The impact of guerrilla marketing on social media on brand image, impulse buying and E-WOM interaction

Guerrilla advertising primarily aims to capture consumers' attention through unusual, creative, and unexpected messages, thereby establishing a strong initial connection with the brand. This interaction contributes to the formation of a positive brand image, fostering consumer trust and emotional attachment, which in turn influences brand preference. On the other hand, striking guerrilla advertising content encountered on social media may trigger instant reactions in consumers, leading to impulsive buying behaviors. These behaviors are generally based on emotional responses and are linked to the sudden impact of the advertisement. Furthermore, the rapid sharing of experiences by social media users enables such content to spread widely through electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM), thereby increasing brand awareness and indirectly influencing the purchasing decisions of other consumers. As a result, guerrilla marketing practices on social media create a multi-dimensional interaction between brand image, impulsive buying, and E-WOM. In this context, the main objectives of the study are to determine the impact of guerrilla marketing on impulsive buying in social media, to examine the effects of guerrilla advertising dimensions—novelty, relevance, transparency, surprise, and humor—on impulsive buying, to identify the impact of guerrilla advertising on brand image, to evaluate the effect of brand image on impulsive buying, to determine the mediating role of brand image in the effect of guerrilla marketing on impulsive buying, to investigate the effect of guerrilla marketing on E-WOM, to evaluate the effect of E-WOM on impulsive buying, and to determine the mediating role of E-WOM in the relationship between guerrilla marketing and impulsive buying. In line with the research objectives, a Likert-scale questionnaire was prepared using Google Forms and distributed online via various social media platforms (Whatsapp, Instagram, Telegram) to research groups and personal networks. A total of 391 valid responses were obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS, SPSS Process, and AMOS software. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the demographic characteristics. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the guerrilla advertising dimensions—novelty, relevance, surprise, transparency, and humor—are consistent with the literature. Goodness-of-fit indices showed acceptable and significant model fit. Correlation analysis indicated acceptable relationships between variables. Regression analysis results demonstrated that guerrilla advertising on social media has a significant and positive impact on impulsive buying. Among the guerrilla advertising dimensions, relevance, surprise, and novelty were statistically significant, while humor and transparency were not significant according to p-values. In terms of direction, relevance and surprise positively influenced guerrilla advertising effectiveness, whereas novelty had a negative effect. Guerrilla advertising was also found to have a significant and positive impact on brand image, which in turn significantly and positively affected impulsive buying. Additionally, brand image had a mediating role in the relationship between guerrilla advertising and impulsive buying. Guerrilla advertising also had a significant and positive effect on E-WOM, which itself significantly and positively influenced impulsive buying. E-WOM was also found to mediate the effect of guerrilla advertising on impulsive buying. Based on the findings, guerrilla advertising on social media exerts both direct and indirect effects on impulsive buying behavior. Notably, the relevance and surprise dimensions contribute positively, while novelty has a negative influence. Brand image and E-WOM were identified as significant mediators in this process. Therefore, when developing social media strategies, it is crucial to design guerrilla advertisements that are relevant to the target audience, attention-grabbing, and surprising. Additionally, creating content that strengthens brand image and encourages positive electronic word-of-mouth may enhance impulsive buying behavior in a desirable direction. Accordingly, it is recommended that marketing activities be planned with a holistic and target-oriented approach, considering these key factors.