A STUDY OF DIGITAL CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT AND BRAND INTIMACY ACROSS FASHION SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

This study investigates how social media usage, engagement behavior, and emotional connection collectively influence consumer–brand relationships within the digital fashion industry. Using a quantitative, correlational research design, survey data from 414 active social media users across India were analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results reveal three distinct yet interrelated dimensions—Social Media Usage, Social Media Engagement, and Brand Intimacy—explaining over 54% of total variance. Findings demonstrate that engagement significantly mediates the relationship between social media usage and brand intimacy, indicating that consistent, interactive, and personalized content enhances emotional trust and loyalty. The study contributes theoretically by affirming engagement as a multidimensional construct encompassing behavioral and emotional elements, and by extending relationship marketing and social exchange theory in digital contexts. From an industry perspective, it emphasizes that authenticity, personalization, and transparency are key to fostering sustained engagement and emotional attachment. These insights provide a strategic framework for fashion brands to design human-centered, data-informed, and emotionally resonant digital marketing strategies that transform visibility into long-term brand intimacy and consumer loyalty.