The impact of social media marketing on brand engagement and consumer-based brand equity in Vietnam’s automotive industry

Van Thi Thanh Nguyen; Tuyet Thi Anh Le; Nam Hoang Trinh

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2026234

Keywords:

Abstract

Leveraging social media marketing is considered an effective strategy for companies in general and automakers in particular in the modern digital context. Social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube serve as powerful marketing tools for enhancing brand visibility, increasing brand awareness, and building customer relationships. Although purchase and sales activities are still conducted directly at distribution agents, social networking sites have become the main platform where consumers interact and maintain communication with brands. In response to changes in consumer behavior and to stay ahead of competition, automakers can leverage social media as a strategic platform to better connect with consumers for interactive activities and cultivate more profound customer engagement, thereby strengthening brand equity. This research aims to study the impact of social media marketing on brand engagement and consumer-based brand equity in the automobile market of Vietnam. A survey of 562 car owners in Vietnam and data analyzed via SPSS 20 and AMOS 24 software revealed that important parts of social media marketing—such as customization, trendiness, word-of-mouth, and brand storytelling—help improve brand engagement and increase automobile brand equity in Vietnam. The study not only reinforces the important role of the typical customization, trendiness, and word-of-mouth components but also extends the exploitation of the effectiveness of the brand storytelling component in creating an overall social media marketing that is capable of connecting consumers’ emotions, perceptions, and interactive behaviors with the brand simultaneously and potentially transcends the clutter of promotion strategies to impress and help consumers learn deeply about the brand and eventually increase brand equity. The findings of this study are expected to enrich the academic literature on social media marketing in customer engagement and brand development and serve as a useful reference for more effective online marketing solutions.
References
1. Aaker, D.A. (1991). Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name. Free Press, New York, 411-423.
2. AMA American Marketing Association. (1960). Marketing definitions: A glossary of marketing terms. American Marketing Association, Chicago.
3. Bhaduri, G. & Ha-Brookshire, J. (2017). The role of brand schemas, information transparency, and source of message on apparel brands’ social responsibility communication. Journal of Marketing Communications, 23, 293-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2015.1040441.
4. Bilgin, Y. (2018). The effect of social media marketing activities on brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty. Business & Management Studies, 6, 128-148. https://doi.org/10.15295/bmij.v6i1.229.
5. Carvalho, L., Brandão, A., & Pinto, L. H. (2020). Understanding the importance of EWOM on higher education institutions’ brand equity. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 31(2), 261-279. doi:10.1080/08841241.2020.1788196.
6. Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., & Rosenberger, P. J. (2019). Developing a conceptual model for examining social media marketing effects on brand awareness and brand image. International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 17, 243-261. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEBR.2019.098874.
7. Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., & Rosenberger, P. J. (2020). The influence of perceived social media marketing elements on consumer–brand engagement and brand knowledge. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 32 (3), 695-720. https://doi.org/10.1108/apjml-04-2019-0262.
8. Chi, H. H. (2011). Interactive digital advertising vs. virtual brand community: exploratory study of user motivation and social media marketing responses in Taiwan. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 12, 44-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2011.10722190.
9. Christodoulides, G., and Chernatony, L. (2010). Consumer-based brand equity conceptualization and measurement: a literature review. International Journal of Market Research, 52, 43-66. https://doi.org/10.2501/S1470785310201053.
10. Denning, S. (2006). Effective storytelling: strategic business narrative techniques. Strategy & Leadership, 34(1), 42–48. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570610637885
11. Dessart, L., & Pitardi, V. (2019). How stories generate consumer engagement: an exploratory study. Journal of Business Research, 104, 183-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.045.
12. Feldwick, P. (1996). What is brand equity anyway, and how do you measure it?. Market Research Society Journal, 38(2), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/147078539603800201.
13. Fog, K., Budtz, C., Munch, P., & Blanchette, S. (2010). Storytelling: Branding in practice. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16438-9
14. Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104.
15. Gambetti, R.C., Graffigna, G., and Biraghi, S. (2012). The grounded theory approach to consumer-brand engagement. International Journal of Market Research, 54, 659-687. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJMR-54-5-659-687.
16. Granitz, N., & Forman, H. (2015). Building self-brand connections: Exploring brand stories through a transmedia perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 22(1), 38–59. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2015.1
17. Hollebeek, L. D. (2011). Demystifying customer brand engagement: exploring the loyalty nexus. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(7–8), 785–807. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2010.500132.
18. Hollebeek, L. D., Conduit, J., Sweeney, J., Soutar, G., Karpen, I. O., Jarvis, W., & Chen, T. (2016). Epilogue to the special issue and reflections on the future of engagement research. Journal of Marketing Management, 32(5-6), 586-594. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2016.1144340.
19. Hollebeek, L.D., Glynn, M., Brodie, R. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social media: conceptualization, scale development, and validation. Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, 28(2), 149-165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2013.12.002.
20. Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53, 59-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003.
21. Kaushik, P., & Senthilkumar, B. (2025). The role of storytelling in enhancing consumer engagement and strengthening brand awareness. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5201867
22. Keller, K.L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57, 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1252054.
23. Kim, A.J., and Ko, E. (2012). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brands. Journal of Business Research, 65, 1480-1486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.10.014.
24. Koay, K.Y., Ong, D.L.T., Khoo, K.L., and Yeoh, H.J. (2020). Perceived social media marketing activities and consumer-based brand equity: testing a moderated mediation model. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 33(1), pp. 53–72. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-07-2019-0453.
25. Koivulehto, E. I. (2017). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? A case study of fast-fashion brand Zara. Master's Thesis, Helsinki: Aalto University. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-201705114458.
26. Krishnamurthy, A. & Kumar, S. R. (2018). Electronic word-of-mouth and the brand image: exploring the moderating role of involvement through a consumer expectations lens. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, 43(C), 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.03.010.
27. Lamour, T. (2023). How digital storytelling is shaping the automotive industry. Purple. https://www.purplepublish.com/en/blog/storytelling-in-automotive-industry
28. Lassar, W., Mittal, B., and Sharma, A. (1995). Measuring customer-based brand equity. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 12, 11-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07363769510095270.
29. Li, C. (2016). When does web-based personalization really work? The distinction between actual personalization and perceived personalization. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 25–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.049.
30. Manthiou, A., Rokka, J., Godey, B., & Tang, L. R. (2016). How social media marketing efforts influence brand equity creation and its consequences: The case of luxury brands. In Let’s get engaged! Crossing the threshold of marketing’s engagement era (pp. 561–561). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11815-4_169
31. Mavilinda, H. F., Putri, Y. H., & Nazaruddin, A. (2023). Is storytelling marketing effective in building customer engagement and driving purchase decisions? Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 14(2), 274–296. https://doi.org/10.18196/mb.v14i2.17830
32. Nakhil, R. F. A. A. (2019). Meaningful storytelling as a brand engagement approach: A conceptual framework. International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, 26(4), 1346–1357.
33. Perera, C. H., Nayak, R., & Nguyen, L. T. V. (2020). The impact of social brand engagement on customer-based brand equity in higher education: An empirical study in Sri Lanka. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Research in Business, Management, and Economics (pp. 12–27). https://doi.org/10.33422/3rd.icrbme.2020.11.112
34. Ra’d Almestarihi, J., Al-Gasawneh, J. A., Al-jabali, S., Gharaibeh, M. K., Enaizan, O. N., & Nusairat, M. (2021). The impact of social media marketing on brand equity: A systematic review. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education, 12(6), 4073–4088. https://doi.org/10.17762/turcomat.v12i6.8378
35. Rimadias, S., Alvionita, N., & Amelia, A. P. (2021). Using social media marketing to create brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty in the tourism sector in Indonesia. Journal The Winners, 22(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.21512/tw.v22i2.7597
36. Rizkia, R., & Oktafani, F. (2020). The effect of storytelling marketing on purchasing decisions through brand equity as an intervening variable on Gojek in Jakarta. International Journal of Management, Entrepreneurship, Social Science, and Humanities, 3(1), 48–55. https://doi.org/10.31098/ijmesh.v3i1.190
37. Rossanty, Y., Rini, E. S., Sembiring, B. K. F., & Silalahi, A. S. (2024). Social media marketing and consumer brand engagement: Elevating luxury perfume brand equity. International Review of Management and Marketing, 14(6), 239–254. https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.17229
38. Sano, K. (2014). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer satisfaction, promote positive WOM, and affect behavior intention? An investigation into the effects of social media on the tourism industry. Doshisha Business Review, 66(3–4), 491–515.
39. Simon, C. J., & Sullivan, M. J. (1993). The measurement and determinants of brand equity: A financial approach. Marketing Science, 12(1), 28–52. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.12.1.28
40. Solja, E., Liljander, V., & Söderlund, M. (2018). Short brand stories on packaging: An examination of consumer responses. Psychology & Marketing, 35(4), 294–306. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21087
41. Sun, Y., Gonzalez-Jimenez, H., & Wang, S. (2021). Examining the relationships between e-WOM, consumer ethnocentrism, and brand equity. Journal of Business Research, 130, 564–573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.040
42. Walther, J. B. (1992). Interpersonal effects in computer-mediated interaction: A relational perspective. Communication Research, 19(1), 52–89. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365092019001003

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Nguyen, V. T. T., Le, T. T. A., & Trinh, N. H. (2025). The impact of social media marketing on brand engagement and consumer-based brand equity in Vietnam’s automotive industry. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(4), 2026234. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026234

[1] Aaker, D.A. (1991). Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name. Free Press, New York, 411-423.

[2] AMA American Marketing Association. (1960). Marketing definitions: A glossary of marketing terms. American Marketing Association, Chicago.

[3] Bhaduri, G. & Ha-Brookshire, J. (2017). The role of brand schemas, information transparency, and source of message on apparel brands’ social responsibility communication. Journal of Marketing Communications, 23, 293-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2015.1040441.

[4] Bilgin, Y. (2018). The effect of social media marketing activities on brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty. Business & Management Studies, 6, 128-148. https://doi.org/10.15295/bmij.v6i1.229.

[5] Carvalho, L., Brandão, A., & Pinto, L. H. (2020). Understanding the importance of EWOM on higher education institutions’ brand equity. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 31(2), 261-279. doi:10.1080/08841241.2020.1788196.

[6] Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., & Rosenberger, P. J. (2019). Developing a conceptual model for examining social media marketing effects on brand awareness and brand image. International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 17, 243-261. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEBR.2019.098874.

[7] Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., & Rosenberger, P. J. (2020). The influence of perceived social media marketing elements on consumer–brand engagement and brand knowledge. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 32 (3), 695-720. https://doi.org/10.1108/apjml-04-2019-0262.

[8] Chi, H. H. (2011). Interactive digital advertising vs. virtual brand community: exploratory study of user motivation and social media marketing responses in Taiwan. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 12, 44-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2011.10722190.

[9] Christodoulides, G., and Chernatony, L. (2010). Consumer-based brand equity conceptualization and measurement: a literature review. International Journal of Market Research, 52, 43-66. https://doi.org/10.2501/S1470785310201053.

[10] Denning, S. (2006). Effective storytelling: strategic business narrative techniques. Strategy & Leadership, 34(1), 42–48. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570610637885

[11] Dessart, L., & Pitardi, V. (2019). How stories generate consumer engagement: an exploratory study. Journal of Business Research, 104, 183-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.045.

[12] Feldwick, P. (1996). What is brand equity anyway, and how do you measure it?. Market Research Society Journal, 38(2), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/147078539603800201.

[13] Fog, K., Budtz, C., Munch, P., & Blanchette, S. (2010). Storytelling: Branding in practice. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16438-9

[14] Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104.

[15] Gambetti, R.C., Graffigna, G., and Biraghi, S. (2012). The grounded theory approach to consumer-brand engagement. International Journal of Market Research, 54, 659-687. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJMR-54-5-659-687.

[16] Granitz, N., & Forman, H. (2015). Building self-brand connections: Exploring brand stories through a transmedia perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 22(1), 38–59. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2015.1

[17] Hollebeek, L. D. (2011). Demystifying customer brand engagement: exploring the loyalty nexus. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(7–8), 785–807. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2010.500132.

[18] Hollebeek, L. D., Conduit, J., Sweeney, J., Soutar, G., Karpen, I. O., Jarvis, W., & Chen, T. (2016). Epilogue to the special issue and reflections on the future of engagement research. Journal of Marketing Management, 32(5-6), 586-594. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2016.1144340.

[19] Hollebeek, L.D., Glynn, M., Brodie, R. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social media: conceptualization, scale development, and validation. Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, 28(2), 149-165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2013.12.002.

[20] Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53, 59-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003.

[21] Kaushik, P., & Senthilkumar, B. (2025). The role of storytelling in enhancing consumer engagement and strengthening brand awareness. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5201867

[22] Keller, K.L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57, 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1252054.

[23] Kim, A.J., and Ko, E. (2012). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brands. Journal of Business Research, 65, 1480-1486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.10.014.

[24] Koay, K.Y., Ong, D.L.T., Khoo, K.L., and Yeoh, H.J. (2020). Perceived social media marketing activities and consumer-based brand equity: testing a moderated mediation model. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 33(1), pp. 53–72. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-07-2019-0453.

[25] Koivulehto, E. I. (2017). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? A case study of fast-fashion brand Zara. Master's Thesis, Helsinki: Aalto University. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-201705114458.

[26] Krishnamurthy, A. & Kumar, S. R. (2018). Electronic word-of-mouth and the brand image: exploring the moderating role of involvement through a consumer expectations lens. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, 43(C), 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.03.010.

[27] Lamour, T. (2023). How digital storytelling is shaping the automotive industry. Purple. https://www.purplepublish.com/en/blog/storytelling-in-automotive-industry

[28] Lassar, W., Mittal, B., and Sharma, A. (1995). Measuring customer-based brand equity. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 12, 11-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07363769510095270.

[29] Li, C. (2016). When does web-based personalization really work? The distinction between actual personalization and perceived personalization. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 25–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.049.

[30] Manthiou, A., Rokka, J., Godey, B., & Tang, L. R. (2016). How social media marketing efforts influence brand equity creation and its consequences: The case of luxury brands. In Let’s get engaged! Crossing the threshold of marketing’s engagement era (pp. 561–561). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11815-4_169

[31] Mavilinda, H. F., Putri, Y. H., & Nazaruddin, A. (2023). Is storytelling marketing effective in building customer engagement and driving purchase decisions? Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 14(2), 274–296. https://doi.org/10.18196/mb.v14i2.17830

[32] Nakhil, R. F. A. A. (2019). Meaningful storytelling as a brand engagement approach: A conceptual framework. International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, 26(4), 1346–1357.

[33] Perera, C. H., Nayak, R., & Nguyen, L. T. V. (2020). The impact of social brand engagement on customer-based brand equity in higher education: An empirical study in Sri Lanka. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Research in Business, Management, and Economics (pp. 12–27). https://doi.org/10.33422/3rd.icrbme.2020.11.112

[34] Ra’d Almestarihi, J., Al-Gasawneh, J. A., Al-jabali, S., Gharaibeh, M. K., Enaizan, O. N., & Nusairat, M. (2021). The impact of social media marketing on brand equity: A systematic review. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education, 12(6), 4073–4088. https://doi.org/10.17762/turcomat.v12i6.8378

[35] Rimadias, S., Alvionita, N., & Amelia, A. P. (2021). Using social media marketing to create brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty in the tourism sector in Indonesia. Journal The Winners, 22(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.21512/tw.v22i2.7597

[36] Rizkia, R., & Oktafani, F. (2020). The effect of storytelling marketing on purchasing decisions through brand equity as an intervening variable on Gojek in Jakarta. International Journal of Management, Entrepreneurship, Social Science, and Humanities, 3(1), 48–55. https://doi.org/10.31098/ijmesh.v3i1.190

[37] Rossanty, Y., Rini, E. S., Sembiring, B. K. F., & Silalahi, A. S. (2024). Social media marketing and consumer brand engagement: Elevating luxury perfume brand equity. International Review of Management and Marketing, 14(6), 239–254. https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.17229

[38] Sano, K. (2014). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer satisfaction, promote positive WOM, and affect behavior intention? An investigation into the effects of social media on the tourism industry. Doshisha Business Review, 66(3–4), 491–515.

[39] Simon, C. J., & Sullivan, M. J. (1993). The measurement and determinants of brand equity: A financial approach. Marketing Science, 12(1), 28–52. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.12.1.28

[40] Solja, E., Liljander, V., & Söderlund, M. (2018). Short brand stories on packaging: An examination of consumer responses. Psychology & Marketing, 35(4), 294–306. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21087

[41] Sun, Y., Gonzalez-Jimenez, H., & Wang, S. (2021). Examining the relationships between e-WOM, consumer ethnocentrism, and brand equity. Journal of Business Research, 130, 564–573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.040

[42] Walther, J. B. (1992). Interpersonal effects in computer-mediated interaction: A relational perspective. Communication Research, 19(1), 52–89. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365092019001003

Abstract

References

How to cite