SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING AND PURCHASE INTENTION AMONG FAST-FOOD CONSUMERS IN SAUDI ARABIA: THE MODERATING ROLE OF CULTURAL VALUES

Abstract

This research investigates whether and to what extent social media advertising shapes consumers’ purchase intentions within the Saudi Arabian fast-food sector, while further examining collectivism and uncertainty avoidance as moderating cultural factors. Guided by the Stimulus-Response perspective, the study adopts a three-wave time-lagged survey methodology and draws on responses from 442 consumers across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Structural equation modelling was employed to evaluate the proposed relationships. The findings demonstrate a significant positive association between social media advertising and purchase intention. Moreover, both collectivism and uncertainty avoidance significantly amplify this effect, indicating that culturally rooted consumer orientations influence the extent to which advertising stimuli translate into intended purchasing behaviour. The measurement properties and structural model were also supported by satisfactory levels of reliability, validity, and overall model fit. By situating the investigation within Saudi Arabia’s fast-food market and using a multi-wave research design, the study extends digital marketing scholarship by demonstrating the importance of culturally embedded values in shaping consumers’ reactions to social media advertising within a Gulf-market setting. From a managerial perspective, the results emphasise the need for marketers to incorporate culturally congruent elements into social media campaigns to more effectively stimulate consumers’ purchase intentions.