Event Marketing and Its Impact on Brand Loyalty - An Empirical Study on Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions

The stiff competition among higher education institutions (HEIs) has made brand awareness and brand loyalty significantly critical in HEIs’ marketing activities, promoting a higher enrollment rate. This study examines the impact of event marketing on brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty within HEIs in Vietnam. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected via an online questionnaire administered to 324 high school students who had participated in events hosted by Vietnamese universities before university admission. The proposed research model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling. The findings indicate that various dimensions of event marketing, including “sense, feel, think, act, and related experiences”, positively influence brand awareness, which in turn enhances brand image. Furthermore, brand awareness and image have a statistically significant and positive effect on brand loyalty. These findings provide HEIs and their stakeholders with valuable implications in formulating event marketing strategies effectively to attract and recruit prospective students.