Exploring the interplay between consumer ethnocentrism, attitude, electronic word of mouth and their impact on brand equity

This study investigates the influence of consumer ethnocentrism (CEM) and attitude toward domestic products (ATTD) on brand equity (BE), with electronic word of mouth (EWOM) serving as a mediating variable. Data were collected from 240 Indian respondents, and the structural relationships were analysed using SmartPLS 4. The results reveal that both CEM and ATTD have significant positive effects on EWOM, which in turn positively influences BE. Notably, CEM does not have a direct effect on BE, indicating a case of full mediation through EWOM. In contrast, ATTD has both direct and indirect effects on BE, suggesting a partial mediation effect via EWOM. These findings underscore the importance of fostering favourable consumer attitudes and leveraging EWOM to enhance brand equity for domestic products in emerging markets.