Brand Cross-Boundary Collaborative Innovation and Brand Loyalty: The Mediating Effect of Consumers' Perceived Sincerity and the Moderating Effects of Trait Cynicism and Product Maturity

Brand cross-boundary collaborative innovation has become an important strategy for strengthening brand loyalty. However, its effectiveness varies substantially in practice, and some cross-boundary collaborations may even produce adverse effects. Existing research has not sufficiently examined the psychological mechanisms underlying this process. This study develops a moderated mediation model in which consumers' perceived sincerity serves as the mediator, while trait cynicism and product maturity serve as moderators. Using Luckin Coffee's cross-boundary collaborative innovation as the research context, the model is empirically tested with 258 valid questionnaires. The results show that cross-boundary collaborative innovation positively affects brand loyalty and that consumers' perceived sincerity plays a partial mediating role. Trait cynicism positively moderates the direct effect of cross-boundary collaborative innovation on brand loyalty, while product maturity positively moderates the conversion of perceived sincerity into brand loyalty. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for brands to develop differentiated cross-boundary marketing strategies according to consumer traits and product maturity.