Cognitive pathways in VR-based metaverse brand experiences: Enhancing consumer brand engagement through perceived absorption

Virtual Reality (VR)-based metaverse brand experiences present innovative opportunities to enhance consumer brand engagement by leveraging users’ perceptual responses within immersive environments. Specifically, perceived absorption in branded VR-based environments may identify a critical factor in reinforcing cognitive brand engagement. However, existing literature on this subject remains fragmented. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether absorption during VR-based metaverse brand experiences enhances cognitive brand engagement, while also examining the moderating role of the perceived usefulness of VR. Data were collected from a survey of 262 Italian Generation Z consumers who participated in a Tommy Hilfiger brand experience on Roblox's VRbased metaverse. The analysis, conducted using LISREL 8.80 and SPSS software, reveals a positive relationship between perceived absorption and cognitive brand engagement. Furthermore, the perceived usefulness of VR positively moderates this relationship, intensifying the effect of absorption on cognitive brand engagement when perceived usefulness is high. This research contributes to the emerging literature on marketing in the VR-based metaverses and to the field of consumer brand engagement, offering valuable managerial implications for brands looking to leverage experiences in the VR-based metaverse.