Motivation pathways from celebrity brand love to event co-creation and pay-a-premium intentions for generation Z consumers

Purpose Using self-determination theory, this study proposes a serial mediation model to explore the motivational pathways through which celebrity brand love motivates generation Z (Gen Z) followers' sense of escapism and external socialization, thereby increasing a willingness to participate in event co-creation experiences (WCCE) and a willingness to pay a premium for celebrity-promoted events (WPPE). Design/methodology/approach The conceptual model and research hypotheses were assessed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Paper-based and online surveys were used to collect data from 645 Vietnamese Gen Z respondents who followed celebrities and were interested in various events. Findings The results revealed that celebrity brand love motivates Gen Z followers through two distinct motivational pathways, which ultimately drive WCCE and WPPE, i.e. the intrinsic pathway (i.e. escapism) and the extrinsic pathway (i.e. external socialization). Originality/value This study contributes to celebrity-based event marketing literature by clarifying the dual intrinsic-extrinsic motivational pathways through which celebrity brand love motivates and influences Gen Z followers' behavioral willingness towards celebrity-promoted events. Empirical results validated two brand love-driven motivational pathways: (1) an intrinsic pathway (celebrity brand love → Escapism → WCCE → WPPE) and (2) an extrinsic pathway (celebrity brand love → External socialization → WCCE → WPPE).