The psychology of ephemeral content on neo-luxury consumption: a multi-study experimental examination of consumer motivation, attitude, emotional outcome and contextual stimuli

Purpose Despite ephemeral content's increasing role in fostering urgency and exclusivity, its impact within neo-luxury contexts remains underexplored. In attempting to fill this gap, we examine how ephemeral contents, trigger consumers' symbolic motivation, brand fetishism, social gratification and objectification cues that ultimately shape neo-luxury consumption. Design/methodology/approach We conducted two scenario-based experiments to ensure higher levels of internal validity. Besides, we tested the hypotheses using F-test and multivariate analysis of variance. Findings The findings indicate that snob motivation exerts the most influence, indicating that consumers have a strong desire for exclusivity and uniqueness. Additionally, we noted that objectification cues also increased neo-luxury consumption by amplifying consumers' emotional attachment to brands. Originality/value Through our findings, we broadly extend neo-luxury consumption literature, and propose an integrated framework based on symbolic interactionism and optimal distinctiveness theory. From a theoretical perspective, the findings provide a deeper understanding of the socio-psychological processes underlying neo-luxury consumption; while practically, the findings offer guidance for marketers in designing personalized and emotionally engaging ephemeral campaigns.