Digital marketing and purchase intention among generation X consumers: an empirical study in the automotive sector
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-01-2026-0018Palabras clave:
Digital marketing, Purchase intention, Generation X, Automotive sectorResumen
PurposeThis study examines the influence of digital marketing levers – email, mobile, social media, and content marketing – on the purchase intention of Tunisian Generation X consumers in the automotive sector.
Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research design was adopted, collecting data from 367 Tunisian Generation X consumers to assess the impact of digital marketing levers on purchase intention.
FindingsResults indicate that all digital marketing levers significantly affect purchase intentions, though their influence differs in strength. Mobile marketing had the strongest impact, followed by social media and content marketing, while email marketing, though significant, was the least influential.
Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to Generation X consumers in the automotive sector, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings to other cohorts or industries.
Practical implicationsFindings encourage car dealers to focus on Generation X, a cohort shaped by both traditional and digital marketing by providing high-quality content, maintaining an active social media presence, and implementing well-targeted email and mobile communication strategies.
Originality/valueThis study contributes to digital marketing literature by offering empirical evidence on the differential effects of digital marketing levers on purchase intention among Tunisian Generation X automotive consumers, a population underexplored in prior studies.
Descargas
Referencias
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-t.
Atiencie, T. I. V., Jaramillo, J. L. T., & Espinoza, N. J. T. (2025). Marketing de Contenidos y su Influencia en la Intención de Compra: Revisión Sistemática. Sciencevolution, 4(3), 22–35. doi: https://doi.org/10.61325/ser.v4i3.204.
Barría, F. J. C. (2023). Email marketing como influenciador de compras. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 7(6), 4280–4290.
Calvo-Porral, C., Pesqueira-Sanchez, R., & Faiña Medín, A. (2019). A clustered-based categorization of millennials in their technology behavior. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 35(3), 231–239. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2018.1451429.
Chin, W. W. (1998). The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. Modern methods for business research, 295(2), 295–336.
Chinomona, R., & Sandada, M. (2013). The influence of market related mobile activities on the acceptance of mobile marketing and consumer intention to purchase products promoted by SMS in South Africa. Journal of Applied Business Research, 29(6), 1897–1908. doi: https://doi.org/10.19030/jabr.v29i6.8225.
Chittenden, L., & Rettie, R. (2003). An evaluation of e-mail marketing and factors affecting response. Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, 11(3), 203–217. doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jt.5740078.
Chung, C. K. K., Peña, L. T. D., Ortiz, J. M. R., & Colmán, D. M. M. (2023). Influencia del marketing digital en la decisión de compra del consumidor paraguayo, 2022. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 7(1), 621–632. doi: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v7i1.4417.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral Sciences ( (2nd ed.) ). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Datchayai, A., & Vasikar, V. (2023). Measuring the effectiveness of E-mail marketing on youth purchase intention in puducherry toward branded apparel. Research Square. doi: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3486371/v1.
Davis, F. D. (1989); Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 3(3), 319–340. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/249008.
Dimock, M. (2019). Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins. Pew research center, 17(1), 1–7.
Djafarova, E., & Bowes, T. (2021). ‘Instagram made Me buy it’: Generation Z impulse purchases in fashion industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102345. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102345.
Donovan, R. J., & Rossiter, J. R. (1982). Store atmosphere: An environmental psychology approach. Journal of Retailing, 58(spring), 34–57.
Dowansiba, S., & Saputro, A. H. (2025). The influence of social media marketing on purchase intention of Compass Shoes products through Shopee in Bandung. CAKRAWALA: Management Science Journal, 2(2), 133–141. doi: https://doi.org/10.63541/e94k4j18.
Elhatrea, M. H. R. (2025). Exploring the impact of mobile marketing strategies on consumer buying preferences and decision-making processes in the digital age in Saudi Arabia, Jeddah. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(8). doi: https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v15-i8/26222.
Eroglu, S. A., Machleit, K. A., & Davis, L. M. (2001). Atmospheric qualities of online retailing: A conceptual model and implications. Journal of Business research, 54(2), 177–184.
Eroglu, S. A., Machleit, K. A., & Davis, L. M. (2003). Empirical testing of a model of online store atmospherics and shopper responses. Psychology and Marketing, 20, 139–150. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.10064.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A. G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G* power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175–191. doi: https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03193146.
Febrianti, D., Purwaamijaya, B. M., & Prehanto, A. (2024). The influence of content marketing on purchase intention through the mediation of customer engagement among TikTok followers. Journal of Investment Development, Economics and Accounting, 1(2), 208–219. doi: https://doi.org/10.70001/jidea.v1i2.226.
Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and. Research Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104.
Gilly, M. C., Celsi, M. W., & Schau, H. J. (2012). It don’t come easy: Overcoming obstacles to technology use within a resistant consumer group. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 46(1), 62–89. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.2011.01218.x.
Guo, Q., & You, W. (2023). Research on psychological attributions and intervention strategies of new energy hybrid vehicle purchase behavior. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 9853. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35949-0.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling ( (2nd ed.) ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2013). Partial least squares structural equation modeling: Rigorous applications, better results and higher acceptance. Long Range Planning, 46(1/2), 1–12. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2013.01.001.
Harum, J. R., Kusumawati, A., & Mawardi, M. K. (2021). Pengaruh permission email marketing terhadap purchase intention dan dampaknya pada purchase decision. Survei Pada Customer Lazada Indonesia), 15(1), 8–11. doi: https://doi.org/10.21776/UB.PROFIT.2021.015.01.2.
Helmold, M. (2021). New work in the automotive industry. In New Work, Transformational and Virtual Leadership: Lessons from COVID-19 and Other Crises (pp. 157–169). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Herzallah, F., Abosamaha, A. J., Salameh, S. M., & Alhayek, M. (2025). Social commerce attributes, customer engagement and repurchase intention in social commerce platforms: A stimulus–organism–response approach. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 11(4), 100635. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2025.100635.
Holliman, G., & Rowley, J. (2014). Business to business digital content marketing: Marketers’ perceptions of best practice. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 8(4), 269–293. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-02-2014-0013.
Hou, Y., Li, W., Fei, S., & Chen, H.-L. (2025). Understanding Generation X’s sleep aid purchasing behavior: An integrated analysis of psychosocial, technological and policy influences. Scientific Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 7(7), 41–48. doi: https://doi.org/10.54691/ggtah095.
Hwang, T. E. (2024). Generational variations in loss aversion: Analyzing purchase decisions under limited-time discounts. Journal of World Economy, 3(4), 35–42. doi: https://doi.org/10.56397/jwe.2024.12.05.
Kannan, P. K., & Li, H. A. (2017). Digital marketing: A framework, review and research agenda. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 34(1), 22–45. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2016.11.006.
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003.
Kaushik, R., & Prativindhya, M. (2019). Influence of digital marketing on consumer buying behaviour for electronic products: An empirical study of Indian urban consumers. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 28(16), 234–245.
Kokash, H. A., Ahsan, M. N., Hafeez, M. H., Khattak, A. N., Ahmed, S., & Alam, S. S. (2025). Environmental concern and digital engagement as drivers of circular product buying intention in Malaysia: An integrated SOR, TPB, and DOI perspective. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 5(6), 5429–5454. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-025-00693-2.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing management ( (Global edition) ).
Lin, H., Fan, W., & Chau, P. Y. (2014). Determinants of users’ continuance of social networking sites: A self-regulation perspective. Information and Management, 51(5), 595–603. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2014.03.010.
Lissitsa, S., & Kol, O. (2016). Generation X vs. Generation Y – a decade of online shopping. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 31, 304–312. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.04.015.
Ma, Y. (2025). Factors influencing purchase intention on social media: A study from the perspective of undergraduate students in Beijing. Journal of Applied Economics and Policy Studies, 18(8), 42–47. doi: https://doi.org/10.54254/2977-5701/2025.26334.
Mangold, W. G., & Faulds, D. J. (2009). Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix. Business Horizons, 52(4), 357–365. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.03.002.
Martins, C., Oliveira, T., & Popovič, A. (2014). Understanding the Internet banking adoption: A unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and perceived risk application. International Journal of Information Management, 34(1), 1–13. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2013.06.002.
Mehmood, K. A., Hassan, A., Arshad, M. W., & Batool, S. (2024). Consumer’s automobile purchase: A concept. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(1), 203–207. doi: https://doi.org/10.55737/qjssh.964137314.
Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. (1974). An approach to environmental Psychology. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
Memon, M. A., Ting, H., Ramayah, T., Chuah, F., & Cheah, J. H. (2017). A review of the methodological misconceptions and guidelines related to the application of structural equation modeling: A Malaysian scenario. Journal of Applied Structural Equation Modeling, 1(1), 1–13. doi: https://doi.org/10.47263/jasem.1(1)01.
Msosa, S. K. (2023). Demystifying customer perception of electric vehicle adoption in South Africa using the technology acceptance model. The Problems of Economy, 4(58), 32–40. doi: https://doi.org/10.32983/2222-0712-2023-4-32-40.
Nadila, D., Kurlillah, A., & Safarida, N. (2024). The power of persuasion: The impact of product reviews, affiliate marketing, and live content on consumer behavior. Reinforce. Journal of Sharia Management, 3(1), 59–78. doi: https://doi.org/10.21274/reinforce.v3i1.9110.
Nunan, D., & Di Domenico, M. (2019). Older consumers, digital marketing, and public policy: A review and research agenda. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 38(4), 469–483. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915619858939.
Omar, A. M., & Atteya, N. (2020). The impact of digital marketing on consumer buying decision process in the Egyptian market. International Journal of Business and Management, 15(7), 120. doi: https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v15n7p120.
Pahlevi, A. R., Ubaidillah, H., & Abadiyah, R. (2025). Pengaruh content marketing, brand Ambassador dan Harga pada Keputusan Pembelian Produk Skincare pria BROMEN. Jurnal Akuntansi, Ekonomi Dan Manajemen Bisnis, 5(2), 346–359. doi: https://doi.org/10.55606/jaemb.v5i2.5919.
Pala, Ü., & Salahuddin, T. (2024). Technological and innovative structure and capabilities of Türkiye’s automotive industrial sector: An exploratory study. International Journal of Automotive Science and Technology, 8(4), 476–492. doi: https://doi.org/10.30939/ijastech.1508081.
Patton, M. Q. (2018). Qualitative research and evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. California: Sage Publications.
Pedrol, M., & Romero, J. (2022). Impact of email marketing as a communication and online sales tool. Diginomics, 1, 43. doi: https://doi.org/10.56294/digi202243.
Poddar, A., & Madupalli, R. (2012). Problematic customers and turnover intentions of customer service employees. Journal of Services Marketing, 26(7), 551–559. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/08876041211266512.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants in on the horizon. MCB University Press, 9(5, October 2001).
Pulizzi, J. (2012). The rise of storytelling as the new marketing. Publishing Research Quarterly, 28(2), 116–123. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-012-9264-5.
Rafki, R., Nofriadi, N., Oktarina, Y., Nurhaida, N., Lestari, R., & Mustika, N. (2023). Factors influencing behavioral propensity to use mobile shopping apps in generation X: The Tam approach. ARRUS Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(1), 1–8. doi: https://doi.org/10.35877/soshum1715.
Rana, P., & Goel, P. (2023). Comparative impact of social media platforms on buying decisions, 12(12), 35–43. doi: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrmp.v12.i12.5.
Rana, R., Kiran, S., & Gul, S. (2024). The impact of email marketing on consumer buying decision process in the Pakistani market. Journal for Business Education and Management, 4(1), 209–226. doi: https://doi.org/10.56596/jbem.v4i1.24.
Rodrigues, D., Sousa, B., Gomes, S., Oliveira, J., & Lopes, E. (2023). Exploring consumer behavior and brand management in the automotive sector: Insights from a digital and territorial perspective. Administrative Sciences, 13(2), 36. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13020036.
Rodríguez-Pinto, J., Carbonell, P., & Rodríguez-Escudero, A. I. (2011). Speed or quality? How the order of market entry influences the relationship between market orientation and new product performance. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 28(2), 145–154. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2011.02.001.
Roldán, J. L., & Sánchez-Franco, M. J. (2012). Variance-based structural equation modeling: Guidelines for using partial least squares in information systems research. In Research methodologies, innovations and philosophies in software systems engineering and information systems (pp. 193–221). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
Rosário, A. (2021). E-mail marketing: Research and challenges. International Journal of Online Marketing, 11, 63–83. doi: https://doi.org/10.4018/ijom.2021100104.
Sattler, H., Völckner, F., Riediger, C., & Ringle, C. M. (2010). The impact of brand extension success drivers on brand extension price premiums. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 27(4), 319–328. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2010.08.005.
Shankar, V., & Balasubramanian, S. (2009). Mobile marketing: A synthesis and prognosis. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 23(2), 118–129. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2009.02.002.
Teixeira, S., & Nunes, A. C. B. (2024). Exploring the impact of mobile marketing tools on the purchase intention of iberian consumers. Dutch Journal of Finance and Management, 7(1), 27725. doi: https://doi.org/10.55267/djfm/14679.
Varnali, K., & Toker, A. (2010). Mobile marketing research: The-state-of-the-art. International Journal of Information Management, 30(2), 144–151. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2009.08.009.
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view1. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540.
Visser, M. (2024). Digital marketing. In Digital Marketing Fundamentals ( (3rd ed.) ). Routledge. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003569107-1.
Viviana, D., & Hayuningtias, K. A. (2025). Influencer marketing dan content marketing sebagai antecedent purchase intention produk the originote: Studi pada konsumen marketplace. El-Mal, 6(8). doi: https://doi.org/10.47467/elmal.v6i8.8238.
Wetzels, M., Odekerken-Schröder, G., & Van Oppen, C. (2009). Using PLS path modeling for assessing hierarchical construct models: Guidelines and empirical Illustration1. MIS quarterly, 33(1), 177–195.
Wibowo, A. E., & Triayudi, A. (2024). Clustering of generation X and generation Y communities in cybersecurity using the K-means algorithm (case study of depok City, west Java). SAGA: Journal of Technology and Information System, 2(3), 295–303. doi: https://doi.org/10.58905/SAGA.v2i3.357.
Williams, K. C., & Page, R. A. (2011). Marketing to the generations. Journal of Behavioral Studies in Business, 3(1), 37–53.
Xia, L., & Bechwati, N. N. (2008). Word of mouse: The role of cognitive personalization in online consumer reviews. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 9(1), 3–13.
Yadav, K. (2025). The influence of social media on consumer purchase decisions. Indian Scientific Journal of Research in Engineering and Management, 9(5), 1–9. doi: https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsrem49085.
Zhang, M. (2025). Decoding consumer behavior in the used car market: A machine learning approach to key decision factors. In ITM Web of Conferences. doi: https://doi.org/10.1051/itmconf/20252702020.
Zhong, Y. (2023). Adoption of social media marketing strategies in automotive industry. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 16, 123–128. doi: https://doi.org/10.54097/ehss.v16i.9577.
Descargas
Publicado
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 Rym Khanfir, Nesrine Ben Jeddou

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.