Innovate, Love, evangelize: Exploring Customer Perceived Innovativeness and Brand Evangelism in Malaysia’s Fast-Food Landscape

Customer Perceived Innovativeness (CPI) plays a vital role in how consumers evaluate, engage with, and advocate for restaurant brands. In the competitive Malaysian fast-food industry, understanding how customers perceive innovation can help operators strengthen brand loyalty and inspire evangelistic behaviors. This study investigates the influence of CPI dimensions—menu, technology-based service, experiential, and promotional innovativeness—on brand evangelism, with brand love serving as a mediating factor. Using a quantitative approach, data were gathered from 265 fast-food customers in the Klang Valley through structured questionnaires. Statistical analyses using SPSS and PROCESS macro revealed that menu and promotional innovativeness significantly influenced brand evangelism. Brand love partially mediated the relationship between CPI and brand evangelism. The findings emphasize that customers who perceive fast-food brands as innovative are more likely to develop emotional attachment and advocate for the brand. The study contributes practical insights for restaurant operators on how innovation in offerings, technology, experience, and marketing can build stronger customer relationships and drive voluntary brand promotion.

Customer Perceived Innovativeness, Brand Love, Brand Evangelism

1. Ahmad, M., Lim, S., & Ng, Y. (2024). Customer experience innovation in quick-service restaurants: A Malaysian perspective. Journal of Service Innovation, 12(1), 45–58. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Ahuvia, A. C., Bagozzi, R. P., & Batra, R. (2020). Brand love: Development and validation of a practical scale. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(11–12), 1010–1030. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Battisti, G., & Stoneman, P. (2019). How innovative are foodservice businesses? Evidence from firm-level data. Service Industries Journal, 39(3–4), 195–210. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Clauss, T., Kesting, T., & Naskrent, J. (2019). A rolling stone gathers no moss: The effect of customer perceived innovativeness on brand loyalty. Journal of Business Research, 95, 220–230. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Dighikar, S., & Singh, R. (2021). The evolution of fast-food dining habits: An urban consumer study. Asian Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 6(2), 77–89. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Gill, S., Chong, C., & Ong, W. (2021). The role of social media in fostering brand love in the Malaysian fast-food industry. Malaysian Journal of Marketing, 9(2), 30–44. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2021). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Sage Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Helal, G. (2023). Measuring customer perceived innovativeness: A multidimensional approach. International Journal of Business and Society, 24(1), 55–70. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Hussain, M., Rahman, S., & Khan, A. (2023). Customer perceived innovativeness and behavioral intention in quick-service restaurants. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 32(5), 389–408. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Ismail, N., Rahim, S., & Abdullah, H. (2019). Determinants of customer satisfaction in Malaysia’s fast-food restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality Studies, 15(3), 211–225. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Jeon, H., Lee, M., & Park, E. (2020). Technology-based innovation and consumer responses in quick-service restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(9), 2853–2871. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Junaid, M., Hussain, S., & Rashid, M. (2020). Brand love as a mediator between perceived innovativeness and brand evangelism. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 32(6), 1219–1237. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Kee, J., Wong, M., & Teo, L. (2021). Digital transformation and service innovation in Malaysia’s foodservice sector. Technology and Society Review, 8(2), 101–115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Kim, J., & Lee, J. (2018). The role of experiential innovation in customer satisfaction and brand attachment. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 42(5), 751–776. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Kim, M., Park, J., & Kim, J. (2019). Customer perceived innovativeness and brand engagement: A dual-path model. Service Industries Journal, 39(11–12), 856–879. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Milwood, P., & Hartman-Caverly, S. (2022). Experience innovation and customer engagement in hospitality. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 63(2), 154–167. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Mishra, A., Singh, R., & Sharma, S. (2021). Brand evangelism and emotional engagement in fast-moving consumer goods. Journal of Marketing Research and Practice, 7(3), 88–102. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Mulyana, A., Fauzi, R., & Iskandar, D. (2020). The impact of innovative promotion on brand loyalty among young consumers. Journal of Marketing Innovation, 2(1), 14–27. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Nilsson, A., Sandström, C., & Thompson, A. (2021). Balancing technology and humanity in service innovation. Service Management Review, 33(4), 401–417. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Omar, S., Rahman, N., & Tarmizi, A. (2021). Digital marketing innovation and consumer engagement in Malaysia. Asian Journal of Digital Business, 5(2), 66–79. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Rahman, M., Ahsan, M., & Islam, N. (2021). The emotional side of branding: Understanding brand love and advocacy. Journal of Consumer Research, 48(2), 233–245. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Singh, J., Abdullah, F., & Lee, S. (2023). Changing dining habits among working Malaysians: Implications for the fast-food sector. Malaysian Journal of Consumer Studies, 10(1), 72–85. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Tarakçı, H., & Göktaş, S. (2020). From brand love to brand evangelism: The mediating role of satisfaction and trust. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 19(4), 277–294. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Teng, C., & Chen, M. (2023). Menu innovation and its influence on consumer loyalty in quick-service restaurants. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 26(2), 151–167. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Indirect Effect of Liquidity and Activity on Company Value with Profitability as an Intervening Variable
• Effect of Financial Skills, Knowledge, and Attitude on The Financial Behaviour of Clergy
• A Decade of Review: Trends in Budget Execution and Financial Performance of Development Projects in Tanzania (2014/15-2023/24)
• The Influence of Pre-Project Planning on the Budget Absorption Rate of Public Funded Infrastructure Projects in Kenya a Comparative Case Study of Narok, Migori, and Kisii County Government Projects
• Assessment of Factors Influencing Digital Transformation in Hotels’ Facility Management in Abuja Metropolis, Nigeria