Engaging through the lens: The influence of brand augmented reality filters on social media consumers

This paper investigates the impact of augmented reality (AR) filters created by brands to drive consumer–brand engagement on social media platforms. A quantitative research design was employed, using an online survey of 240 social media users who had interacted with brand-generated AR filters. The stimulus-organism-response framework and experiential value theory were used as the theoretical lens to analyse the psychological and behavioural effects of AR filters on consumer–brand engagement. The data were examined using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the hypothesised relationships and validate the recommended conceptual model. The results show that brand AR filters significantly enhance experiential values like hedonic and social value, promoting higher levels of consumer engagement and brand advocacy. Through the integration of AR technology and experiential marketing, the study offers both useful insights for brands using AR filters to produce meaningful consumer experiences and theoretical additions to the literature on digital marketing. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/ business/.