CONSUMER BRAND ENGAGEMENT AND SALES PERFORMANCE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE FIRMS IN PORT HARCOURT

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between consumer brand engagement and sales performance of food and beverage firms in Port Harcourt. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to determine the extent to which emotional engagement and cognitive engagement relate with market share growth of food and beverage firms in Port Harcourt. The chosen population for this study is twenty nine (29) registered food and beverage firms in Port Harcourt. The census approach was adopted to select our respondents for the study and the researcher purposively selected two hundred and ninety (290) respondents for the study, however only two hundred and forty (240) respondents provided information for the analysis of the data. Kendall’ tab-u was used to test four hypotheses. From results of the analysis it was revealed that emotional engagement and cognitive engagement which are the dimensions of consumer brand engagement positively and significantly relate with market share growth (measures of sales performance) of food and beverage firms in Port Harcourt. Based on these findings, it was concluded that consumer brand engagement fosters emotional connections and loyalty. When consumers feel emotionally attached to a food and beverage brand, they are more likely to become repeat customers and advocates. Therefore, the study recommended that food and beverage firms in Port Harcourt should focus on personalizing brand experiences. Tailoring products, marketing messages, and engagement efforts to individual preferences can enhance emotional engagement and drive sales.