Brands’ reward-triggering visual cues, conceptualised in this research as hedonic visual brand cues, may be regarded as conditioned stimuli that trigger consumers’ approach behaviour. Increasing research suggests that exposure to proximate rewards, such as rewarding visual cues, may activate impulsive buying. Nevertheless, additional research is needed to determine the nature of the causal entities at play when Generation Z is exposed to hedonic visual brand cues. As a result, this study aims to identify and explore the causal factors and mechanisms underlying the relationship between hedonic visual brand cues exposure and Generation Z’s impulsive food buying.
Focusing on the food domain, this project is the first comprehensive investigation of (a) the causal influence of hedonic visual brand cues on Generation Z’s impulsive food buying and (b) the causal factors and generative mechanisms underpinning this relationship. Consistent with the tenets of critical realism, the methodology adopts a triangulated multi-method qualitative approach: participant observation of purchase behaviour; semi-structured interviews aided by photo elicitation and projective techniques; and online conversations via social media. The methodology has been designed to progressively deepen the holistic understanding of the studied phenomenon.
The findings of this study suggest several theoretical and practical implications. Specifically, 28 causal factors and six causal mechanisms have been found capable of facilitating Generation Z’s impulsive buying when food shopping. The findings propose (a) a conceptual framework that incorporates the causal factors and mechanisms influencing Generation Z’s impulsive food buying and (b) practical implications to guide practitioners to maximise the effectiveness of brand strategies targeting Generation Z’s impulsive food buying. Therefore, the insights gained from this study may be of assistance to academics and practitioners interested in understanding the antecedents of Generation Z’s impulsive food buying.