FOMO driving brand nostalgia and brand personality for building trust in a food enthusiast: a serial multiple mediation model

Purpose During the pandemic, restaurants closed due to restrictions and economic instabilities. This research paper aims to investigate the motivational effect of nostalgia induced by fear of missing out (FOMO) upon the e-WOM about the dining place. Did FOMO evoke nostalgic memories and emotional symptoms with the dining place? It further inspected if the diners trust the restaurant for these nostalgic memories and their emotional connect. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based questionnaire was applied to collect data. A two-step method for analyzing the measurement and structural model was applied by using the principles of SEM to analyze the associations among key constructs in the proposed model. Findings Psychological constructs like nostalgia and personality drove the diners’ behavior of trust and e-WOM. The findings also confirmed the mediation effect of brand nostalgia, brand personality and brand trust between FOMO and e-WOM. Further, the model has elucidated the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and usage gratification theories. Originality/value This paper has contributed to the branding literature by examining how brand constructs have mediated the path between FOMO and e-WOM. Multiple serial mediation effect among the key variables has been a novel contribution of this study. The ELM and the usage gratification theory have been integrated to extend the theoretical underpinnings in the hospitality sector.