More than 1.6 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide on a daily basis. South Africa is rapidly adapting to worldwide trends with speciality coffee consumption on the rise, with South Africa recently having been recognised as a key player in the speciality coffee industry. Emerging market trends in speciality coffee consumption have resulted in a number of changes in consumption patterns, preferences and consumer behaviour. The purpose of this study was to determine the behavioural intention of speciality coffee consumers in South Africa, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The data were gathered from a non‐probability sample of 327 respondents, who were selected through a self‐completion online questionnaire. The results indicate that males consume more speciality coffee than females. The majority of respondents consume speciality coffee more than once a day, and foam cappuccinos are consumed most regularly. The results of the stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrate the utility of the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a conceptual framework for predicting the behavioural intention of speciality coffee consumers. The findings indicate that attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control are important predictors of behavioural intention. Furthermore, perceived behavioural control is the most important factor influencing speciality coffee consumption, and the most influential of the direct measures of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. With the current rise in speciality coffee consumption among South Africans, the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework contributes to understanding those factors which influence regular speciality coffee consumption. It is recommended that marketers and practitioners adapt their offerings to appeal to the specific needs of the growing speciality coffee market in South Africa.

Orientation: This research examined the influence of motives and engagement on brand attitudes and the influence thereof on buying intentions in the context of online social media brand communities.Research purpose: The primary purpose was to investigate the interrelationship between motives, engagement, brand attitudes and buying intent of female Facebook brand apparel community members in South Africa.Motivation for the study: Social media created a new tool for marketers to break through advertising clutter. Scholars assert that the influence of social media brand communities on consumers’ attitudes, behaviour and intentions need to be studied, and such research should be applied to a specific industry.Research design, approach and method: A total of 333 female apparel brand community members on Facebook completed a quantitative, structured online survey. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to investigate the interrelationship between the constructs.Main findings: The results indicated significant relationships between some of the hypothesised constructs, namely hedonic motives and brand attitude, as well as brand attitude and buyingintention.Practical/managerial implications: The findings suggested marketers should create entertaining and useful brand community experiences, as that lead to favourable attitudes, and positively influence buying intention. Suggestions for marketers to use this platform effectively to engage community members were provided.Contribution: The research contributed to the limited knowledge on brand community behaviour on Facebook in an emerging market context. This research examined female consumers, an influential segment of social media users. It provided empirical support for the theoretical relationship between brand attitude and buying intention.

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The growing importance of social media and research interest in the field, make it imperative to consider the measures used to assess SNS use. The Facebook Intensity Scale has seen prolific use since its development-however, it has been criticized by some scholars. Jenkins-Guarnieri, Wright, and Johnson (2013) suggested another scale, the Social Media Use Integration Scale (SMUIS), which was developed to be suitable for use across different SNS platforms. They advised further research to confirm its psychometric properties; testing it on a more diverse sample than US college students; and on social media other than Facebook. In this study, EFAs and a CFA were conducted to examine the validity of the SMUIS on Facebook and LinkedIn in the African context. The results provide preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the SMUIS for diverse age ranges. Further testing of the scale on LinkedIn is recommended.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore customer engagement (CE) in Facebook brand communities. It clusters Facebook brand fans to establish whether an existing typology holds in a diverse sample, and examines the differences in CE between the clusters. The predictive capabilities of CE on an important brand outcome, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), are determined. Design/methodology/approach In total, 493 respondents participated in an online survey. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted to determine the fan types. ANOVA was used to assess the differences in CE between the clusters. Multiple regression determined the predictive capabilities of CE on eWOM. Findings This research confirms the Facebook fan typology on a more diverse sample. Significant differences exist between the fan types on CE (captivation and gratification) and CE significantly predicts eWOM. Research limitations/implications Future research could include motivations behind brand fan behavior. Using other CE measures may bring a different view. Theoretical perspectives other than social identity theory (SIT) may elicit other insights. Practical implications Insights into brand fan segments’ behavior and engagement allow brand managers to develop targeted marketing interactions. Gratification engagement is a stronger driver of eWOM, suggesting that brands should focus on marketing actions that will encourage gratification. Originality/value This research expands on Facebook brand fan typologies and explores CE as a multi-dimensional construct, rather than as a mere “like” action. Additionally, it determines the predictive capabilities of CE dimensions on eWOM. The findings suggest that SIT could be useful when examining CE in brand communities.