The Persuasive Edge of Design: Content Experience as a Mediator and Demographics as Moderators of Persuasion in DOOH Advertising

ABSTRACT The Persuasive Edge of Design: Content Experience as a Mediator and Demographics as Moderators of Persuasion in DOOH Advertising Prof Thérèse Roux Department of Marketing, Supply Chain & Sport Management Tshwane University of Technology, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0820-1723 [email protected] The Retail and Marketing Review Volume 21, Issue 2, November 2025, Pages 106-124 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17341624 Despite the rapid commercial expansion of emerging markets, academic research remains limited on how digital signage design and content influence persuasion across demographic groups. This study examines the interplay between signage design, content experience, and consumer demographics in contributing to persuasive outcomes in digital out-of-home retail advertising. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, a structured survey of 350 consumers in an upscale South African mall was conducted to test a model in which signage design influences persuasion both directly and indirectly through content experience. Results indicate that design has a significant predictive effect on persuasion, whereas content experience does not mediate this relationship. Demographic traits are instrumental; income and gender moderate several key relationships within the model, suggesting that design and content vary by demographic profile. These findings highlight strategic opportunities for customising digital media in diverse and demographically segmented markets. The study advances the understanding of digital out-of-home effectiveness in South Africa, a context in which digital signage is expanding rapidly yet remains underexplored. Simultaneously, the findings hold broader relevance as core cognitive and behavioural mechanisms—especially those captured by the bottom-up versus top-down attention model—offer valuable insight into how signage design captures attention and drives persuasion across different global markets. This study provides practical recommendations for designing and implementing digital signage, which functions effectively both visually and psychologically within realworld retail environments. It advocates for demographically informed, strategically designed signage that aligns with how shoppers perceive, process, and make purchasing decisions. Keywords: digital out-of-home advertising, media design, content experience, consumer demographics, persuasion, bottom-up versus top-down attention, retail advertising, emerging markets 107 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 1. INTRODUCTION The expansion of the international Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising sector is primarily driven by technological advancements and the accelerated deployment of digital screens across both developed and emerging economies. OOH media is defined as “commercially available and physically rentable assets situated outside the home in both public and commercial places” (Wilson 2022, p. 279). To clarify the conceptual scope, scholars often define digital signage as location-based networks that deliver dynamic advertising and editorial content within indoor environments (e.g., Burke 2009; Dennis et al. 2010, 2012; Wilson 2022). In contrast, digital out-of-home (DOOH) media extends beyond indoor spaces to include digital screens in public and high-traffic areas (e.g., Roberts 2018; Roux 2018; Taylor 2015). This study conceptualises digital signage as a subset of DOOH media, focusing on interactive displays in upscale retail malls. These digital screens deliver real-time, context-sensitive content, including advertising, news, community updates, and entertainment, and can be configured to enhance consumer engagement through interactivity (Roux 2024). Within the broader OOH advertising category, DOOH has emerged as a significant area of global expansion (Grandview Research 2024), gaining increased visibility in emerging economies across the African continent (Myburgh and Stuart 2019; Statista 2024). Although DOOH has experienced rapid commercial growth, academic research remains limited, highlighting a gap in knowledge of how diverse demographics intersect with digital signage, particularly in upscale mall environments (Dennis et al. 2010, 2012; Roux & Maree 2021; Roux et al. 2020). Consequently, there is a growing need for research into content-relevant advertising, as the effectiveness of persuasive messaging depends on its timeliness and relevance (Canguende-Valentim & Vale 2022; Potgieter & Roux 2024), as well as consumers’ ability to cognitively process DOOH advertising as it expands into emerging markets (Wilson 2022). While commercial DOOH continues to grow, academic research has focused predominantly on consumer responses to different content formats within retail contexts (Bae et al. 2016; Burke 2009; Dennis et al. 2013; Dennis et al. 2014; Garaus et al. 2021; Nanni and Ordanini 2024; Roggeveen et al. 2016; Willems et al. 2017), malls (Dennis et al. 2010, 2012; Roux and Maree, 2021; Roux et al. 2020), and public spaces (Bauer et al. 2011; Lee & Cho 2019). By contrast, the role of design as a persuasive factor has received far less attention than content in DOOH research. Digital signage design involves the strategic placement of displays to maximise engagement, with variables such as location, human density, screen design, and visual salience all shaping effectiveness (Xaba et al. 2020). Furthermore, digital signage is particularly critical in multicultural, high-traffic environments, where differences in language, cultural references, and media literacy require consumers to rapidly decode visual cues and distinguish between advertising and ambient content. Nevertheless, most research treats content and media design as separate elements rather than examining their relationship. Understanding how these bottom-up features operate individually and in combination is essential for advertisers seeking to sustain engagement in retail settings. Equally underexplored is the interaction between visual features and "top-down" influences such as demographic traits and content experience. Demographics encompasses the cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic diversity of consumer groups, which shape how messages are perceived and processed (Potgieter & Roux 2024). Within DOOH contexts, these demographic factors influence the extent to which design and content resonate with distinct audience segments. This study addresses these research gaps by investigating how digital signage design, content experience, and demographic complexity mutually contribute to persuasive DOOH contexts. This research draws on the Stimulus– The Persuasive Edge of Design: Content Experience as a Mediator and Demographics as Moderators of Persuasion … 108 Organism–Response (SOR) framework, where signage design serves as the stimulus, content experience corresponds to the organismic process, and persuasion denotes the behavioural response. Demographic variables are treated as moderators that mediate the dynamics of these relationships. In doing so, this study expands on earlier research focusing on digital content and its influence in retail, mall, and public environments (e.g., Bae et al. 2016; Burke 2009; Dennis et al. 2010; Roggeveen et al. 2016) by integrating design, content, and demographic complexity within a unified framework, positioning persuasion as the central outcome. Applying the SOR model provides a more holistic and theory-driven lens on DOOH advertising effectiveness, demonstrating how environmental design and consumer-level factors jointly contribute to persuasive effect in retail settings. Focusing on real-time consumer interactions within South Africa, as an emerging yet underexplored DOOH market, this study generates actionable insights for enhancing campaign design and interaction. These insights demonstrate cross-national relevance, as the interaction between design, content, and demographic complexity reflects universal cognitive and behavioural mechanisms rather than market-specific dynamics. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 BOTTOM-UP AND TOP-DOWN PROCESSES IN ADVERTISING Understanding both bottom-up and top-down processes is equally important in the neural approach to advertising, as it mimics human performance in a way inspired by biological circuitry (Milosavljevic & Cerf 2008). Bottom-up attributes are inherent, noticeable, or salient environmental stimuli that naturally capture attention. In contrast, topdown attributes pertain to goal-directed tasks influenced by consumer demographics, knowledge, expectations, and motivations. Moreover, bottom-up attention operates as a rapid, parallel, pre-attentive process, whereas top-down attention is associated with recognition and analytical processing (Connor et al. 2004; Egeth and Yantis 1997; Pieters & Wedel 2004). Advertisers, therefore, must understand how these two processes not only prompt consumers to notice advertising but also enable them to process and respond to it—insights that are essential for designing effective advertising content and media. In this study, bottom-up and top-down processes are not treated merely as cognitive principles. Still, they are positioned as explanatory mechanisms within an SOR framework, where they function as stimuli that influence perception and persuasion (response) via internal states, such as content experience (organism). Persuasion is not merely a result but the outcome of how stimuli are noticed, processed, and interpreted through both bottom-up and top-down pathways. In advertising research, neurological and biological measurements are frequently utilised to capture brain activity and consumer behaviour in a non-invasive manner (Braeutigam and Kenning, 2022; Zámečník 2024). Neuroscientific methods are particularly valuable for analysing how consumers experience and process advertising stimuli (Zámečník 2024). For instance, Silberstein and Nield (2008) used steady-state topography (SST), an ERP-based (event-related potential) technique, to estimate brain activity in response to TV advertising stimuli aimed at influencing brand preference. They observed increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex, a region associated with long-term memory, occurring when participants switched to an advertised product. This finding suggests that branding and advertising can activate key brain regions involved in memory and decision-making. Similarly, Geske and Bellur (2008) examined how individuals comprehend information presented in print versus visual media. They noticed differences in brain processing within the first 100 milliseconds. Visual media elicited 109 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 stronger occipital responses, indicating enhanced image recognition and information processing, as well as more efficient activation of brain regions responsible for visual perception and cognitive intake. These findings underscore the capacity of visual advertising stimuli, such as digital signage, to rapidly activate attention and memory systems, stressing the need for DOOH campaigns to optimise both visual salience and message design. Recent research has examined the impact of digital advertising on the consumer experience. Wooley et al. (2022) utilised Intelligent Bounding Boxes (IBBs) to track viewers' gaze in video content and during screen transitions. Visual features such as size, brightness, and colour captured initial attention, whereas sustained engagement was driven by movement and content relevance. Stable elements were frequently overlooked, as users did not need to remember them. These findings suggest that advertisers should incorporate dynamic elements into DOOH advertising to sustain attention and enhance message comprehension. In this study, such dynamic and salient features are conceptualised under the broader construct of digital signage design. Bottom-up and top-down processes, along with brain measurements, enhance advertisers' understanding of how consumers perceive and respond to advertising stimuli. Despite these advances, the human brain can process only a limited amount of information—a constraint identified as the attentional bottleneck. As a result, only a fraction of the many marketing messages encountered daily are noticed (Anderson, and Peitz, 2023; Ha and McCann, 2008). By identifying which content and media features can break through this bottleneck—either by standing out visually (bottom-up) or matching viewer interests (top-down)—advertisers can generate messages that are more likely to capture attention and be retained. This study examines how design and content experiences can help overcome the bottleneck and influence persuasion, particularly across diverse demographic groups. Since interests and interpretations are moulded by cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds, incorporating demographic variables is essential for explaining how advertising resonates across heterogeneous audience groups. 2.2 BOTTOM-UP MEDIA ATTRIBUTES OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE Media owners and advertisers worldwide continue to introduce new digital signage features and immersive experiences. One example is the integration of sensorial and haptic technologies into digital kiosks, delivering physical sensations that enhance multi-sensory engagement. Using ultrasonic transducers, these systems project textures onto users’ hands, enabling interaction without physical contact or external devices. Digital textures can be perceived at distances up to one meter from the display, aided by visual cues and auditory feedback (Oemkiosks 2021; Ultrahaptics 2018). Other innovations include holographic digital signage, which projects visuals that appear to float, capturing attention through perceptual novelty. These systems may also be integrated with kinetic LED displays that change shape and dimension, enhancing content creativity. Integrating digital signage with metaverse environments enables brands to create hybrid experiences that seamlessly blend physical and virtual realities, which expands opportunities for consumer interaction (OnSign TV 2024). These innovations reflect broader design attributes—motion, interactivity, novelty, and visibility that characterise bottom-up stimuli in DOOH environments. 2.3 DIGITAL SIGNAGE DESIGN Design elements function as external stimuli (S) that initiate perceptual and affective processing. Earlier research confirms that their effects vary by contextual factors such as screen placement, store type, and traffic levels (Burke 2009; Roggeveen et al. 2016; Wilson & Suh 2018). For instance, Burke (2009) found that consumer responses to store The Persuasive Edge of Design: Content Experience as a Mediator and Demographics as Moderators of Persuasion … 110 signage are influenced by screen placement and viewer proximity, whereas Roggeveen et al. (2016) observed stronger effects in large browsing-oriented environments compared to smaller, task-focused retail settings. Wilson and Suh (2018) further demonstrated that digital signage is most effective in high-traffic areas, where visibility and engagement are heightened. However, such findings risk oversimplification by focusing primarily on physical placement while overlooking factors like content relevance. A more comprehensive account requires considering both environmental factors and consumer orientation. Design plays a critical role in persuasion, as it influences whether consumers engage with and evaluate messages. This study builds on these insights by assessing the effectiveness of signage within a real-world, high-density retail environment. The number of people in a location and their activities can also influence the effectiveness of digital signage. In quieter transport environments, individuals have more time to process stimuli (Wilson & Till 2008). By contrast, crowding does not significantly affect shoppers' responses in retail environments (Wilson & Suh 2018). These findings suggest that environmental and social contexts are more influential than audience density in determining consumer responses to digital signage (Roggeveen et al. 2016; Wilson & Till 2008 2011; Wilson & Suh 2018). Advertisers should therefore consider these environmental dynamics and tailor content according to placements, traffic patterns, and engagement contexts. This study explores these dynamics in a multi-level shopping mall, where shopper movement, crowd flow, and varied signage placement allow for a naturalistic assessment of design effectiveness. Advertising media experts acknowledge that screen design and features significantly influence the effectiveness of digital signage. For instance, early media research using psychophysiological measures such as heart rate and skin conductance found that larger television and cinema screens elicit higher arousal levels than smaller screens (Reeves et al. 1999). However, viewers of traditional television and film are relatively static compared to consumers in dynamic environments, where multitasking is the norm, such as shopping, commuting, or driving. As these mobile consumers navigate spaces saturated with competing stimuli, visually salient features become essential for capturing and sustaining attention (Wilson et al. 2015; Wilson & Till 2008). Consequently, the effectiveness of OOH advertising depends on the optimal placement and positioning of digital displays to ensure high-quality exposure (Bhargava et al. 1993; Bhargava and Donthu 1999). Digital signage advertisers should therefore identify and leverage visually salient features such as contrast, motion, size, and brightness to capture immediate attention and sustain it within complex, high-stimulus environments. Therefore, visual salience is obtained through screen quality, visibility, size, location, and design attractiveness. 2.4 DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT EXPERIENCE Consumer perception of advertising value is a key determinant of effectiveness across both traditional and ambient out-of-home (OOH) media formats, including elevator panels, public fountains, and bus rooftops (Rosengren and Dahlén 2013; Rosengren et al. 2015). Advertising effectiveness is frequently linked to its perceived value, whether informative, emotional, or promotional (Ducoffe 1995)—a principle that equally applies to digital out-of-home (DOOH) media. In the context of digital signage, content plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer responses. Its impact depends on both the nature of the content displayed and on its alignment with consumer expectations. Given the critical role of content in enhancing audiences' experiences, identifying the most suitable content types for retail environments is essential. In this study, content experience is conceptualised within the ‘Organism’ stage in the SOR model, representing the consumer’s cognitive and affective processing of the displayed message. Content experience is 111 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 central to persuasion, as relevance, usefulness, and appeal increase the likelihood of changes in attitude and behavioural intention. Table 1 summarises empirical findings on how various types of digital signage content influence consumer responses across diverse retail settings, underscoring the importance of content relevance for advertising effectiveness. Regarding hedonic content, Dennis et al. (2014) suggest that sensory-affective messaging is more effective than purely functional content in enhancing in-store experiences and developing positive consumer attitudes. Roux et al. (2020) similarly found that digital signage in South African upscale malls appeals to shoppers seeking hedonic engagement. However, functional content also plays a meaningful role; it can elevate mood and influence shopping behaviour (Dennis et al. 2010, 2012), increase sales through promotions and information updates (Burke 2009), and outperform general messaging when price-focused (Roggeveen et al. 2016). Overall, the effectiveness of digital signage is context-dependent, requiring alignment with the retail environment and responsiveness to audience needs and moods. The dual value of content, encompassing both experiential and practical aspects, underscores the importance of balancing entertainment with usefulness, depending on the shopper's orientation. TABLE 1: PAST RESEARCH ON THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT IN VARIOUS RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS Source & Content Types Type of content investigated & context Key findings Hedonic Dennis et al. (2014) Sensory-affective digital signage; Retail stores Sensory content enhances in-store experience, purchase intent Roux et al. (2020) Digital signage in mall environments Hedonic enjoyment moderates the effect of digital signage on mall approach behaviours. Utilitarian Burke (2009) News & promotions; Retail stores Utilitarian content boosts hedonic product sales Roggeveen et al. (2016) Price-promotion signage; Retail stores Relevant, timely signage boosts persuasion, purchase intent Utilitarian & Hedonic Bae et al.(2016) Digital signage engagement; Retail stores Consumers use digital signage for convenience, not entertainment Lee & Cho (2019) Digital signage advertising, Retail stores Cognitive and attitudinal factors influence DS ad effectiveness Roux & Maree (2021) Digital place-based media; Upmarket shopping malls Digital place-based media enhances enjoyment and usefulness in malls Miscellaneous Bauer et al. (2011) Public digital signage; Various locations Content engagement matters more than design Nanni & Ordanini (2024) Automated digital screens; Retail stores Digital signage screens with automated content improve efficiency but reduce personalisation, lowering impulse purchases and overall spending. Studies show that combining content types enhances engagement. Bae et al. (2016) found that perceived interactivity motivates consumers through both product information and entertainment. Lee and Cho (2019) recommend merging product details with storytelling, while Roux and Maree (2021) highlight how digital media enhances enjoyment and usefulness in upscale malls. These findings suggest that content type and placement are key to digital signage effectiveness. In this context, content experience refers to consumers’ subjective evaluation of the message’s usefulness, appeal, and relevance. Hybrid content—blending functional, affective, and interactive dimensions—can optimise engagement, especially in lifestyle-oriented retail spaces. The Persuasive Edge of Design: Content Experience as a Mediator and Demographics as Moderators of Persuasion … 112 2.5 THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN DIGITAL SIGNAGE DESIGN AND CONTENT Research highlights that media features should not be considered in isolation. Design and content interact dynamically to influence consumer engagement and the success of advertising. Baack et al. (2008) and Wilson and Till (2011) found that content alone has a limited impact unless signage is designed to entice, attract, and remain visible within the consumer’s field (see also Wilson et al. 2015). These findings align with the SOR model, where content effectiveness (Stimulus) depends on the medium’s strength and visibility. Furthermore, experiments in pervasive computing suggest that viewer response to public digital signage relies on both bottom-up effects and contextually relevant content (e.g., Bauer et al. 2011; Müller et al. 2009). This highlights the need to align media design with message relevance to sustain in high-stimulus retail spaces. The persuasiveness of DOOH advertising, especially digital signage, rests on the combined influence of design and content. Persuasion emerges not from design or content alone, but from their interaction in shaping how consumers attend to and evaluate the message. Drawing from the SOR model, this study tests whether content experience mediates the relationship between signage design and persuasion. In this framework, signage design and content serve as external stimuli, content experience represents internal processing, and persuasion is the response. The SOR model (Mehrabian & Russell, 1974) has been critiqued for assuming that consumers respond passively to stimuli and for treating stimulus situations as objective, overlooking subjective interpretation. The model is also described as linear, implying a unidirectional environment–behaviour relationship. In addition, it has been noted that it assumes emotions are caused primarily by the novelty of stimuli (Vieira, 2013; Scott et al., 2024). However, this model has evolved with appraisal theory, which recognises that consumers actively interpret stimuli, with emotions shaped not only by novelty but also by goal congruity and contextual relevance (Roux et al., 2020; Scott et al., 2024). It is widely applied in retail and media research to explain how environmental signals influence internal evaluations and avoidance behaviours (Roux et al., 2020), and its flexibility supports both bottom-up and top-down processes, making it especially suitable for DOOH advertising. Accordingly, this study employs the SOR framework as a heuristic rather than a rigid sequence, acknowledging that real-world consumer responses are often nonlinear and context-dependent, and that consumer responses are frequently complex. The contribution of this study is to extend the model by showing that design exerts a direct persuasive effect and that demographic traits further moderate the relationship between design, content, and persuasion. The analysis provides a more detailed application of the SOR model to DOOH advertising, showing that persuasion does not depend solely on content experience but also on design and consumer differences. Based on the discussion, the following hypotheses are proposed. They are grounded in the literature and supported by arguments developed in the paper: (H1a) Digital signage design significantly predicts persuasion (S → R); (H1b) Digital signage design significantly predicts the digital signage content experience (S → O); (H1c) Content experience positively influences persuasion, mediating the effect of design (O → R). 2.6 TOP-DOWN CHARACTERISTICS AS MODERATORS Research indicates that advertising content and media factors significantly influence advertising success. However, consumer responses are not uniform; they vary according to individual demographic traits and psychological states (Mehta 2000; Vakratsas & Ambler 1999). Advertisers, therefore, tailor campaigns to meet the specific needs and preferences of distinct consumer segments. Further evidence shows that responses to advertising and media depend on demographic factors such as income level, gender, and language (Chekima 2016; Creusen 2010; CanguendeValentim and Vale 2022; Leppäniemi and Karjaluoto, 2008; Potgieter & Roux 2024; Roux 2021; Roux 2023). These demographic and cultural characteristics influence how stimuli are perceived, processed, and interpreted, making them 113 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 Demographic Traits Digital signage content experience Digital signage design H1b H1a Persuasion H2b H2a H2c H1c critical moderators of advertising effectiveness. They moderate whether signage and content succeed in persuasion, explaining variation across audience segments. Their inclusion clarifies why specific tactics resonate more with demographically targeted audiences and why effects differ across segments. Accordingly, this study hypothesises that demographic traits moderate the relationships between digital signage design and persuasion (H2a), digital signage design and content experience (H2b), and content experience and persuasion (H2c). Table 5 presents the study's conceptual framework, which integrates bottom-up and top-down influences, along with the proposed hypotheses, to offer a more nuanced understanding of persuasion in digital signage environments. Stimulus Organism Response FIGURE 1. CONCEPTUAL MODEL USING THE SOR FRAMEWORK WITH HYPOTHESISED DIRECT AND MODERATING EFFECTS Source: Created by the author. 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study employed a descriptive design, using surveys to collect data at a large upmarket shopping mall in South Africa. The site was selected for its multi-level layout and diverse mix of retail stores and services, making it well-suited for examining consumer interactions with high-resolution digital signage displays. The mall is equipped by a large outof-home OOH media owner with interactive touchscreens and LED cylindrical screens, enabling a realistic assessment of digital signage effectiveness in a commercial environment. This setting facilitated the examination of bottom-up attributes (e.g., screen design, content interactivity) and top-down characteristics (e.g., consumer demographics), allowing for analysis of how different consumer segments process and respond to persuasive signage cues. The realworld retail context also enhances ecological validity, as consumer responses were measured under naturalistic exposure conditions. This setup aligns with the SOR model, enabling real-time observation of how external stimuli (signage and content) interact with internal responses (content experience) and are moderated by demographic traits. A non-probability quota sampling approach was employed to select 350 respondents, ensuring that the sample accurately reflected the typical demographic profile of patrons at upmarket shopping malls. The sample size meets the minimum threshold for mediation and moderation analysis using regression-based techniques, as recommended by established methodological guidelines (Fritz & MacKinnon 2007). Quota sampling was chosen because it allows researchers to obtain a sample that reflects specific characteristics of the target population while maintaining efficiency in data collection (Moser, 2022). Data were collected after ethical clearance was obtained (TUT Research Ethics Committee, REC2024-06-009). Trained fieldworkers intercepted shoppers near digital signage located in food courts and concourse areas of the mall. The Persuasive Edge of Design: Content Experience as a Mediator and Demographics as Moderators of Persuasion … 114 To ensure ecological validity, surveys were conducted on weekdays and weekends, during busy and quiet shopping periods, capturing a range of shopper behaviours. Respondents experienced the medium in a real retail setting, allowing their perceptions to be measured under natural conditions. This approach enabled a more realistic evaluation than methods relying on recall-based or post-exposure impressions. The structured questionnaire included five-point Likert scales to assess digital signage design (Roux et al. 2020), advertising content experience (Bae et al., 2016), and persuasion (Duffett, 2015), adapted from validated and tested scales. These constructs align with the three main stages of the conceptual model: stimulus (design), organism (content experience), and response (persuasion). To confirm content validity, digital mall signage professionals scrutinised the instrument and verified that it covered all relevant aspects of the selected constructs. This questionnaire was compiled and pilot-tested to evaluate bottom-up attributes, including screen quality, location, visibility, and advertising content experience, encompassing both utilitarian and hedonic components. The pilot survey was conducted with a convenience sample of marketing students studying consumer behaviour to assess clarity, reliability, and potential response biases. Feedback from the pilot study led to minor refinements that enhanced question clarity and measurement consistency of the final questionnaire before full-scale data collection. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the reliability of the scales. Mediation analysis following Baron and Kenny's (1986) proposed approach was used to test whether the digital signage content experience mediates the relationship between digital signage design and persuasion (H1). This method was selected for its suitability in testing mediation within simpler model structures. Compared to structural equation modelling (SEM), the PROCESS macro offers several advantages: it automatically generates a wide range of statistical outputs, reducing the need for advanced coding skills. According to Dastgeer et al. (2020), SEM often requires greater coding proficiency and manual model specification. Hayes, Montoya and Rockwood (2017) further argue that the choice between PROCESS macro and SEM is unlikely to significantly affect study outcomes, as differences in observed variable models are typically small. Given that this study employs a simple mediation model with observed variables, the PROCESS macro represents the most appropriate and efficient analytical approach. Moderation analyses were also conducted to identify which demographic traits moderate the relationships between digital signage design, content experience, and persuasion (H2). 4. RESULTS The total sample of 350 completed questionnaires included slightly more females (53.3%), with most respondents (40.2%) aged between 25 and 34 years, reflecting the planned quota and the shopper profile of the mall where the data was collected. The majority of the participants spoke an ethnic African language (63.3%), while 36.7% spoke other languages, such as English and Afrikaans, aligning with South Africa’s multicultural and multilingual demographics. Consistent with the shopper profile of luxury malls, most respondents (74.2%) fell within the upper-middle (24.9%) to high-income (46.7%) brackets. 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