Decoding the drivers of consumer engagement and purchase intentions in live streaming by foreign ambassadors: A two-phased SEM-ANN approach

The purpose of this research is to examine the determinants of consumer engagement in live streaming sessions hosted by foreign ambassadors. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model and media richness theory (MRT), the study examines how five key stimuli in live streaming by foreign ambassadors, along with consumer affinity and social gratification, shape consumer behavior. Using survey data from Chinese consumers, the study employs least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis to test a model in which perceived uniqueness, ritual, reliability, novelty, and interactivity influence purchase intention mainly by enhancing consumer affinity and social gratification. Consumer affinity and social gratification increase consumer engagement, which further strengthens purchase intention. Overall, the findings suggest that the diplomatic identity of foreign ambassadors and the way they present culture, interaction, and ritual in live streaming can foster both emotional attachment to their home countries and a sense of social enjoyment among viewers. These insights extend theoretical discussions on streamer identity and international marketing by (a) introducing foreign ambassadors as a novel, diplomatic streamer category, and (b) empirically validating consumer affinity and social gratification as dual, parallel psychological mechanisms within the SOR framework that explain how ambassador-specific stimuli translate to consumer responses in cross-cultural digital diplomacy contexts. The study also offers practical guidance for foreign ambassadors and live streaming platforms in designing cross-cultural live streaming strategies and facilitating international consumer communication.