LGBTQ Consumers’ Engagement and Attitudes Toward Online Brand Communities within the Cosmetics Industry

Abstract

As the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) lifestyle has gained increased acceptance among mainstream consumer groups, companies are recognising the need to tailor their marketing strategies to align with this consumer segment. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of consumer innovativeness and personal identity on gay consumers’ online engagement and attitude toward cosmetic brands. By means of an empirical analysis, a quantitative method was used, and 494 online surveys were distributed among members of the LGBTQ community in South Africa to gain insight into their online buying behaviour for cosmetic brands. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27 and AMOS 27 software for the descriptive and inferential statistics, respectively. The key findings indicated that all five hypotheses were supported. In other words, consumer innovativeness has a significant influence on personal identity, brand attitude and online engagement, while personal identity significantly influences both online engagement and brand attitude. Consumer innovativeness and personal identity are therefore strong predictors of online brand engagement and attitude towards cosmetic brands among LGBTQ consumers. Implications from the research were presented while further research opportunities were explored.