Navigating brand loyalty in the era of cancel culture: The role of consumer engagement

The increasing prevalence of cancel culture, particularly among Generation Z consumers, has transformed how brands are evaluated in the digital era. Online criticism and public boycotts resulting from unethical brand behavior contribute to shifts in consumer loyalty. This study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of cancel culture on brand loyalty, while also testing the mediating roles of consumer engagement and environmental attitudes. This research adopts a quantitative approach by distributing questionnaires to active Gen Z consumers in Indonesia, yielding 205 valid responses. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings reveal that cancel culture has a significant positive influence on environmental attitudes, consumer engagement, and brand loyalty. In addition, consumer engagement demonstrates a significant positive effect on brand loyalty, whereas environmental attitudes do not. Moreover, the study confirms a significant mediating effect of consumer engagement in the relationship between cancel culture and brand loyalty, while environmental attitudes do not serve as a significant mediator. These results highlight the crucial role of emotional and interactive responses in shaping loyalty outcomes amid cancel culture dynamics.