Testing narrative perspective of digital heritage campaigns: A quantitative analysis on Dong Ho folk painting with artisan-led content

Abstract The International Journal of Heritage Studies focuses on modern interpretation and preservation of cultural heritage. This paper reports on a study of the 'Chạm Sắc Đông Hồ' campaign, aimed at engaging Vietnamese Gen Z with folk painting. Traditional ICH, like Dong Ho art, struggles to connect with digital-native youth. Digital campaigns and short-form platforms like TikTok offer new, underexplored ways to showcase and commercially promote heritage. Aim : This study aimed to experimentally investigate the differential impact of Cultural-Value versus Personal-Experience storytelling frames, co-created with the original artisan on a short-form video platform, on Gen Z’s behavioral intentions toward the ICH. Methodology : A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was used with Gen Z consumers in Vietnam aged between 18 and 27 as digital natives to underline the role of cultural heritage in different social media platforms. The study tested hypotheses about campaign teams and artisans using regression and mediation analysis to assess how framing influences intentions via perceived authenticity and narrative transportation. Results : The storytelling frame did not significantly impact Perceived Authenticity (H1: \(p=.176\)) or Narrative Transportation (H2: \(p=.436\)). Furthermore, neither Authenticity nor Transportation significantly predicted Attitude toward the heritage (H3A: \(p=.646\); H3B: \(p=.707\)). The only significant predictor found was Prior Visit Experience, which positively predicted Willingness-to-Pay (WTP) (\(\beta=.107,p={.033}^{*}\)). Conclusion : The narrative persuasion model cannot fully explain Gen Z’s response to short-form ICH content, showing a break in the frame-to-attitude psychological chain on fast media. Future studies should integrate platform-native variables like social influence and entertainment value as potential mediators of behavioral intentions.