Title: Food-evoked emotions and purchase intention in mobile watched YouTube chocolate campaigns: an application of FaceReader online and self-measurement methods

Authors: Foteini-Rafailia Panavou; Katerina Tzafilkou; Anastasios A. Economides

Addresses: SMIE Lab University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, GR-546 36 Thessaloniki, Greece; School of Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, 14th km Thessaloniki, Nea Moudania 570 01, Greece ' SMIE Lab University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, GR-546 36 Thessaloniki, Greece; School of Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, 14th km Thessaloniki, Nea Moudania 570 01, Greece ' SMIE Lab University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, GR-546 36 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: This study proposes that food-evoked emotions can occur in the context of mobile watched YouTube chocolate campaigns and affect the viewers' consumption decision. Through a mixed analysis on 34 participants, the study explores the main emotions that can be detected through FaceReader Online, and self-reported measurements. As the results indicate consumers tend to report the emotions that they perceived higher than others at certain points in time and not only in the final parts of the campaign. Also, positive emotions of happiness and surprise are positively associated with intention to buy or taste the product, while negative emotions of sadness and anger trace a negative association. The exploratory findings reveal that FaceReader and self-reported methods provide comparable results in terms of happiness. Overall, face tracking can serve as a complementary tool to self-reported measures by indicating mixed emotions and specific points where emotions are at high levels.

Keywords: consumer emotions; face tracking; food-elicited emotions; YouTube mobile campaigns; health-promotion messages; purchase intention.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEMR.2025.144755

International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing, 2025 Vol.16 No.2, pp.218 - 240

Received: 07 Oct 2022
Accepted: 16 Jan 2023
Published online: 03 Mar 2025 *

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