Purpose Packaging is generally regarded as the most effective form of advertising at the most critical stage of the purchasing process: the point of purchase. A product has only a few moments to make an impression and capture the consumer’s attention in this competitive world. This study, theoretically grounded in stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory, aims to investigate the influence of packaging benefits (hedonic and utilitarian) of a new and emerging brand, i.e. Kinza soft drinks, on customer engagement (CE), brand experience (BE) and purchase intention of young Saudi consumers. Design/methodology/approach The survey was conducted with young consumers in Saudi Arabia, and the 221 acceptable responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The findings of the research suggest that the hedonic benefits of Kinza soft drink packaging have a significant influence on CE and BE, whereas utilitarian benefits have a significant influence only on CE. CE shows a significant positive influence on both BE and purchase intention toward Kinza soft drinks. BE has a significant positive influence on the young Saudi consumers’ purchase intention. The mediation result reveals that CE significantly mediates the relationship between hedonic and utilitarian packaging benefits and purchase intention, whereas the mediation effect of BE was not confirmed. Originality/value This study is unique as it examines how hedonic and utilitarian packaging benefits of a new soft drink brand influence purchase intention through the unexplored mediating roles of CE and BE among young Saudi consumers, who are an influential yet overlooked demographic in a market dominated by established global brands.
Rehman et al. (Fri,) studied this question.