Masstige consumption in the emerging market: mediating effects of brand happiness and moderating role of age

Purpose This study investigates how Indian consumers evaluate local and foreign cosmetic brands, focusing on brand prestige, loyalty and evangelism. It explores brand happiness as a mediating variable and age as a moderating factor within the masstige consumption context in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach A two-phase empirical approach was adopted. Phase 1 involved a comparative analysis of marketing strategies across Lakmé and international brands (MAC, L'Oréal Paris, and Maybelline) using a total sample of 573 female consumers. In Phase 2, only the high masstige brands (MAC and L'Oréal Paris) were retained, and responses from 244 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling to examine the mediating role of brand happiness and the moderating effect of age. Findings Indian consumers perceive foreign brands like MAC and L'Oréal Paris as masstige brands. Masstige brand consumption significantly enhances brand happiness and brand loyalty, while its influence on brand evangelism is fully mediated through brand happiness and brand loyalty. Brand happiness partially mediates the relationship between masstige consumption and brand loyalty, and also indirectly affects brand evangelism through brand loyalty. Age weakens the effect of masstige consumption on loyalty but strengthens the effects of brand happiness on loyalty and brand loyalty on evangelism. Originality/value This study extends masstige marketing literature by integrating emotional (brand happiness) and demographic (age) variables into the brand prestige–loyalty–evangelism framework. It offers practical insights for global and local brands aiming to enhance consumer engagement in emerging markets through differentiated brand strategies.