Strategic Drama Marketing and Consumer Reactions in Digital Commerce: Evidence from Thailand

Drama-based marketing has emerged as a distinctive form of digital marketing in which emotionally engaging narratives are used to capture attention, foster audience connection, and encourage consumer responses. This study examines the impact of strategic drama marketing—emotionally intense, narrative-driven content—on consumer purchase intention in Thailand. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 1350 respondents with in-depth interviews from 20 participants. Quantitative results indicate that emotional involvement and emotional connection with content creators significantly influence purchase intention, whereas emotional arousal and perceived sincerity do not. Perceived reliability—particularly authenticity, trust, and credibility—emerges as a strong predictor, while perceived justification of selling is insignificant. Platform dynamics, including social engagement, livestream interaction, and features that encourage continued viewing, significantly enhance purchase intention, whereas repeated exposure has no direct effect. Notably, overall perceived effectiveness of drama-based marketing is the strongest predictor. Qualitative findings reinforce these results, highlighting the roles of empathy, authenticity, and platform amplification in shaping consumer responses. This study contributes to the literature by integrating emotional, cognitive, and platform-driven perspectives to explain consumer behavior in emerging digital commerce environments.