Experiencing branded apps Direct and indirect effects of engagement experiences on continued branded app use

This study aimed to gain insight into how people engage with branded apps and adopted the media engagement framework to examine how different types of engagement experiences are associated with the continued use of branded apps. In this study, three types of engagement experiences were identified that are important in the context of branded apps: (1) hedonic, (2) utilitarian, and (3) symbolic engagement experiences. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among a sample of 298 Dutch smartphone users. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for the analyses. The results demonstrate that, overall, branded app engagement experiences affect continued app use in two distinct ways: indirectly, via app attitude, through hedonic and utilitarian experiences, and directly through symbolic experiences.