Co esponding au ho : Imesha Di yanjalee Don Manuelge Dona
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion License 4.0.
F om Likes o Loyal y: The o ma ion o online b and communi ies among Gen Z
Consume s in S i Lanka
Imesha Di yanjalee Don Manuelge Dona *
Lec u e and Academic Resea che , Business and Comme ce.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 515-525
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 22 Ma ch 2025; e ised on 02 May 2025; accep ed on 04 May 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.26.2.1600
Abs ac
This s udy examines online b and communi y o ma ion among S i Lankan Gene a ion Z, examining he jou ney
owa ds digi al in e ac ion o b and loyal y. Using a quali a i e, in e p e i is pa adigm in ol ing case s udies and
e hnog aphy, s udies explo e local as well as in e na ional b ands such as Spa Ceylon, Pizza Hu , and Clia a Essen ial
Oils e c. Findings sugges ha cul u al ele ance, economic alue, and co-c ea ed digi al in e ac ions d i e Gen Z b and
loyal y. The s udy adds o he unde s anding o how iden i y, communi y, and socio-economic con ex in luence b and-
consume ela ionships in eme ging ma ke s.
Keywo ds: Gen Z; Online B and Communi ies; B and Loyal y; S i Lanka; Social Media; Co-C ea ion; Consume Cul u e;
Local and Impo ed B ands
1. In oduc ion
The digi al age has led o a phenomenal shi in he manne b ands in e ac wi h hei audience, pa icula ly wi h he
ise o online b and communi ies (OBCs). F om he pe spec i e o consume s, adi ionally passi e ecipien s o
ma ke ing communica ion, Gene a ion Z consume s in pa icula a e now ac i e in luence s o b and na a i es, b ands'
epu a ion, and ma ke ends. Bo n be ween he mid-1990s and ea ly 2010s, Gene a ion Z is he i s gene a ion bo n
wi h echnology deeply embedded in hei li es. This gene a ion is no only com o able wi h digi al spaces bu also
possesses a e y e ol ed concep o how b ands ope a e wi hin hese spaces. Fo companies and ma ke e s, cap u ing
Gen Z's loyal y is no me ely an issue o isibili y, bu o in e ac ion, iden i y esonance, and ue communi y o ma ion.
Online b and communi ies ha e eme ged as cen al a enas o in e ac ion be ween consume s and b ands in which pee
in luence, emo ional connec ion, and sha ed expe ience build b and meaning. Online communi ies go beyond
ansac ional exchange; hey gi e consume s a sense o belongingness, co-c ea ion, and social iden i y. These pla o ms
like Ins ag am, TikTok, Facebook, and Twi e /X a e no me ely ma ke ing pla o ms bu also spaces whe e wo d o
mou h a ound b ands, e iews, i uals, and loyal y a e nu u ed o ganically. Fo Gen Z, pa icipa ion in hese spaces is
usually d i en by a mix o sel -exp ession, a ilia ion, con o mi y o ends, and ai h in pee -gene a ed con en .
In S i Lanka, social p ocesses in online b and communi ies a e e y esponsi e o cul u al sensi i i ies, economic
condi ions, and pa e ns o in e ne access. A he i age- ich na ion wi h g owing connec i i y globally, S i Lanka is a
unique en i onmen whe e local sensibili ies mee global aspi a ions. S i Lanka has expe ienced emendous digi al
e olu ion o e he las decade, e.g., g owing sma phone pene a ion, social media usage, and you h pa icipa ion in e-
comme ce. Meanwhile, economic issues such as he pos -pandemic inancial c isis and impo es ic ion al e ed he
way o eign and domes ic b ands posi ion hemsel es and e ain consume us . Local playe s like Spa Ceylon, Clia a
Essen ial Oils, and Kap uka e c. ha e been able o le e age hese dynamics by embedding adi ional aspec s,
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sus ainabili y s o ies, and a o dabili y wi hin hei digi al pla o ms. Whe eas, Global b ands like Pizza Hu , Aldo, o
Shiseido ace he pe pe ual s uggle o balancing global b and equi y and localized consume expec a ion and economic
cons ain s. These in e ac ions be ween b ands and cus ome s a e media ed mo e and mo e h ough digi al pla o ms
whe e Gen Z consume s demand anspa ency, ele ance, and au hen ici y.
This s udy seeks o c i ically examine how online b and communi ies a e es ablished and sus ained among Gen Z in S i
Lanka, speci ically examining how hey p og ess om shallow digi al engagemen ("likes") o in ense b and loyal y. The
s udy esponds o ele an ques ions such as: Wha d i es Gen Z o pa icipa e in online b and communi ies? How do
local cul u al alues and economic cons ain s a ec hei b and p e e ences and loyal y? How a e b ands using social
media o es ablish us , iden i y, and engagemen wi h hese g oups?
The esea ch is guided by se e al i mly es ablished heo e ical models like B and Communi y Theo y (Muniz &
O'Guinn, 2001), Social Iden i y Theo y (Taj el & Tu ne , 1979) e c. o gain a comp ehensi e discussion o b and
consume ela ionships in cybe space. Re e encing Saunde s' Resea ch Onion Model as a concep ual ounda ion, he
esea ch applies in e p e i is , induc i e, quali a i e esea ch me hodology inco po a ing case s udies and
ne nog aphy o in es iga e genuine in e ac ions be ween Gen Z consume s and domes ic and impo ed b ands.
Th ough he S i Lankan Gen Z ma ke , his s udy con ibu es o b oade digi al consump ion beha io s schola ship in
eme gen ma ke s, whe e cul u al di e si y and socio-economic he e ogenei y o e new challenges and oppo uni ies
o b anding. The s udy also o e s p ac i ione s wi h p ac ical meanings o ma ke e s, digi al s a egis s, and policy-
make s wishing o engage Gen Z in mo e e ec i e, sus ainable, and cul u ally app op ia e e ms. As he digi al
ma ke place is being shaped, lea ning how loyal y is ea ned a he han demanded is pa amoun o building s ong
b and connec ions in an algo i hmic, in luence , and consume -d i en wo ld.
1.1. Resea ch Objec i es
This s udy aims o explo e and c i ically analyze he o ma ion o online b and communi ies by Gene a ion Z in S i
Lanka, speci ically how hese online b and communi ies p omo e domes ic and o eign b and loyal y. To achie e his
aim, he s udy is guided by he ollowing objec i es:
● To sc u inize he ole played by social media in c ea ing and sus aining online b and communi ies among S i
Lankan Gen Z consume s.
● To explo e he mo i a ional o ces social, psychological, and cul u al which s imula e Gen Z's pa icipa ion in
b and- ocused online communi ies.
● To assess ends o b and loyal y be ween o eign and local b ands wi hin S i Lanka's economic and cul u al
landscape.
● To de e mine he me hods u ilized by selec ed b ands (local and o eign) o engage Gen Z in co-c ea ion,
iden i y o ma ion, and loyal y de elopmen .
● To employ he Saunde s Resea ch Onion model o de elop a me hodological app oach sui able o s udying
online communi y beha io in he S i Lankan Gen Z ma ke .
2. Li e a u e Re iew
B and communi y building and es ablishmen online ha e become key conce ns o con empo a y ma ke ing and
consume esea ch. As social media keep shaping he in e ac ions be ween consume s and b ands, pa icula ly in
digi ally bo n consume segmen s such as Gene a ion Z, esea che s ha e placed g ea e emphasis on he psychological,
sociological, and echnological ace s o b and in e ac ion. This li e a u e e iew discusses he heo e ical
unde pinnings and empi ical indings o in e es o his s udy, bo de ing on b and communi ies, Gen Z beha io , co-
c ea ion, cul u al con ex , and economic cons ain s wi h pa icula emphasis on eme ging economies like S i Lanka.
2.1. Gene a ion Z and Digi al Engagemen
Gene a ion Z, b oadly hose bo n be ween 1997 and 2012, ha e been o keen in e es o schola s due o hei unique
consume pa e ns and echnical ap ness. F omm and Read (2018) elucida e ha Gen Z consume s desi e au hen ici y,
iew na a i es in isual o m, and end o suppo b ands ha embody like-minded pe sonal alues. They a e mo e
ac i e playe s in c a ing b and na a i es, o en h ough use -gene a ed con en (UGC), in luence engagemen , and
pee wo d-o -mou h endo semen .
S udies by P ipo as e al. (2017) and Tu ne (2015) also iden i y Gen Z's desi e o in e ac wi h b ands expe ien ially
and in e ac i ely. They would like o be pe sonalized, ecognize wo-way communica ion as being impe a i e, and wan
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businesses o be socially esponsible. In he S i Lankan con ex , Gen Z consume s can ela e o con en ha esona es
wi h hei cul u al iden i y and connec s hem o global ends o e ing a ich e ain o local as well as in e na ional
b ands o es ablish digi al communi ies.
The shi om passi e consump ion o ac i e pa icipa ion b ough co-c ea ion heo y in b anding o li e. P ahalad and
Ramaswamy (2004) de ined he co-c ea i e phenomenon as a mu ual endea o whe e cus ome s and i ms wo k
oge he o co-c ea e alue. Co-c ea ion, in he e a o he digi al age, occu s h ough in e ac i e ea u es on social media
si es, such as polls, con en sha ing, con es s, and in luence collabo a ions.
S udies like ha o Ind, Iglesias, and Schul z (2013) a gue ha co-c ea ion o b ands enhances emo ional commi men
and swi ching cos s. In S i Lanka, examples include how Pizza Hu encou ages localized campaign esponses
(ex:A u udu- hemed menus) o how Odel uses ashion challenges on TikTok, engaging people o pa icipa e and emain
loyal h ough c ea i e exp ession.
2.2. Cul u al Con ex and Localiza ion
Cul u e is a he hea o how consume s eac o, in e ac wi h, and become loyal o b ands. Ho s ede's heo y o cul u al
dimensions (1980) and subsequen localized esea ch (ex: De Sil a, 2018) highligh how collec i is cul u es like S i
Lanka place g ea impo ance on social p oo , amily epu a ion, and adi ion. This a ec s wha ype o b and
s o y elling and communi y expe ience will be mos e ec i e.
Local b ands, which make use o eligious symbolism, conse a i e es i i ies (ex: A u udu), and in o mal language, a e
likely o be mo e emo ionally connec ed. Fo eign b ands ha ail o localize con en o wo se, mis ep esen local alues
isk cul u al disconnec ion and backlash.
2.3. Economic Cons ain s and Value-O ien ed Loyal y
B and loyal y wi hin eme ging economies such as S i Lanka is usually condi ioned by economic in luences such as
ma ke accessibili y, in la ion, and disposable income. The s udies by She h (2020) and Viswana han e al. (2009)
indica e ha in low- o-middle-income economies, loyal y could be p agma ic and condi ional and no necessa ily
emo ional. Unde hese condi ions, us , du abili y, and alue- o -money become cen al.
In he e a pos -economic c isis, local p oduc ion, a o dable, and e hical p oduc s a e inc easingly p e e ed by S i
Lankan Gen Z consume s. B ands like Chanelle and alue ashion websi es h i e by o e ing aspi a ional alue wi hou
economic ex a agance, while o he global b ands ail o main ain cus ome loyal y wi h p ice hikes and impo
unce ain y.
2.4. Summa y and Resea ch Gap
While ex ensi e global s udies exis on b and communi ies, online co-c ea ion, and Gen Z consume ism, he lack o
localized s udies in he Sou h Asian and S i Lankan con ex is deeply el . The majo i y o models a e Wes e n-cen ic
and do no accoun o he in ica e laye s o cul u al iden i y, digi al connec i i y, and economic insecu i y ha de ine
consume beha io s in S i Lanka. This s udy he e o e b idges his c i ical gap h ough p esen ing an emplaced accoun
o he ways S i Lankan Gen Z c ea es and sus ains loyal y in local and global b ands' online b and communi ies.
3. Theo e ical F amewo k
Explaining online b and communi y o ma ion in Gen Z in S i Lanka equi es an in e disciplina y heo e ical model ha
inco po a es pe spec i e om ma ke ing, psychology, sociology, and digi al media s udies. The sec ion c i ically
examines and u ilizes p ima y heo e ical models ha explain unde lying p ocesses o b and communi y o ma ion and
loyal y de elopmen . In he p ocess, i de e mines how hese heo ies accoun o unique cul u al and echnological
eali ies p esen in S i Lanka's Gen Z se ing.
3.1. Social Iden i y Theo y (Taj el & Tu ne , 1979)
Social Iden i y Theo y (SIT), which is based on he assump ion ha indi iduals de i e some aspec o hei concep o
sel om pe cei ed membe ship in social g oups. Consume s in b and communi ies hus iden i y wi h a speci ic b and
o b ands in o de o close o exp ess an ideal iden i y. S i Lankan Gen Z iden i ica ion wi h domes ic b ands and
in e na ional b ands can be explained h ough his explana ion. Local b ands such as Odel o Spa Ceylon help os e a
cul u ally embedded iden i y, in which you h main ain p ide o oo s in he mids o globaliza ion. Ye , he consump ion
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o p oduc s expo ed such as Nike o Impo ed co ee and be e age b ands a e a ype o aspi a ional iden i y cue,
whe eby you h connec o global alues such as success, ashion abili y, and newness.
One o he main applica ions o SIT also explains how online b and communi ies can s eng hen in-g oup/ou -g oup
dynamic. Membe s who pa icipa e in b and i uals (i.e., using pa icula hash ags, going o b anded e en s) gain
symbolic s a us, while non-membe s a e excluded om social capi al hese communi ies p o ide. This s a i ica ion
becomes pa icula ly e iden on TikTok and Ins ag am pla o ms whe e isibili y and con o mi y o appea ance play
signi ican oles in pe cep ion o membe s o b and communi ies.
3.2. B and Communi y Theo y (Muniz & O'Guinn, 2001)
a he ocal poin o his esea ch is B and Communi y Theo y, c ea ed by Muniz and O'Guinn (2001), acco ding o which
b and communi ies a e "specialized, non-geog aphically bound communi ies, based on a s uc u ed se o social
ela ionships among admi e s o a b and." In acco dance wi h his heo y, he e a e h ee ea u es ha iden i y he
b and communi ies: consciousness o kind (a gene al sense o uni y), common i uals and adi ions, and a sense o
mu ual mo al obliga ion be ween pa icipan s.
These h ee dimensions play hemsel es ou e y conc e ely in local and global b and communi ies in S i Lanka. To gi e
an example, membe s o he Spa Ceylon Ins ag am communi y exp ess a collec i e iden i y in e ms o heal h and S i
Lankan he i age p ide, whe eas Colombo's co ee en husias s exhibi ecognizable beha io s like pos ing exac d inks
o de s o i ualizing s o e isi s wi h isually appealing pos i uals in line wi h global Impo ed co ee and be e age
b ands communi y no ms. These g oups p o ide an exclusi i y and belonging ha go beyond he simple consump ion
o a p oduc .
Analy ically, Muniz and O'Guinn's model, hough a obus one, is g ounded on b and-consume ela ionships in he ea ly
2000s and assigns he b and a ela i ely passi e ole. In con as , mode n digi al g oups especially among S i Lankan
Gen Z a e much mo e in e ac i e, dynamic, and use -d i en in na u e, which necessi a es modi ying his heo y o
accommoda e co-c ea ion and pa icipa o y cul u e.
3.3. Consume Cul u e Theo y (A nould & Thompson, 2005)
Figu e 1 Saunde s' Resea ch Onion (Saunde s e al;2019, p.108)
Consume Cul u e Theo y (CCT) conce ns he socio-cul u al, expe ien ial, symbolic, and ideological aspec s o
consump ion. Wes e n in luence is appa en in coexis ing wi h local alues in S i Lanka, whe eas Gen Z b and loyal y is
shaped by global ends bu gi en local in e p e a ion.
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In o e all, hese heo ies p esen a mul i-dimensional concep ualiza ion o he eme gence o online b and communi y
among S i Lankan Gen Z. B and Communi y Theo y and Social Iden i y Theo y accoun o he c ea ion o communi ies
and he psychological unc ions hey play. Uses and G a i ica ions Theo y is enligh ening ega ding agency on he pa
o ac o s, whe eas Co-C ea ion Theo y deals wi h pa icipa o y pa e ns o new b anding. C i ical digi al media heo y
eminds us o keep ou eye on he b oade socio-poli ical and echnological con ex s in which such communi ies eme ge.
The in e sec ion o hese heo ies also poin s o he hyb id cha ac e o S i Lankan Gen Z b and communi ies, one oo ed
in local cul u e bu cons i u ed by uni e sal na a i es, a ec i ely in es ed bu echnologically media ed, aspi a ional
bu po ous. Any success ul b and campaign o his gene a ion he e o e needs o be ounded on since e dialogue,
cul u al ele ance, and since e belie in commi men o communi y.
4. Resea ch Me hodology
A obus esea ch design is c i ical in he unde s anding o he in ica e e olu ion o S i Lanka's Gen Z online b and
communi ies. Saunde s, Lewis, and Tho nhill's (2007) Resea ch Onion is a comp ehensi e p ocedu al guide o
me hodological choice-making in a logical way. All he onion laye s om philosophy o echniques need o be compa ible
wi h he esea ch pu pose and na u e.
4.1. Resea ch Philosophy: In e p e i ism
The philosophical s ance o his s udy is In e p e i ism. In e p e i ism holds ha eali y is socially cons uc ed and
ha knowledge is subjec i e a he han objec i e and dependen on human meanings and expe iences (Saunde s e al.,
2007). This is sui able in s udying b and communi ies online because:
● I is no jus ansac ional engagemen bu symbolic and emo ional engagemen o Gen Z wi h b ands online.
● Meanings o b and communi ies a e cons uc ed h ough in e ac ions (likes, commen s, pos s) bu no an
objec i e eali y.
A posi i is philosophy, seeking measu able uni e sal u hs, would be unable o cap u e he ich, subjec i e p ocesses
by which loyal y is buil online. An in e p e i is epis emology is be e placed o handle con ex -dependen , dynamic,
and cul u ally embedded beha io among S i Lankan you h.
4.2. Resea ch App oach: Induc i e
An Induc i e app oach o he esea ch is adop ed, which in ol es heo y building om da a and no es ing
p econcei ed hypo heses (Saunde s e al., 2007).
● Online b and communi ies among Gen Z in S i Lanka a e a e y unde - esea ched niche.
● Induc ion allows eme gen ends and no el heo e ical iews a he han imposing assumed Wes e n models
in a local con ex .
I a deduc i e app oach had been selec ed, i may esul in lea ing ou cul u e-speci ic beha io s o ce ain d i e s o
loyal y ha a e no add essed in Wes e n-p emised b anding heo y. Induc ion o e s he powe needed o in es iga e
nascen phenomena in a na u al way.
4.3. Resea ch S a egy: Case S udy and Vi ual E hnog aphy
A case s udy s a egy is op imal o in es iga e deeply he o ma ion o online b and communi ies o speci ic b ands
(e.g., Spa Ceylon, impo ed co ee and be e age b ands S i Lanka) and how Gen Z membe s engage wi h hem.
● I allows o con ex - ich, holis ic analysis.
● Enables ocus on a en ion o he ela ionship be ween b and communica ion s yles and communi y esponses.
● In addi ion, Because he esea ch con ex is online communi ies, a i ual e hnog aphy (Hine, 2000) is needed.
Obse ing na u al beha io in online b and communi ies (ex: Facebook g oups, Ins ag am hash ags, TikTok ends)
helps cap u e au hen ic communi y dynamics.
● Allows non-in usi e da a collec ion in a se ing whe e Gen Z eels mos a ease: he digi al en i onmen .
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T adi ional e hnog aphy (in eal-wo ld se ings) would miss aluable digi al nuances. Concu en ly, su ey-based
me hods (ex: ques ionnai es) may ail o cap u e he ichness o emo ional and symbolic in e ac ions ound in na u al
digi al beha io .
4.4. Resea ch Choices: Mono-Me hod Quali a i e
The s udy u ilizes a mono-me hod quali a i e app oach, p io i izing dep h a he han b ead h.
● Me hods include semi-s uc u ed in e iews, i ual ocus g oups, and online pos con en analysis.
● Quali a i e me hods allow pa icipan s o ecoun ich expe iences, iden i y nego ia ions, and a ec i e
ela ionships wi h b ands.
A mixed-me hods o quan i a i e-only design may dilu e he ich, in-dep h da a necessa y o his analysis. Quan i a i e
su eys ca y he isk o educing ac ions o quan i iable bu mechanism- ee unidimensional g oups, o e looking
a ec i e mo i a ions o loyal y.
4.5. Time Ho izon: C oss-Sec ional
Because o he a ailabili y o esou ces and he explo a o y na u e o he s udy, a c oss-sec ional ime ho izon is selec ed
collec ing da a a a single poin in ime.
● P o ides a snapsho o mode n communi y p ac ices du ing pos -pandemic, economically eco e ing S i Lanka.
● Re eals cu en mo i a ions, loyal y, and ends among Gen Z cus ome s.
While longi udinal design could e eal nascen ends o loyal y o e ime (mo e so a e economic ecession), c oss-
sec ional design add esses he immedia e esea ch needs and p agma ic cons ain s.
4.6. Me hods and P ocedu es: Da a Collec ion and Analysis
Da a Collec ion has been applied based on he ollowing;
● Semi-S uc u ed In e iews: Wi h 20 S i Lankan Gen Z membe s (aged 18–27 yea s) ac i e in online b and
communi ies.
● Vi ual Focus G oups: 3 sessions o 5–7 pa icipan s pe session, alking abou eelings and mo i a ions o local
s impo ed b ands.
● E hnog aphy Obse a ion: Passi e obse a ion o b and communi ies on Ins ag am, Facebook, and TikTok o e
a 2-mon h pe iod. Example: No ing how "Spa Ceylon Wellness" is used on he Ins ag am hash ag.
4.6.1. Da a Analysis
● Thema ic Analysis (B aun & Cla ke, 2006): Iden i ying dominan hemes like iden i y o ma ion, social
belonging, aspi a ional signaling, e c.
● Use o NVi o so wa e o coding quali a i e da a.
Th ough iangula ing mul iple quali a i e da a sou ces (online obse a ions, in e iews, ocus g oups), he esea ch
enhances c edibili y and ichness.
5. Fo ma ion o Online B and Communi ies Among Gen Z in S i Lanka
The c ea ion o web-based b and communi ies by S i Lanka's Gen Z is impac ed ia he in e ace among digi al li e acies,
cul u al iden i ies, and aspi a ional consump ions. Since hey a e bo n digi ally, S i Lanka's Gen Z adi ionally
segmen ed as hose be ween he age b acke s o 18-27 yea s exis as bo h p oduce s wi hin he digi al domain and
consume s. They a e com o able wi h isual language ( eels, TikToks, memes), alue au hen ici y, and eadily engage
wi h b ands ha hey iden i y wi h a he indi idual le el o hei alues, way o li e, and social aspi a ions. Con a y o
pas gene a ions, Gen Z loyal y is no c ea ed ia p oduc excellence o amilia i y wi h ad e ising, bu ia sha ed,
discu si ely discussed, and co-c ea ed pa icipa o y b and expe iences wi hin digi al spaces.
In S i Lanka, he p oli e a ion o sma phones and low-cos mobile da a packages has ueled he g ow h o social media
such as Facebook, Ins ag am, and TikTok as leading pla o ms o b and-consume in e ac ion. They a e no only
p omo ional ools bu also communi y hubs, whe e young consume s can in e ac wi h b ands and ellow use s in eal
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ime. O no able impo ance is he ac ha S i Lankan Gen Z b and communi y building is ac i e and no a passi e one
in which he communi ies a e g ass oo s cen e ed, whe e cus ome s ake ac i e pa icipa o y oles o ell s o ies o
b ands, making memes, becoming pa o ending challenges, o c ea ing hash ags o inc easing b and consciousness
and social p ominence.
Gen Z pa icipa ion in web-based b and communi ies is mo i a ed by complex easons. I is mo e likely o be an
endea o o a sense o belonging, a desi e o social ecogni ion, and he aspi a ion o make mic o-iden i ies in e ms
o membe ship in b ands. This beha io closely aligns wi h Social Iden i y Theo y, whe ein indi iduals iden i y
hemsel es based on membe ships in g oups; in his case, i ual g oups based on b ands. Fo young S i Lankans li ing
in bo h globalized and local cul u al wo lds, b and communi ies ac as a way o a icula ing a hyb id iden i y. Fo
ins ance, a young consume migh pa icipa e in a local skinca e communi y like Spa Ceylon o con ey a sense o
belonging o local wellness cul u e, while simul aneously being in ol ed wi h global b ands like Nike o show
cosmopoli an ambi ions.
Ano he majo d i e o communi y o ma ion is co-c ea ion o alue. B ands ha become open o use -gene a ed
con en , o ganize in e ac i e online campaigns, and espond o eedback build s onge emo ional bonds. Gen Z in S i
Lanka p e e b ands ha no only sc eam a hem bu speak o hem. This in e ac ion engende s a eeling o being in
and con ibu ing owa ds he owne ship o he b and's iden i y. Digi al b and communi ies in S i Lankan Gen Z hence
no only occu as a consequence o ma ke ing campaigns bu ou o a sha ed cul u e, emo ional, and i ual space an
in e ace whe e b and wo h is no only consumed bu cons uc ed collec i ely.
To obse e how online b and communi ies ope a e in p ac ice, i is enligh ening o examine speci ic examples o local
and in e na ional b ands ope a ing in he S i Lankan ma ke . Th ough hese case s udies, insigh is p o ided in o how
di e en b ands o Filipino o igin ounded on di e en cul u al na a i es c ea e loyal y and pa icipa ion among Gen
Z consume s h ough he Filipino online space.
One o he bes examples o local b and communi y building is Spa Ceylon, he p emium Ayu eda luxu y b and ha
has been able o blend ancien wellness philosophy and he la es digi al ends. Via Ins ag am campaigns like
#SpaCeylonMomen s and Facebook wellness communi ies, Spa Ceylon has buil a e y engaged online communi y
whe e consume s do no jus buy p oduc s bu sha e hei own home ca e i uals, ecommend p oduc s o o he s, and
exchange in he emo ional alue o Ayu eda. I is popula because i has managed o e oke cul u al au hen ici y,
d awing on he i age bu il a ing i ia mode n, globally accep able b anding. I also ea u es cus ome con en on i s
home pages egula ly, de eloping a sense o collec i e owne ship and us . This ype o wo-way communica ion has
made Spa Ceylon's online page a li ing communi y and no a s a ic p oduc lis .
Simila ly, Odel, S i Lanka's p emie ashion e ail b and, has emb aced Gen Z's social media usage o c ea e online
communi ies based on ashion and li es yle. The b and has launched TikTok dance challenges, Ins ag am eels wi h
in luence s, and seasonally ele an s yle hash ags ha encou age use pa icipa ion. Wha makes Odel s and ou is he
way i localizes ends, o ins ance, by including Sinhala and Tamil sub i les, blending adi ional wea wi h mode n
se ings, o collabo a ing wi h local in luence s. These no ms c ea e communi y among Gen Z ashion consume s who
need o be ashionable and emain close o hei he i age. Online cha e abou Odel is ull o aspi a ional image y and
pee - o-pee discussion, suppo ing he hypo hesis ha communi y loyal y is o en he ou come o sha ed aes he ic and
li es yle aspi a ions.
On he o he hand, in e na ional b ands like Nike, Redbull, Ba h and body Wo ks, Adidas e c. ha e es ablished S i Lankan
b and communi ies by emb acing aspi a ional alues and global iden i y ma ke s. Nike, o example, employs he c oss-
cul u al appeal o a hle icism and endu ance bu in he S i Lankan con ex g ounds he na a i e by emphasizing young
S i Lankan a hle es, i ness in luence s, and spo s clubs. The Nike S i Lanka Ins ag am page is cons an ly upda ing use -
gene a ed ales using he #Jus DoI SL hash ag, ea u ing indi iduals o e coming obs acles wi h spo . I encou ages a
eeling o communi y based on common d i e and mo i a ion, which ies in wi h Gen Z cul u al alues o men al well-
being, body posi i i y, and sel -imp o emen . The Nike S i Lanka online communi y se es as an online suppo g oup
o encou age a sys em whe e b and me apho is equa ed wi h pe sonal ans o ma ion.Impo ed co ee and be e age
b ands, which ha e newly es ablished hemsel es in he S i Lankan ma ke , has quickly acqui ed a Gen Z audience on
he basis o exclusi i y and social signaling. Fo he younge consume s li ing wi hin u ban ci ies like Colombo, impo ed
co ee and be e ages a e an expe ience and no jus a co ee shop. Sha ing a sel ie o e a d ink has also become social
capi al on si es like Ins ag am and Snapcha . Impo ed co ee and be e age b ands S i Lanka p o i s om such ac ion
by p omp ing use s o sha e expe iences in he s o e, ha ing a look-d i en social campaign, and showcasing s o ies
om ans. The b and's online communi y is hus d i en by s a us signaling and li es yle alignmen quali ies ex emely
e ec i e o a gene a ion b oke ing iden i y h ough i ual sel -p esen a ion.
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Wha local and in e na ional b ands demons a e is ha S i Lankan online b and communi ies a e no monoli hic. Local
b ands lou ish on he basis o cul u al esonance and emo ional in imacy, while impo ed b ands end o build
communi ies on he ounda ion o aspi a ion, p es ige, and global ci izenship. Abo e all, bo h app oaches wo k and a e
alid bu hey mus ha e an unde s anding o Gen Z's psychological d i e s, cul u al sys ems, and online beha io s.
Those b ands ailing o app ecia e hese nuances isk being one-dea o disconnec ed a a ime when consume s a e no
longe passi e iewe s bu ac i e co-c ea o s o b and meaning.
6. Loyal y Towa ds Local s Impo ed B ands: Cul u al and Economic In luences
Gen Z consume s' loyal y in S i Lanka o bo h domes ic and in e na ional b ands is amed o a la ge deg ee by economic
accessibili y and cul u al connec ion. Emo ional, cul u al, and na ional iden i y cong uence d i e loyal y o domes ic
b ands, while loyal y owa ds in e na ional b ands inspi es aspi a ion, signaling s a us, and global belonging.
Local b ands like Spa Ceylon (a well-known S i Lankan Ayu edic skinca e b and), Se i Na u als, The Swadeshi
Indus ial Wo ks PLC e c. le e age local ing edien s, na ional p ide, and adi ional alues o c ea e emo ional loyal y.
Fo example, Spa Ceylon smoo hs Ayu eda wi h luxu y, appealing o Gen Z seeking na u al solu ions o wellness as
well as he i age. Simila ly, he b and is appealing o mid- ange consume s on alue- o -money skinca e locally led by
need and clima e, ea ning us h ough being known and accessible. Fu he mo e, Local ood es au an s, such as
amily-owned ood es au an s o s ee ood s alls, a e likely o c ea e s ong cul u al nos algia and long- e m us
es ablished o e gene a ions o owne ship and hus loyal y is mo e e ec i e han ansac ional. In his, he e is loyal y
es ablished on cul u al belongingness, alue- o -money, and coun y and communi y belongingness based on equen
es ocking o he p oduc and coun y-building.
On he o he hand, in e na ional b ands like Pizza Hu , Japanese beau y p oduc s (ex: Shiseido o DHC), and luxu y
ashion/cosme ics like so hys appeal o Gen Z's no el y, p es ige, and global a ilia ion. Fo ins ance, Pizza Hu o e s a
"global as - ood iden i y" signi ying mode n li e and wes e niza ion. In such a case, loyal y is o en pe o ma i e online
pos ing o Pizza Hu ood cons i u es u bani y and endiness. In he same ein, Japanese beau y p oduc s a e elied
upon o quali y and inno a ion, winning he loyal y o Gen Z consume s who p io i ize skinca e science, minimalism,
and in e na ional s anda ds o beau y. Aspi a ional b ands such as Clia a Essen ial Oils e oke aspi a ional loyal y,
whe e b and a ini y is connec ed o s a us upli a he han e e yday u ili y.
Bu iscal discipline cu s sho ex ended exposu e o cos ly impo s. Local b ands a e easily accessible, bu o eign b and
loyal y is o en si ua ional condi ional and no ing ained. Fo eign p oduc s a e mo e ulne able o exchange a e isk,
a i s, and economic ins abili y, which can annihila e long- e m b and loyal y in he p esence o ini ial eupho ia.
In gene al, local b ands de elop s ong, cul u e-cong uen loyal y, mos no ably among middle-class and wo king-class
Gen Z, whe eas impo ed b ands de elop image-based, aspi a ional loyal y among u ban you h. Local b ands like Spa
Ceylon and Clia a Essen ial Oils a e mo e esilien in e ms o loyal y due o amilia i y and cul u al salience. Impo ed
b ands like Japanese cosme ics and Pizza Hu de elop in ense bu o en empo a y loyal y, main ained h ough social
s a us and no el y a he han a ec i e o cul u al ies.
7. Implica ions and Recommenda ions
C ea ion o Online b and communi y among S i Lanka's Gen Z is undamen ally impo an ele ance o bo h domes ic
and in e na ional b ands o he ex en ha i enhances he le el o in ol emen and loyal y o e he long e m. Online
b and communi ies a e no oday, omo ow ype phenomena bu li ing o ganisms in which iden i y, alue exchange,
and emo ional belongingness a e being nego ia ed con inuously. The impo ance o his end canno be es ic ed only
o b anding policies, con en ma ke ing, cul u al p ominence, economic in es men , and esea ch agendas in
in ellec ual ci cles.
7.1. S a egic Implica ions o B ands and Ma ke e s
7.1.1. P io i izing Communi y be o e Business T ansac ion
S i Lanka's Gene a ion Z cus ome s a e hung ie o expe ience and eali y oday han o adi ional p oduc
p omo ion. B ands need o ansi ion om ansac ional o communi y-o ien ed s a egies, whe e ela ionships a e as
i al as sales. Fo ins ance, Spa Ceylon has e ec i ely buil an online communi y o wellness h ough weekly cus ome
highligh s, "sel -ca e Sunday" ou ines, and in e ac i e Ayu edic wellness ips on Ins ag am. Ra he han c ea ing
equen p omo ions, he b and p o ides a cul u al lea ning space, use s o y, and emo ional connec ion, os e ing
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consume loyal y and us . Simila ly, Pizza Hu S i Lanka ecen ly launched in e ac i e social media campaigns such as
"C ea e You Own Pizza Day" and in luence -led challenges ha p omo e use -gene a ed con en . These campaigns
we e success ul in engaging passi e consume s and ac i a ing hem as ac i e communi y pa icipan s h ough pee
isibili y and pe sonaliza ion. B ands mus build digi al campaigns ha p omo e co-c ea ion, ini ia e con e sa ions, and
ge use s o eel hey belong o some hing mo e han a pu chasing audience. Digi al expe ience o ice s and communi y
manage s mus be in eg a ed wi hin ma ke ing eams in o de o achie e his.
7.2. Use Mic o-In luence s and Con en C ea o s
7.2.1. Gen Z in S i Lanka will us mic o-in luence s and down- o-ea h con en c ea o s mo e han la ge celeb i ies o
co po a e b ands.
This is because au hen ici y and ela abili y a e equi ed in online in e ac ion. B ands like Clia a Essen ial Oils (S i
Lanka) ha e sensibly pa ne ed wi h local beau y in luence s who p oduc e iew in Sinhala o Tamil, ex ending o
egional audiences and ea i ming inclusi i y. Global b ands ha use one-size- i s-all in luence s a egies ail on his
g ass oo s le el o connec ion. A ecen ins ance was a Japanese and Ko ean skin ca e b and ha launched a se ies o
p oduc s in S i Lanka ia uppe -end u ban in luence s bu ailed o add ess b oade local skin conce ns (ex; sun o
humidi y-induced hype pigmen a ion). As a esul , he campaign unde pe o med, lacking cul u al ele ance and
unc ional esonance. Ma ke e s mus localize in luence ma ke ing by collabo a ing wi h c ea o s ha e lec he
di e si y o S i Lankan Gen Z in language, egion, class, and subcul u e.
7.3. Design o Mobile-Fi s , Sho -Fo m Con en
7.3.1. Gen Z o S i Lanka is p edominan ly mobile- i s , and a majo i y a e engaging wi h b ands ia TikTok, Ins ag am
Reels, and YouTube Sho s.
S a ic con en o de ailed blogs a e less e ec i e in e ms o engagemen and communi y building. Fo example, Odel's
ecen TikTok ashion challenge, whe e use s sha ed hei "A u udu look" wi h Odel appa el, wen i al among you h,
posi ioning he b and as cul u ally ele an and op-o -mind o he es i e season. A he same ime, he e a e legacy
ood b ands ha s ill ely hea ily on Facebook banne ads o SMS-based p omo ions, wi hou adap ing o he con en
consump ion pa e ns o Gen Z. B ands mus in es in dynamic, snackable con en o ma s ha a e buil o e ical
sc eens and lee ing engagemen . Con inuous con en e esh cycles and pla o m-speci ic inno a ion a e essen ial.
7.4. Cul u al and Economic Conside a ions
7.4.1. Balance Global Aspi a ions wi h Local Sensi i i ies
Global b ands a e desi able, ye cul u al misma ch may igge disconnec ion o backlash. A case in poin is he lak an
in e na ional ashion b and in S i Lanka ecei ed in 2023 o p omo ing cul u ally insensi i e appa el du ing a local
New Yea campaign. On he o he hand, Spa Ceylon and Clia a Essen ial Oil’s succeed due o he alignmen o hei
b ands on S i Lankan he i age, language, and local i uals in hei na a i es. S i Lankan Gen Z seeks ou b ands ha can
help hem in hei dual iden i y one ha is p oudly S i Lankan bu also in e na ional in ou look. B ands ha can localize
he global such as Impo ed co ee and be e age b ands S i Lanka, which o e ed local la o s such as ca damom-
la o ed la es o A u udu achie e mo e loyal y. Cul u al in elligence mus be injec ed in o b anding, con en c ea ion,
and p oduc localiza ion e o s. B ands mus u ilize local cul u al consul an s when c ea ing pi o al campaigns o
p oduc launches.
7.4.2. Acknowledge Economic Reali ies
S i Lanka's ecen economic ola ili y, pa icula ly since he 2022 inancial c isis, has had a p o ound impac on
consump ion habi s. Sus ainabili y, a o dabili y, and alue- o -money ha e eme ged as he new p io i ies o Gen Z.
Luxu y b ands like Clia a Essen ial Oils may a ac sho - e m aspi a ional in e es , bu hose ha o e alue o money
like Clia a Essen ial Oils, Hemas, o e en local ea e ies like Ba h Kade o Kopi Kade will ha e long- e m loyal y.
Impo ed b ands ha ail o modi y hei p icing s uc u es o p oduc bundles o accommoda e local sala ies isk being
seen as eli is o ou -o - ouch. Loyal y is inc easingly linked o pe cei ed a o dabili y, ai ness, and economic
commonali ies. B ands should explo e mul i-le el p oduc lines, s uden discoun s, and communi y ewa d schemes
based on loyal y ha make loyal y a o dable. T anspa ency in p icing and CSR e o s also suppo us .
Businesses need o see mo e comp ehensi e e hnog aphic and longi udinal esea ch on he de elopmen o b and
communi ies as hey e ol e o e ime in low- o-middle-income economies. While mos o he esea ch on b and
