Evaluating the Influence of Sustainable Digital Marketing on Consumer Purchase Decisions in Pakistan's FMCG Industry: Investigating the Mediating Role of Consumer Attitude and the Moderating Effects of Celebrity Endorsement

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 181 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 181 Evaluating the Influence of Sustainable Digital Marketing on Consumer Purchase Decisions in Pakistan’s FMCG Industry: Investigating the Mediating Role of Consumer Attitude and the Moderating Effects of Celebrity Endorsement Dr. Rashid Ali1, Kamran Khan2, Nazeer Hussain Boumal3, Ali Raza4 1Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, ILMA University, Main Ibrahim Hyderi Rd, Korangi Creek, Karachi, 74900 2Senior Manager, Delivery & Customer Relations, OPTP, Pakistan Business Graduate, ILMA University, Main Ibrahim Hyderi Rd, Korangi Creek, Karachi, 74900 3MS. Student, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, ILMA University, Main Ibrahim Hyderi Rd, Korangi Creek, Karachi, 74900 4MS. PhD Scholar, Faculty of Management Sciences, Department of Commerce, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari, Karachi [email protected]1, [email protected]2, [email protected]3, [email protected]om4 DOI: https://doi.org/ Keywords Digital Marketing, Consumer Attitude, Celebrity Endorsement, Consumer Purchase Intention Abstract The research objective was to exploring effects of the mediations with the consumer attitude and the moderating role of celebrity endorsement and the association the digital marketing and the consumer behavior with the fastmoving goods in Pakistan. Therefore, the main aims to investigates consumer purchase decision regarding digital marketing. Through the Smart PLS, Structural Equation Modeling, the propose conceptual research model was tested and statistically assessed. The data collection through the questionnaire with the non-probability convenience sampling technique from the respondents of the fast-moving goods consumptions. The research was fundamentally explored the factors of the digital marketing, social media marketing, electronic word of mouth, email marketing, mobile marketing, online advertising with moderating effects of celebrity endorsement and the moderating role of consumer attitude with the behavior of consumers. During the research study sample size was collected through the physical and the google survey forms, the size of the sample was 385, which is sufficient, and through the SmartPLS, the research study conceptual research model statistically assessed and tested. The findings indicate independent exogenous variables significantly and the positively associated with the consumer attitudes and the consumer attitude significance impact on the consumer purchase intention. Furthermore, results indicates that meditating effects significantly exists and the celebrity endorsement moderating effects found. Article History Received on 22 Oct 2025 Accepted on 20 Nov 2025 Published on 04 Dec 2025 Copyright @Author Corresponding Author: * Ali Raza MS. PhD Scholar. Faculty of Management Sciences, Department of Commerce, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari, Karachi Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 182 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 182 INTRODUCTION Background of the Study The current research study was to examines the mediating effects of consumer attitude and the moderating role of celebrity endorsement on the relationship between digital marketing and consumer purchase intention, the industry of FMCG. In the era of information technology, multinational companies through digital marketing better understanding of the consumer needs and due to this understanding increase the consumer purchase decisions based on online shopping, on time delivery, information access, time saving and easy of payment systems. Thus, these important factors increase consumer buying behavior in the industry of electronic commerce. So that, better approach of digital marketing will create the significance impact on the consumer purchase intentions and developed good relations with consumers and positive impact on the company image and strength. Thus, through this approach the consumers create good relationships with companies and better understanding of the management strength, company credibility, company reliability, company responsibility, and the trustworthiness (Wang, 2023). The consumer can create the text messages, creates the images, audio functionality, video sharing through the technique of social media and the social media is one of the important factors of digital marketing incorporates to sharing information to increase sales The prior research study suggested that the digital marketing significance and vital role consumer purchase behavior and to increase consumer purchase intention with developed marketing strategic strategies using the celebrity endorsements and impact on consumer purchase intention (Shaw et al., 2022). The selling of the goods and services through digitally in the field of marketing, the term digital technologies such as e-mail marketing, phone marketing, mobile marketing, display marketing to attractions to consumer and to increase consumer purchase intention (Qiu et al., 2021). Because marketing is the most vital and significance impact on consumer behavior and marketing creates consumer values and integrates with adverting tools, society (Ikhwan, 2023). The research study explains that, the findings of the research study, the social media marketing have significance impact on consumer purchase behavior with consumer engagement mediating effects on consumer purchase intention (Shien et al., 2023). The social network marketing is the component of social media marketing and is the vital role on the consumer behavior. So that, this innovative marketing concept consumers and associated with brands without any limitations, no any time constraints, without any location (Oliveros-Coello, 2022). Through the new inventions of internet tool, in the county of Pakistan, peoples easily access and sharing information, and provides strong support of the consumers of the fast-moving goods in Pakistan. Thus, with the help of internet, most of the companies sharing information regarding products, services, and increase the productivity of the marketing approach to increase consumer purchase intention. Many companies use the approach of digital marketing, such as the social media, email marketing to increase consumer purchase intention. Because the consumers of fastmoving goods received consent information regarding products through email marketing and consumers strongly engaged through social media factors and enhanced consumer purchase intention. In the prior research study suggested that the people interactions and online communications in the certain media platforms to be known as social media and whereas the email marketing is the way to communication targets audience through Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 183 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 183 electronic mail to better delivered information to specific group of peoples. The prior suggested that the digital selling is the marketing of goods and services with the help of digital technologies such as mobile marketing, internet, web site, display marketing and email marketing, mobile marketing to increase consumer purchase intention (Sohn, 2023). Actually, digital marketing is related to a sort of marketing which includes products through digital networks and increase purchase intention and reaching out to customers’ needs and increasing customer satisfaction (Azgan Pektas & Hassan, 2020). In the prior research study suggested that marketing one of the important factors in any services, business and to objective to create customer values with competitive advantage and organizational growth (Eren, 2020). Because now society integrated and becomes global village to gain benefits of the advertising and marketing approaches and customer interlink with digitally. In the past research study explains that the expenditure of marketing, advertising budget more expensive before the utilization of digital marketing and also social media and production income level was low, and increasingly in term of cost effective and fast connectivity level increase (Kumar, 2020). As the digital era, the new technologies components such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram are related to social media marketing and provides virtual platforms such as search engines, vlogs, microblogs, webpages integrated with digital channels in forms of new digital (Adeola et al., 2022). Actually, customers are happier when using online shopping, and customers are considered as digital marketing for the purpose of fast connectivity and shopping in term of low cost and easy to access as compare to traditional marketing. So that the digital marketing has greater opportunities in the fast-moving goods and businesses in the future (Priya, 2023) Problem Statement of the Research Study In the Pakistan, the industry of FMCG have faces diversification marketing strategies, with highly competitive environments, so that multinational companies need to developed effective marketing strategies to better understanding of the consumer behavior. Therefore, the concept of digital marketing rapid growth the consumer relay on online marketing channels to fulfills the needs of the consumers. So that, needs to effectiveness digital marketing strategics which influencing on consumer behavior.Actually, the consumer behavior and consumer intentions impact on consumer attitude and the consumer attitude is based on the consumer trust, consumer beliefs and evaluation of products and consumer emotions towards brands, all these factors have significant impact on consumer behavior. In the prior research study suggested that consumer have various factors in the context of digital marketing, such as consumer online experience, consumer experiences, the consumer mediating effects of attitude and consumer behavior have vital and significance role. Research Objectives of the Research Study The objective of the current research study was to examines the impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior with mediating effects of consumer attitude and moderating role of celebrity endorsement in the industry of FMCG in Pakistan. To investigates the effects of digital marketing on the behavior of consumer and to increase purchase intention in the context of Pakistan. To examines the mediating effects of consumer attitude with the association digital marketing and consumer behavior. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 184 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 184 To explore the moderating role of celebrity endorsement with the relationship between the digital marketing and consumer purchase behavior in the industry of FMCG industry of Pakistan. Research Questions of the Research Study Therefore, to attain the research study objectives, the following research questions will be focus during research study: How influence the concept of digital marketing on the behavior of consumer? Hod does the mediating effects on consumer attitude in the industry of FMCG of Pakistan? What are the moderating effects of celebrity endorsement on the behavior of consumer with the relationship digital marketing and consumer purchase intention? Significance of the Research Study The current research study has the both concepts of theoretical as well as practical significance in the industry of FMCG Pakistan. Therefore, the current research study includes the literature of consumer behavior, digital marketing, consumer attitude and celebrity endorsement regarding the context of Pakistan, industry of FMCG. The research study examines the interconnected with digital marketing, consumer attitude, moderating role of celebrity endorsement with consumer buying behavior and understanding decision making in the digital technologies’ environments and consumer purchase intention. With relate to the practically of the current research study, the results indicate could be significance importance in the industry of FMCG which operational activities in Pakistan. So that the better understanding the concept of digital marketing with relate to consumer attitude and consumer purchase behavior to developed significance marketing strategies and resources allocations optimization. Further, better understanding of the role of celebrity endorsement as the moderating effect on consumer behavior and digital marketing and companies increases the use of celebrity endorsement in marketing campaigns in the context of digital marketing in Pakistan Digital Marketing In the prior research study, explained the concept of digital marketing is the way of information technology, internet as the medium of digital media marketing to sharing information and enhanced and expand the functions of marketing. Because of digital marketing is the important component of the marketing and through the use of internet technology the multiple companies share the information regarding products and services and promote with includes the social media marketing, advertising display, searching engine marketing, measuring the application of digital marketing (Sanusi, 2020) Overview of FMCG Industry in Pakistan Because of industry of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), significance impact on the economy of the country and wide varieties of products could be consumed in daily life, such as fast foods, soft drinks. The industry of FMCG, have competitive advantage in the local and international markets and impact on consumer behavior and market share and enhance digital marketing strategies to increase purchase intention, and has the significance importance in the context of Pakistan and fills the demands of the local consumers and as well as the international consumers (Koirala, 2023) Digital Marketing and its Role in the FMCG Industry Actually, the digital marketing is the new concept in the filed marketing and for Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 185 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 185 companies provides new business opportunities and new shape of the business with increase consumer purchase intention. Because the digital marketing performs the activities through digital channels and advertisers in better way communicates to consumers about products and services. The prior research study suggested that digital marketing has positive impact on consumer behavior and also in the industry of FMCG, thus digital marketing vital role to developed marketing strategies (Ikhwan, 2023). Through the digital marketing companies closed to target audience and developed association with potential customers and increase visibility of the brand. So that, significance importance digital marketing approach or techniques and includes search engine optimization, social media marketing, content marketing, influencer marketing, email marketing. Therefore, these marketing strategies create values to customers and build relationship and increase brand association, brand awareness, customer loyalty and increase consumer purchase intention (Chusnaini & Rasyid, 2022) Consumer Attitude and its Influence on Purchase Intention The prior research study suggested that attitude of consumers have positive or negative impact on products. So that, positive attitudes more significance on consumer buying behavior and negative attitudes discourage consumer behavior and purchase intention. The FMCG companies considered consumer attitude most important to engage consumer purchase intention and enables marketing strategies and their marketing efforts, marketing messages, positioning products, and consumers perceptions (Hussain et al., 2017) Celebrity Endorsement as a Marketing Strategy The research study explained that for the purpose of promotions of products or brands celebrity endorsement significance importance and widely used in developing marketing strategies and consumer purchase intention. The prior research study suggested that the celebrities have positive impact on consumer purchase behavior and through this approach creates the positive image on consumer behavior and build positive associations brand awareness, brand association, brand recall and developed consumer trust and loyalty (Goyal, 2012). In the industry of FMCG, used the celebrity endorsements for the purpose build emotional links and connections So that, through this approach to creates brand credibility, create differentiate products and trustworthiness of the celebrity to compete with competitors (Ahmed & Abedin, 2022). Theoretical Conceptual Research Model The current research study was integrated the various theories and developed conceptual research model. The research study was integrating, the theory of the Planned Behavior, which have the focus on the consumer attitudes, the consumer perceptions regarding products and explained subject preferences of the consumers (Pookulangara et al., 2011). Through this theory, provides better understanding about the behavior of consumers and better understanding to developed strategies regarding products, advertising, quality, taste and availability with relate to digital marketing associated with celebrity endorsement. The Consumer Attitude as a Mediating Role The prior research study suggested that attitude of the behavior vital role in the Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 186 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 186 association of the digital marketing and the consumer buying behavior. Because of strategies of the digital marketing, the personalization, contents writing, interactive images, change the attitude of the consumer towards products and developed positive image against the products (Ikhwan, 2023) The Celebrity Endorsement as the Moderating Role The past research study explained that the role of moderating of the construct of celebrity endorsement has the effects on the association of the marketing of digital and the behavior of consumer. Because of the factor of celebrity endorsement has the significance effects on the behavior of consumer and the digital marketing, will creates the brand credibility, brand trust, brand quality and brand availability, positive effects on consumer (Annissa, & Paramita, 2021). Due to the celebrity endorsement, the consumer perceived authenticity regarding brands, which creates the relationship of the celebrity endorsement as moderating, the digital marketing and the behavior of consumers. Thus, the companies of the FMCG, needs to better understanding the behavior of consumers and the role of moderating of the celebrity endorsement (Hussain, 2020) The prior research study was suggested that the in the past social psychology research the credibility and the beauty considered significance importance for delivered effective messages and these factors always important to increase consumer purchase intention. According to the theory of matchup, in the digital marketing endorsement has always importance and effective because endorser and the company product must have same characteristics and similar image and through these factors’ consumer considered trustworthiness and trust regarding products and services. Thus, through the celebrity endorser transfer the cultural meaning of the products and creates effective endorsements. Figure 2.1: Proposed Conceptual Research Model of Mediating effects of Consumer Attitude and the Moderating effect of Celebrity endorsement with the relationships of Digital Marketing and the Consumer Purchase Decision. Research Hypotheses Development H1: Convenience has a positive impact on Consumer Attitude H2: Security has a positive impact on Consumer Attitude H3: Time Saving has a positive impact on Consumer Attitude H4: Web Design has a positive impact on Consumer Attitude H5: Consumer Attitude mediates the association between the Convenience and consumer purchase intention H6: Consumer Attitude mediates the association between the Security and consumer purchase intention H7: Consumer Attitude mediates the association between the Time Saving and consumer purchase intention Celebrity endorsement Consumer Attitude Security Website Design Convenience Time Saving Consumer Purchase Intention Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 187 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 187 H8: Consumer Attitude mediates the association between the Web Design and consumer purchase intention H9: Celebrity Endorsement moderates the relationship between the Consumer attitude and consumer purchase intention H11: Consumer Attitude has a positive impact on the consumer purchase intention Convenience positive associated with the consumer purchase intention Prior research study explained that the convenience is referred to the functionality or benefits through the self-service technologies. Because the purchasing of the products or any service, not required to communicate with the firm staff or sales representative, and with the help of technologies, internet, different social media platforms, the consumer purchasing and consumers orders and deliveries as the full fill the customer request, these all through the online shopping’s, website convenience and customer access order so convenience Sankaran & Chakraborty, 2022). The security has the positively associated with the consumer purchase intention Because of the functionality of the security using the online shopping, the customers has given the significance importance to this aspects, when doing the online transactions through the debit cards, credit cards and any applications, customer have more attentions to save and secure the process of the transactions and want to reduced risk, and customer regularly performs theses operations, the security has the positive associated with the consumer purchase intention (Al-azzam & Al-mizeed, 2021). The Website design or feature has the positively associated with the consumer purchase intention During the shopping online, the customers want to see the website to attractive, and look, feel and the good feature and easy to access, these factors always positive impact on the behavior of the consumer buying decisions, thus, these characteristics and the functionality has been significance impact of the consumer purchase decisions and changing the consumer perceptions, thus the design of the website, the customer service, customer after sale services, the security features and consistency functionality and performance positive impact on the consumer purchase intention (Haider, 2016). Time Saving has the positively associated with the consumer purchase intention The prior research study suggested that the factor of time saving during the online purchasing has significance importance, through the browsing online, exploring the products, the consumer will save the time as compare to searching products physically. Thus, the time saving positive impact on the behavior of the consumer and increase consumer purchase intention (Athapaththu & Kulathunga, 2018) Research Design The current research study based on the approach of quantity research technique to investigates the consumer attitudes as the mediating effects and the celebrity endorsement as the moderating effects with the associations of the digital marketing and the behavior of consumers, the industries of the FMCG in the Pakistan, Karachi. As the research is the way of collection of data, analysis the data, interpretation of data in form of systematic and as well as scientific way to solving the research problem and gives managerial implications. Whereas the methodology of research or research methodology is the approach of theoretical Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 188 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 188 analysis in term of systematic way of the research technique to be used in the research study Thus, the research methodology includes the components such as research design, target audience or population, size of the sample to use in the research study, sampling technique to collect the data, data collection instruments, analysis of data, interpretation of data and implications of results of the research study (Kothari, 2014). Research Onion An important part in the research methodology, developing the research methodology considered as important steps or stages, which defines by Saunders’ onion layers. Actually, the research onion better effective decision during the developing research methodology in the research study The five important elements or research philosophy of the Saunders’ research Onion are research philosophy, research approach, research strategy, time horizon and collection of data, gives better way of developing the research strategy (Saunder, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). The current research study the positivism research philosophy includes in the study, because the concept of positivism is related to quantifiable research observation which is closed to analysis of the statistically and interpretations. The quantitative research approach which is based on the hypotheses testing and the data collection through questionnaire during the research study, which are related to positivism, thus when research based on the philosophy of positivism, more closed to structured way to explain the research study. Data Collection Technique The current research study was taken to collect the data through the questionnaire design, and questionnaire is based on the systematic series of questions to asked the respondents of the fast-food consumer goods, the includes the methods of google forms and as well as physical questionnaire to distribute the questionnaire to respondents in the different retail super stores to collect the data. With the help of Smart PLS 4.0 Software, to analysis the data, is the good data analysis statistical technique. Research Instruments Development The research study includes the factors of the digital marketing with mediating effects of consumer attitude and the moderating role of celebrity endorsement with the consumer purchase intention. The data collection through physical distributed questionnaire in the different retail stores in the city of Karachi, and with the help google forms to sends questionnaire to fill the questionnaire forms and collect data with five-point Likert scale from 1 to 5. The data collection through the non-probability, convenience sampling technique for the purpose of analysis the data Descriptive Statistics Table: Statistics Respon dent Gender Respon dent Age Respon dent educati on Occupat ion Respon dent N Valid 385 385 385 385 Missi ng 0 0 0 0 During the data collection, the respondent of the gender, age and educations, and as well as occupation fille the form of the research study was 385 and not found any missing value. Table: Respondent Gender Frequen cy Perce nt Valid Perce nt Cumulat ive Percent Vali Male 228 76.0 76.0 76.0 Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 189 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 189 d Fema le 157 52.0 52.0 100.0 Total 385 100.0 100.0 The table of the respondent gender, regarding the frequency of the male and the female given in the table of the respondent gender Table: Respondent education Freque ncy Perc ent Vali d Perc ent Cumula tive Percent Val id 1. BB A 146 37.9 37.9 37.9 2. MB A 129 43.0 43.0 62.1 3. MS /MPhil 110 36.7 36.7 100.0 Total 385 100. 0 100. 0 The information regarding the qualification of the respondent explained in the table of the respondent education, in which the BBA program frequency, MBA Program, MS and MPhil in the table of the respondent educations. Reliability Statistics Factors Cronbach Alpha Convenience 0.716 Web Desing 0.697 Time Saving 0.693 Security 0.666 Attitude 0.63 Celebrity Endorsement 0.68 Purchase Intention 0.81 For the purpose of the construct items accuracy and the consistency to explained specific standard to analysis the data, thus the consistency related to the accuracy to validate the data (Hair et al., 2007). Reliability and the Validity Analysis Construc ts Cron bach' s alpha Composit e reliability (rho_a) Average variance extracted (AVE) Convenie nce 0.798 0.804 0.553 Celebrity Endorse ment 0.854 0.855 0.632 Consume r Attitude 0.902 0.904 0.631 Consume r Purchase Intention 0.902 0.903 0.630 Security 0.881 0.891 0.676 Time Saving 0.856 0.865 0.635 Website Desing 0.824 0.842 0.583 The results indicates that the values of the Average Variance Extracted, the one construct of Convenience is closed to 0.5, and the remaining constructs of the research study more than 0.55, showing that all the items of the constructs in the research study validated. The values of the constructs of the research study Convenience, Celebrity Endorsement, Consumer Attitude, Consumer Purchase Intention, Security, Time Saving and Web design, the results indicates that the value of the Cronbach alpha more than 0.7, which explained that the reliability in the items, means that internal consistency. Analysis of R-square Constructs Rsquare R-square adjusted Consumer Attitude 0.797 0.795 Consumer Purchase 0.990 0.990 Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences Review (PJSSR) ISSN (e) 2959-8052 (p) 2959-8044 196 https://pjssr.com.pk/index.php/Journal/issue/archive |Page 196 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-65839035-8_6 Wang, Y. H. (2023). Live streaming strategy, corporate social responsibility, and online consumer purchasing behavior: Basis for Integrated marketing strategy module of Chinese e-commerce company. International Journal of Research Studies in Management, 11(5). https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2023.10 59