repeated exposure to marketing information will enhance brand relationships. Ali et al. (2021) also reported that customers with emotional relationships to their brand will defend the brand. Sawaftah et al. (2021) also noted that when consumers have a strong emotional connection to a brand they are more likely to take an active role in protecting it. Consequently, the following hypothesis is proposed: H8: BA mediates the impact of DCM on BD. Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 8 of 19 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Instrument Development The instruments for measuring each variable were developed by adapting questionnaires from prior studies. The survey questionnaire was designed following the positivist research paradigm and encompassed the demographic characteristics of the respondents along with scale items. • The first section of the surveys collected data on respondents’ age, gender, and monthly income. • In the second section of the survey questionnaire, the scale items were based on prior research studies. The current study’s framework comprised four foundational constructs evaluated through scale items. The variables for DCM were measured using ten items that were modified from the scales of Pektas and Hassan (2020). Nine items, from the Chi et al. (2022) scale, were utilised to measure the BE variable, while four items from Li et al.’s (2020) research were used to assess BA. The questionnaire utilised for the purpose of measuring BD was adapted from the measurement scale developed by Sawaftah et al. (2021). Table 1articulates the four constructs along with their associated references. Extensive research indicates that a five-point Likert scale is frequently preferred over a seven-point Likert scale in academic studies (Hair et al.,2016). The researchers employed a five-point Likert scale as the benchmark assessment in this study. Bougie and Sekaran (2019) asserted that a five-point rating scale is as effective as any alternative, and that enhancing the rating scale does not increase rating reliability. Each item on the five-point Likert scale was assessed from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree), indicating the variables. Table 1. Items used to measure constructs. Constructs Items References DCM Pektas and Hassan (2020) DCM1 DC expresses the facts. DCM2 DC is important. DCM3 I believe that DC is very informative. DCM4 DC is a reliable source of information regarding product quality and performance. DCM5 DC provides valuable information about products. DCM6 DC provides the true image of the goods provided generally. DCM7 I believe DC informs accurately. DCM8 DC provides important fundamental information on products. DCM9 I rely on the accuracy of DC. DCM10 DC is a good approach to acquire information about products. BE Chi et al. (2022) BE1 Using brand X makes me think about the brand. BE2 Purchasing brand X stimulates my interest in learning more about the brand. BE3 I feel really positive when I use brand X. BE4 Using brand X makes me glad. BE5 I feel great when I use brand X. BE6 I’m pleased to utilise brand X. BE7 Compared to other brands of the same product category, I spend a lot of time using brand X. BE8 When I utilise items from this product category, I generally use brand X. BE9 Brand X is one of the trademarks I usually use when using this product category. Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 15 of 19 brand defence, because its relationship with brand attachment fails to produce statistically meaningful effects. Theoretical development in this field can emerge from examining alternative mechanisms that transfer DCM’s effects into brand protection, such as brand trust, brand authenticity, and emotional brand engagement. The examination of potential consumer-related and industry-based variables could help researchers to determine the limitations within which digital content marketing influences brand defence. This research clarifies significant elements impacting the fashion business, which provides critical guidance to fashion experts and academics who work in Jordanian fashion markets and comparable developing economies. The research enhances understandings of brand defence factors and emphasises how DCM subjects customers to fundamental brand-related perceptions while fostering brand consumer interactions. This research produces theoretical findings which marketers and planners could utilise in developing their strategies and campaigns. 4.2. Managerial Implications Fashion sector managers should utilise the research findings to establish DCM strategies which produce better outcomes. Managers should direct their resources to DCM in order to develop behaviour engagement and strengthen brand attachment, as well as defence capabilities. Increased customer engagement together with enhanced brand loyalty drives the protection of fashion brands in their market competition. This research emphasises that fashion businesses need to view DCM as a fundamental strategy which managers should avoid under-valuing. Managers should establish digital content influence on consumer behaviour and brand defence initiatives by viewing it as a vital element of marketing practice. Businesses need to dedicate funds toward creating elite content and absorbing narratives along with interactive features to drive customer engagement and develop brand loyalty. The case of Zara uses fast fashion operations as an example. The implementation of DCM at Zara helped to build consumer devotion while enhancing the brand’s relationship with its customers. Zara builds undeniable anticipation of new trends among target customers by posting attractive social media content featuring the most current styles. The brand uses influencers alongside original videos from users to maintain its active Instagram presence, which strengthens consumer emotions toward Zara. The brand protection against market competition along with its leading position in the quick fashion sector receives support from Zara’s digital content management approach. DCM requires recognition as a beneficial approach for fashion businesses to use as their primary marketing method. Fashion industry managers can create one cohesive brand story across various digital channels through the proper implementation of DCM in their overall marketing strategy. Companies should implement these strategies to develop strong brand images, while enhanced brand recognition helps create unique market positions among competitors. Fashion industry managers receive an important practical benefit because brand attachment fails to act as a significant mediator between DCM and brand defence. The research implies that the increased emotional bond from DCM aids brand attachment, yet the positive brand defence effect does not necessarily depend on this bond. Managers should implement alternative digital content mechanisms to build brand trust and authenticity, as well as community structures, to develop brand defence effectively. 5. Conclusions The present work has presented the effects of DCM on BE, BA, and BD within the context of the fashion industry in Jordan. This research study introduces a theoretical framework that integrates DCM as an additional direct factor influencing behavioural Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 16 of 19 engagement, brand attachment, and brand defence by offering a more comprehensive explanation of the influence of DCM on BE and BA, ultimately bolstering BD within the fashion industry in Jordan. It should be noted that the influence of DCM on BD was more pronounced, and BE and BA exhibited a noteworthy and beneficial influence on BD. This means that BE has a greater influence on BD in the fashion industry compared to BA. In addition, the results indicate that the influence of DCM on BD is mediated through BE. There is no evidence to support the idea that BA plays a mediating role in the interaction between DCM and BD. It is possible that DCM does not have a major impact on BD through BA. This unexpected result requires the considered examination of the precise characteristics of DCM that influence BE, which will be considered in future research to understand the influence of BD in the context of DCM. The results obtained in this research provide an in-depth examination of how DCM techniques influence brand advocacy in the Jordanian fashion industry, thus contributing significantly to current marketing knowledge. This work addresses an important gap in the literature by elucidating these intricate relationships, which have often been neglected in discussions regarding the impact of DCM on consumer behaviour with regard to brand loyalty. 6. Limitations and Further Research This study has made valuable contributions; however, acknowledging its limitations is crucial, as they may lead to new research opportunities. A key limitation is the constraint of collecting responses only once, facilitated by the use of a survey questionnaire. The research can be enhanced by integrating an experimental design and employing longitudinal data collection methods to broaden the scope of future studies. Furthermore, our research focused on a particular dimension of customer engagement. Future research could improve the theoretical framework by incorporating cognitive and emotional dimensions to evaluate their impact on brand defence. Researchers may investigate different types of DCM, including customer-generated and company-generated content. Subsequently, researchers may perform a comparative analysis to evaluate the effects of different types of DCM on behavioural engagement, brand attachment, and brand defence. A potential area for future research includes the examination of alternative constructions associated with brand defence. While we have categorised brand defence as a form of positive voluntary conduct, subsequent research may investigate different frameworks to analyse the impact of DCM on broader brand advocacy or specific brand defence behaviours. This study focused on students attending private universities with a significant interest in fashion. It is essential to note that most participants identified as male and female within this specific demographic. The generalizability of our results to other populations may be limited. To address this limitation, future research may expand the study’s scope by including samples from various locations or countries, thereby enabling a more comprehensive analysis of the relationships explored in this study. Author Contributions: Conceptualization, S.F.A.A. and A.M.A.; methodology, S.F.A.A. and A.M.A.; software, S.F.A.A., A.M.A. and G.H.; validation, A.M.A. and M.A.; formal analysis, A.M.A. and G.H.; investigation, S.F.A.A. and A.M.A.; resources, S.F.A.A. and A.M.A.; data curation, S.F.A.A. and A.M.A.; writing—original draft preparation, S.F.A.A. and A.M.A.; writing—review and editing, A.M.A. and G.H.; visualization, A.M.A. and G.H.; supervision, A.M.A. and G.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: This research received no external funding. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable. Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable. Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 17 of 19 Data Availability Statement: Data are contained within the article. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. References Al-Abdallah, G., Barzani, R., Omar Dandis, A., & Eid, M. A. H. (2024). Social media marketing strategy: The impact of firm generated content on customer based brand equity in retail industry. Journal of Marketing Communications, 1–30. [CrossRef] Alfraihat, S. F. A., Pechuán, I. G., Salvador, J. L. G., & Tarabieh, S. M. (2024). Content is king: The impact of content marketing on online repurchase intention. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice,30(6), 4017–4030. Ali, F., Dogan, S., Amin, M., Hussain, K., & Ryu, K. (2021). Brand anthropomorphism, love and defense: Does attitude towards social distancing matter? The Service Industries Journal,41(1–2), 58–83. Al-Nsour, I. A., & Yusak, N. A. B. M. (2023). Impact of social media marketing on the buying intention of fashion products. Res Militaris, 13(3), 617–632. Alshurideh, M., Anagreh, S., Tariq, E., Hamadneh, S., Alzboun, N., Kurdi, B., & Al-Hawary, S. (2024). Examining the effect of virtual reality technology on marketing performance of fashion industry in Jordan. International Journal of Data and Network Science,8(1), 1–6. AlSokkar, A. A., Al-Gasawneh, J. A., Alamro, A., Binkhamis, M., AlGhizzawi, M., & Hmeidan, T. A. (2025). The effectiveness of e-marketing on marketing performance in jordanian telecommunications companies: Exploring the mediating role of the competitive environment. SN Computer Science,6(1), 58. Alves, H. M., Sousa, B., Carvalho, A., Santos, V., Lopes Dias, Á., & Valeri, M. (2022). Encouraging brand attachment on consumer behaviour: Pet-friendly tourism segment. Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing (JTHSM),8(2), 16–24. Ardiyansyah, R., & Febrianti, R. A. M. (2022). Understanding the driver of customer purchase decision: The role of customer engagement and brand attachment in batik products. Fair Value: Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi dan Keuangan,5(4), 1979–1985. Au, C. H., Ho, K. K., & Law, K. M. (2021). The bright and dark of consumers’ online brand defending behaviors: Exploring their enablers, realization, and impacts. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce,31(3), 171–191. Awang, P. (2015). SEM made simple: A gentle approach to learning structural equation modeling. MPWS Rich Publication. Bilondatu, R. N. P., & Tjokrosaputro, M. (2023). The role of brand attachment to the antecedents of brand passion. International Journal of Application on Economics and Business,1(1), 559–568. [CrossRef] Bougie, R., & Sekaran, U. (2019). Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons. Bui, T. T., Tran, Q. T., Alang, T., & Le, T. D. (2023). Examining the relationship between digital content marketing perceived value and brand loyalty: Insights from Vietnam. Cogent Social Sciences,9(1), 2225835. Carlson, J., Rahman, M. M., Taylor, A., & Voola, R. (2019). Feel the VIBE: Examining value-in-the-brand-page-experience and its impact on satisfaction and customer engagement behaviours in mobile social media. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,46, 149–162. Chen, X., & Qasim, H. (2021). Does E-Brand experience matter in the consumer market? Explaining the impact of social media marketing activities on consumer-based brand equity and love. Journal of Consumer Behaviour,20(5), 1065–1077. Chi, M., Harrigan, P., & Xu, Y. (2022). Customer engagement in online service brand communities. Journal of Services Marketing,36(2), 201–216. Cho, S., & Workman, J. (2011). Gender, fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership, and need for touch. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal,15(3), 363–370. Coelho, P. S., Rita, P., & Santos, Z. R. (2018). On the relationship between consumer-brand identification, brand community, and brand loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,43, 101–110. Cohen, J. (1988). Set correlation and contingency tables. Applied Psychological Measurement,12(4), 425–434. Dalman, M. D., Buche, M. W., & Min, J. (2019). The differential influence of identification on ethical judgment: The role of brand love. Journal of Business Ethics,158, 875–891. Datareportal. (2024). The state of digital in Jordan in 2024. Available online: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-jordan (accessed on 1 December 2024). Davis, S. V., & Dacin, P. A. (2022). This brand is who I am . . . or is it? Examining changes in motivation to maintain brand attachment. Journal of Product & Brand Management,31(7), 1125–1139. Department of Statistics. (2024). Population of Jordan in 2024. Available online: https://dosweb.dos.gov.jo/ (accessed on 1 December 2024). Dewi, I. A. K., Yudhistira, P. G. A., & Agustina, N. K. W. (2022). Impact of digital content marketing on tourist visit interest to melasti beach: The mediating role of social word of mouth. Jurnal Manajemen Teori Dan Terapan,15(2), 286–299. Eltokhy, K. E., Gunied, H., & Essam, E. (2024). Role of social media content marketing on brand image: A case study on mobile service providers in Egypt. Insights into Language, Culture and Communication,4(1), 1–17. [CrossRef] Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 18 of 19 Ezekiel, A. O. (2022). The matic exploratory of content marketing for the fourth industrial revolution. Indonesian Journal of Business Analytics,2(2), 201–212. [CrossRef] Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research,18, 39–50. [CrossRef] Gadhavi, P., & Sahni, H. (2020). Analyzing the “mindfulness” of young Indian consumers in their fashion consumption. Journal of Global Marketing,33(5), 417–429. [CrossRef] Galdón-Salvador, J. L., Gil-Pechuán, I., & Tarabieh, S. M. (2024). Effect of social media influencers on consumer brand engagement and its implications on business decision making. Profesional de la Información,33(2). [CrossRef] Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis (6th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall. Hair, J. F., Jr., Sarstedt, M., Matthews, L. M., & Ringle, C. M. (2016). Identifying and treating unobserved heterogeneity with FIMIX-PLS: Part I—Method. European Business Review,28(1), 63–76. [CrossRef] Harrigan, P., Roy, S. K., & Chen, T. (2021). Do value cocreation and engagement drive brand evangelism? Marketing Intelligence & Planning,39(3), 345–360. Hassan, M., & Casalo Arino, L. V. (2016). Consumer devotion to a different height: How consumers are defending the brand within Facebook brand communities. Internet Research,26(4), 963–981. [CrossRef] Hayes, A. F., & Rockwood, N. J. (2017). Regression-based statistical mediation and moderation analysis in clinical research: Observations, recommendations, and implementation. Behaviour Research and Therapy,98, 39–57. [CrossRef] Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,43, 115–135. [CrossRef] Hollebeek, L. D., Glynn, M. S., & Brodie, R. J. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social media: Conceptualization, scale development and validation. Journal of Interactive Marketing,28(2), 149–165. Hollebeek, L. D., & Macky, K. (2019). Digital content marketing’s role in fostering consumer engagement, trust, and value: Framework, fundamental propositions, and implications. Journal of Interactive Marketing,45(1), 27–41. Ilhan, B. E., Kübler, R. V., & Pauwels, K. H. (2018). Battle of the brand fans: Impact of brand attack and defense on social media. Journal of Interactive Marketing,43(1), 33–51. Javed, M., Roy, S., & Mansoor, B. (2015). Will you defend your loved brand? In Consumer brand relationships: Meaning, measuring, managing (pp. 31–54). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Jun, S., & Yi, J. (2020). What makes followers loyal? The role of influencer interactivity in building influencer brand equity. Journal of Product & Brand Management,29(6), 803–814. Kim, S. K., & Hong, H. (2011). Fashion leadership and hedonic shopping motivations of female consumers. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal,29(4), 314–330. Kline, R. B. (2023). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford Publications. Kumar, J., & Nayak, J. K. (2019). Consumer psychological motivations to customer brand engagement: A case of brand community. Journal of Consumer Marketing,36(1), 168–177. Kumar, V., & Kaushik, A. K. (2020). Does experience affect engagement? Role of destination brand engagement in developing brand advocacy and revisit intentions. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing,37(3), 332–346. Li, M. W., Teng, H. Y., & Chen, C. Y. (2020). Unlocking the customer engagement-brand loyalty relationship in tourism social media: The roles of brand attachment and customer trust. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management,44, 184–192. Mishra, A. S. (2019). Antecedents of consumers’ engagement with brand-related content on social media. Marketing Intelligence & Planning,37(4), 386–400. Mohammad, J., Quoquab, F., & Mohamed Sadom, N. Z. (2021). Mindful consumption of second-hand clothing: The role of eWOM, attitude and consumer engagement. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal,25(3), 482–510. Mostafa, R. B., & Kasamani, T. (2020). Brand experience and brand loyalty: Is it a matter of emotions? Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics,33(4), 1033–1051. [CrossRef] Muller, J., & Christandl, F. (2019). Content is king–but who is the king of kings? The effect of content marketing, sponsored content & user-generated content on brand responses. Computers in Human Behavior,96, 46–55. Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-hill series. McGraw-Hill. Park, C. W., MacInnis, D. J., Priester, J., Eisingerich, A. B., & Iacobucci, D. (2010). Brand attachment and brand attitude strength: Conceptual and empirical differentiation of two critical brand equity drivers. Journal of Marketing,74(6), 1–17. Pektas, S. Y., & Hassan, A. (2020). The effect of digital content marketing on tourists’ purchase intention. Journal of Tourismology,6(1), 79–98. Peterson, R. A., & Kim, Y. (2013). On the relationship between coefficient alpha and composite reliability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 194. Roy, S. K., Singh, G., Japutra, A., & Javed, M. (2023). Circle the wagons: Measuring the strength of consumers’ brand defense. Journal of Strategic Marketing,31(4), 817–837. Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 124 19 of 19 Ruth, P. A. (2021). Fiscal aspects of the fashion industry: The big four global capitals and the Nigerian equivalent. Open Journal of Social Sciences,9(9), 232–242. Sawaftah, D., Aljarah, A., & Lahuerta-Otero, E. (2021). Power brand defense up, my friend! Stimulating brand defense through digital content marketing. Sustainability,13(18), 10266. [CrossRef] Shetty, K., & Fitzsimmons, J. R. (2022). The effect of brand personality congruence, brand attachment and brand love on loyalty among HENRY’s in the luxury branding sector. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal,26(1), 21–35. Shimul, A. S., Faroque, A. R., & Cheah, I. (2024). Does brand attachment protect consumer–brand relationships after brand misconduct in retail banking? International Journal of Bank Marketing,42(2), 183–204. Statista. (2023a). Content marketing revenue worldwide from 2018 to 2026. Available online: https://www.statista.com/statistics/527554/ content-marketing-revenue/ (accessed on 1 December 2024). Statista. (2023b). Fashion eCommerce report 2023. Statista retail & trade reports. Available online: https://www.statista.com/study/38340/ ecommerce-report-fashion/ (accessed on 1 December 2024). Taiminen, K., & Ranaweera, C. (2019). Fostering brand engagement and value-laden trusted B2B relationships through digital content marketing: The role of brand’s helpfulness. European Journal of Marketing,53(9), 1759–1781. [CrossRef] Tarabieh, S., Gil, I., Salvador, J. L. G., & AlFraihat, S. F. A. (2024). The new game of online marketing: How social media influencers drive online repurchase intention through brand trust and customer brand engagement. Intangible Capital,20(1), 103–125. [CrossRef] Thomson, M., MacInnis, D. J., & Whan Park, C. (2005). The ties that bind: Measuring the strength of consumers’ emotional attachments to brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology,15(1), 77–91. [CrossRef] Vahdat, A., Hafezniya, H., Jabarzadeh, Y., & Thaichon, P. (2020). Emotional brand attachment and attitude toward brand extension. Services Marketing Quarterly,41(3), 236–255. [CrossRef] Vander Schee, B. A., Peltier, J., & Dahl, A. J. (2020). Antecedent consumer factors, consequential branding outcomes and measures of online consumer engagement: Current research and future directions. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing,14(2), 239–268. [CrossRef] Vieira, C. B., & Sousa, B. (2020). The brand attachment and consumer behaviour in sports marketing contexts: The case of football fans in Portugal. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing,20(1–2), 29–46. [CrossRef] Weerasinghe, K. P. W. D. R. (2019). Impact of content marketing towards the customer online engagement. International Journal of Business, Economics and Management,2(3), 217–224. Wickramasinghe, W. D. S. (2023). Impact of content marketing values on brand value co-creation effect: A study on the lubricant industry in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Marketing,9(1), 1–22. [CrossRef] Wilk, V., Harrigan, P., & Soutar, G. N. (2018). Navigating online brand advocacy (OBA): An exploratory analysis. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice,26(1–2), 99–116. [CrossRef] Wilk, V., Soutar, G. N., & Harrigan, P. (2020). Online brand advocacy (OBA): The development of a multiple item scale. Journal of Product & Brand Management,29(4), 415–429. Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.