PARTICIPATORY BRANDING AND VALUE CREATION: EXPLORING DIGITAL CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT IN CHINA

We look at how user participation and brand value change in China's digital world, with willingness to participate and brand experience playing a role in how the effects play out. Findings from WeChat, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu indicate that regular brand engagement enhances brand value by fostering trust, emotional bonds, and user-driven brand co-creation. Willing participation serves as a bridge, enabling active engagement to translate into brand outcomes, while brand experience shapes the impact. Effective brand connections emerge from people-centric engagement aligned with cultural and digital principles. This study provides insights into participatory branding and digital market competition. Future research should explore cultural influences, technological impacts, and long-term engagement strategies.