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Estevam Dorneles, Paola (2025) Blending Tradition with Experience: The Impact of Hybrid Marketing on Consumer Perceptions in the Caffeinated Beverage Sector: A Generational Study of Emotional Engagement, Authenticity, and Brand Loyalty Among Millennials and Generation Z in Europe. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.
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Abstract
In today's rapidly evolving digital culture, traditional marketing strategies have increasingly struggled to establish meaningful resonance with younger demographics. This study explores hybrid methods-mixing traditional ads with experiential ads and tests their impact on how Millennial and Gen Z caffeine-based drink fans in Europe think, feel, and stay loyal. Guided by Pine and Gilmores (1998) notion of the Experience Economy and Zarantonello and Schmitts (2010) Brand Experience Scale, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) and the Brand Relationship Theory (Fournier, 1998), Beverland and Farrelly’s (2010) authenticity framework, and Kumar and Reinartz’s (2016) hybrid marketing model, the work asks whether a blended approach can fill the gaps left by straightforward promotion and at the same time tap into the sensory power of live interaction. Anchored in interpretivism, the work follows an inductive, qualitative methodology. Ten enthusiastic consumers of caffeinated-based products were selected for semi-structured interviews and split evenly between Millennial and Gen Z cohorts. The recording sessions focused on mindset, emotional triggers, and the meaning of authenticity within the two age groups.
The research aimed to analyse if traditional advertising still makes people recognise a brand and establishes trustworthiness but also analyse if the same approach is finding difficulties reaching younger consumers because it feels superficial and unilateral. The findings were supported by case study analyses of iconic hybrid campaigns, including Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” and Red Bull "Gives you wings". Campaigns that have broad reach with these immersive moments stand out as the strongest.
Findings indicate that while traditional advertising maintains brand recognition and conveys trustworthiness, it often appears superficial to younger audiences. Hybrid campaigns, by contrast, create stronger emotional connections, with immersive moments emerging as the most effective in driving brand loyalty. This research contributes to understanding how hybrid marketing can bridge generational engagement gaps in the beverage sector.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Supervisors: | Name Email Cleary-Gaffney, Michael UNSPECIFIED |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Hybrid Marketing; Emotional Engagement; Generation Z; Millennials; Brand Authenticity; Caffeinated Beverages; Consumer Behaviour |
| Subjects: | D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D901 Europe (General) H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Food Industry > Beverage industry H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing |
| Divisions: | School of Business (- 2025) > Master of Science in International Business |
| Depositing User: | Ciara O'Brien |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Dec 2025 14:22 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Dec 2025 14:22 |
| URI: | https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9039 |
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