An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Brand Story Themes on Brand Attitude in the Context of B2C E-Commerce Platforms for Organic Agricultural Products

Abstract

Against the background of B2C e-commerce platforms, ecological agricultural enterprises often overlook the issues of quality and safety, as well as product image shaping, during their operations, thereby affecting consumers’ purchase decisions. This study adopted authoritative scales and utilized data from 201 questionnaires to empirically investigate the influence of brand images on brand attitudes. Firstly, variables of consumers’ perception and brand attitude were measured through questionnaires. Secondly, regression models were used to discuss the impacts of different brand storytelling themes on brand attitudes. Finally, models of the mediating and moderating effects were employed to empirically study the mechanisms of consumers’ perception and regional familiarity. The research results indicate that brand storytelling themes of ecological agricultural products have a significant positive impact on consumers’ brand attitudes. Consumers’ perception of authenticity plays a mediating role, while regional familiarity acts as a moderator. The research conclusions enrich brand evaluation systems, deepen the related research on brand storytelling themes of agricultural products, reveal the inherent mechanism of the influence of brand storytelling themes of ecological agricultural products on consumers’ brand attitudes, and provide a reference for the practice of regional brand narratives of agricultural products.

1. Introduction

In the context of rapid socioeconomic development and technological advancement, B2C e-commerce platforms have emerged as a significant force in the business landscape, driving transformations and upgrades in commercial models [1]. Recognizing the potential of the digital economy, the Chinese government has strategically prioritized its development, aiming to foster sustainable economic growth and innovation. Within this framework, B2C e-commerce platforms play a pivotal role as a crucial component of the digital economy, garnering increasing attention and support [2]. The rise of B2C e-commerce platforms has not only revolutionized traditional business models but also brought profound impacts on the agricultural industry [3]. This is especially pronounced in the domain of agricultural products, where conventional sales channels and branding methods face unprecedented challenges [4]. As urbanization accelerates and consumer demands evolve, ecological agricultural products have gained substantial traction and become a focal point in the market [5]. Consequently, the effective communication of ecological agricultural product brands on B2C e-commerce platforms to enhance consumer attitudes towards these brands has emerged as a pressing issue.

Recent academic interest has been directed towards the influence of brand storytelling themes in the context of B2C e-commerce platforms [6]. Brand storytelling, as an effective communication tool, possesses attributes of emotional and personalized engagement that can profoundly affect consumer perceptions and attitudes towards brands [7]. Although some research has delved into the impact of brand storytelling on brand attitudes, the specific mechanisms and outcomes within the context of B2C e-commerce platforms warrant further investigation. In recent years, ecological agricultural products, which symbolize health and environmental sustainability, have gained prominence on the market [8]. However, there remains a limited body of research exploring the impact of brand storytelling themes on attitudes towards ecological agricultural products within the framework of B2C e-commerce platforms [9]. Existing studies predominantly focus on traditional brand storytelling, leaving a research gap regarding the exploration of ecological agricultural product brand storytelling within the context of B2C e-commerce platforms [10]. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate the communication efficacy and underlying mechanisms of ecological agricultural product brand storytelling themes on B2C e-commerce platforms.

This study endeavors to contribute to the understanding of brand communication mechanisms within the context of B2C e-commerce platforms by examining the impacts of ecological agricultural product brand storytelling themes on brand attitudes. Specifically, this study investigates the mediating effect of consumers’ perceived authenticity and the moderating effect of regional familiarity. In terms of innovation, this research critically integrates the practical environment of B2C e-commerce platforms, unveils the mediation mechanism through consumers’ perceived authenticity, and extends the explanatory power by introducing regional familiarity as a moderating factor. In conclusion, through its multi-dimensional exploration, this study will provide new theoretical insights and practical implications regarding the mechanisms of the impacts of ecological agricultural product brand storytelling themes on brand attitudes within the realm of B2C e-commerce platforms. By addressing research gaps and introducing novel perspectives, this study contributes to both academic and practical aspects of brand communication.

2. Literature Review and Research Hypotheses

2.1. The Influence of the Brand Storytelling Themes of Ecological Agricultural Products on Consumers’ Perception of Authenticity

Brand story themes have a significant influence on consumers’ perception. The use of underdog themes in brand storytelling is found to be more effective in immersing readers in the story and generating greater emotional responses, leading to increased brand identification [11]. Brand stories that incorporate social value, emotional value, and cognitive value have a positive impact on brand identity and customer purchase intention [12]. Brand storytelling by consumers, as opposed to brand stories created by firms, leads to deeper cognitive processing and greater experiences of positive emotions, resulting in more favorable brand attitudes. Well-structured brand stories have the potential to enhance brand image, which is mediated by narrative transportation. Overall, brand story themes play a crucial role in shaping consumers’ perception of brands by influencing their emotional responses, brand identification, purchase intentions, and brand images [2].

Firstly, we analyzed the influence of brand storytelling on consumers’ perception of authenticity. We analyzed current consumer and market trends and found that research on ecological agricultural product brand storytelling themes and their impacts on brand attitudes within the B2C e-commerce platform environment is of the utmost importance. This observation is grounded in the following theoretical background.

Brand-Building and Communication Theory: Brand storytelling themes, as essential elements in brand building and communication, have garnered widespread attention in the field of brand management [13]. These storytelling themes can help establish emotional connections between brands and consumers and convey the core values of a brand. However, in the domain of ecological agricultural products, there has been limited research on how to effectively utilize these storytelling themes to attract and influence consumers [14].

Sustainable Agriculture and Consumer Trends: Globally, there is a growing concern for sustainable agriculture and consumer interests in health, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the production methods and environmental impacts of the products that they purchase. Ecological agricultural product brand storytelling themes have the potential to communicate these values, but more evidence is needed to determine their effectiveness [15,16].

Perceived Authenticity and Regional Factors: The research model that we propose includes variables for consumers’ perceived authenticity and regional familiarity [17]. These factors may play a crucial role in consumer responses to brand storytelling themes. This reflects the research in the theoretical background concerning factors influencing consumer behavior and perception [18].

Therefore, this study is well-founded within the current theoretical framework, and it aims to explore the influence of ecological agricultural product brand storytelling themes on brand attitudes in depth. This not only contributes to complementing existing theories but also provides brand managers with more strategic recommendations for adapting to the ever-evolving market. On one hand, brand stories are often seen as external cues that stimulate consumers’ perception of authenticity. Ryu (2018), through an analysis of brand cases in the transportation industry, found that telling historical stories can enhance consumers’ perception of authenticity [11]. Fitri (2023), in a study of time-honored brands, explored the influence of brand storytelling on consumers’ perception of authenticity and proved the facilitating effect of brand storytelling. Consumers can use brand-related cues to evaluate authenticity [19]. Therefore, as an external cue, brand storytelling can influence consumers’ perception of authenticity. On the other hand, brand storytelling is also a means of communication between brands and consumers. At the communication level, many scholars have confirmed the impact of brand storytelling on consumers’ perception of authenticity. For example, Solja (2018) suggested that cues and communication methods can both influence consumers’ perception of authenticity [20]. Fukuda (2018) demonstrated that both strong and weak brand stories can affect consumers’ perception of authenticity [21]. Based on the aforementioned research findings, it is inferred in this study that, as an external cue, regional brand storytelling for agricultural products can influence consumers’ perception of authenticity [22]. However, its role in the field of regional brand storytelling for agricultural products needs further analysis.

Secondly, we analyzed the influence of natural environmental storytelling for regional agricultural product brands on consumers’ perception of authenticity. Dessart (2019) found that the use of appropriate appeal content can stimulate consumers’ perception of authenticity [23]. Emphasizing the regional differences in the promotion of agricultural products can stimulate consumers’ perception of authenticity. Primary agricultural products are unprocessed agricultural and livestock products. Emphasizing green and natural messages will stimulate consumers’ authentic perception of nature [24]. Highlighting the natural environment in regional brand stories of agricultural products is conducive to consumers’ formation of an authentic perception of nature.

Thirdly, we analyzed the influence of cultural and historical storytelling for regional agricultural product brands on consumers’ perception of authenticity. Glaser (2022) considers authenticity as a fundamental issue for brands [25]. The brand stories of regional agricultural product brands contain regional elements and describe the roots of agricultural products, namely, their unique cultural and historical background, which also reflects the origin of regional agricultural products. Therefore, telling brand stories that include regional elements can promote consumers’ perception of authenticity to some extent. Based on the above analysis, this study proposes the following hypotheses.

H1. 

The presence of the natural environment in regional agricultural product brand stories has a greater impact on consumers’ perception of authenticity than the absence of the natural environment.

H2. 

The presence of cultural and historical elements in regional agricultural product brand stories has a greater impact on consumers’ perception of authenticity than the absence of cultural and historical elements.

2.2. The Impact of Consumers’ Perception of Authenticity on Brand Attitude

Consumers’ perception of a brand has a significant influence on their attitude towards that brand. The perception of brand homogeneity affects consumers’ experiences with the products offered by that brand, leading to more polarized judgments of product experiences [26]. Additionally, consumers’ knowledge of an employer’s brand and its equity elements can contribute to their perception of the brand and influence their behavioral intentions. The choices of influencers in influencer marketing also play a crucial role in shaping consumers’ attitudes and behavior towards a brand [27]. Furthermore, consumers’ brand storytelling has been found to increase favorable brand evaluations, leading to more positive brand attitudes. Finally, word-of-mouth communication has a significant relationship with consumers’ buying behavior, specifically in terms of brand perception, search and evaluation efforts, and risk reduction [28].

Existing studies have indicated that the perception of authenticity can explain influences on brand attitudes [29], brand admiration, and purchase intentions. Shaikh [30] conducted an econometric analysis to study its incentivizing effect on purchase intentions. Building upon the elucidation of brand attitude in the preceding sections, there exists a third perspective regarding the dimensions of brand attitude. According to this viewpoint, brand attitudes encompass consumers’ purchase intentions, implying that the perception of authenticity can influence their brand attitudes. On the other hand, adhering to the second dimension of brand attitude, attitude precedes purchase formation; thus, purchase intention signifies the formation of an attitude. Rosado-Pinto (2022) argued for the role of authenticity in consumers’ brand attitudes within the context of heritage brands [31]. Campagna (2023) empirically analyzed the impacts of different dimensions of the perception of authenticity on consumer brand attitudes [29]. Campagna demonstrated the positive role of authenticity in agricultural product brands on brand sentiment [32]. Hence, this study proposes the following hypothesis.

H3. 

The stronger consumers’ perceptions of brand authenticity are, the more positive their brand attitudes will be.

2.3. The Moderating Role of Regional Familiarity

Regional familiarity refers to the level of understanding that consumers have about a specific region or place of origin. When purchasing organic agricultural products, consumers may pay more attention to the production area and its characteristics. When consumers are more familiar with a specific region’s place of origin for agricultural products, they may have a better impression of the products and brands from that region [33].

The moderating role of regional familiarity in brand attitude can be reflected in two aspects [34]. Firstly, in terms of the perception of the brand image of organic agricultural products, consumers may be more inclined to trust agricultural products produced in the regions that they are familiar with, thus enhancing trust in the brand. Secondly, regional familiarity may moderate consumers’ evaluation of the brand image [35]. When consumers are more familiar with a brand of organic agricultural products from a specific region, they are more likely to develop positive brand cognition and evaluations, thus further enhancing their trust and positive attitudes towards the brand. Based on the above, this study proposes the following hypothesis.

H4. 

The level of regional familiarity plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between regional agricultural product brand storytelling and perceived brand authenticity. Specifically, compared to consumers with low regional familiarity, consumers with high regional familiarity are more likely to develop perceptions of brand authenticity.

3. Research Design

3.1. Sample Selection

The study focused on B2C e-commerce platform enterprises. To ensure the broad applicability of the research findings, a multi-stage sampling approach was employed. Firstly, several B2C e-commerce platforms engaged primarily in the sale of eco-friendly agricultural products were selected from different regions as the foundational research sample. Secondly, within each chosen e-commerce platform, a certain number of consumers were selected as research subjects through random sampling. To ensure the representativeness of the sample, stratified sampling was conducted based on factors such as geographical location, age, and gender. This ensured that the sample maintained a high level of diversity.

3.2. Variable Definitions

The dependent variable was the brand attitude. Based on the analysis of the concept, dimensions, and measurement of brand attitude in this article, we developed a measurement scale for consumers’ brand attitudes. The specific measurement items are provided in

Table 1. Brand attitude scale.

Dimensions	Measurement Indicators	Source
Cognitive	I think the brand is good	Faircloth (2001) [36]
	I think the brand has a good value for money
	I think the brand satisfies me
Emotional	I like the brand even more
	I trust the brand more
	I am more interested in this brand of products in the same category

.

The explanatory variable was the regional brand story theme. According to the definition of regional brands of agricultural products, a virtual regional brand of agricultural products named “H City Lotus Root” was designed by adopting the naming pattern of “place name + agricultural products”. The main reason for designing a virtual brand instead of adopting a brand that existed in reality was that the dependent variable of this study was brand attitude, and if an existing agricultural product brand was used, the respondents’ attitude toward the original brand may have had an impact on the experimental results. The use of virtual brands as test materials can better exclude the possible influence of consumers’ inherent brand impressions on an experiment. According to the dimensions, a brand story on the theme of the natural environment and a brand story on the theme of the human history of lotus root in “H City” were written, and the materials were briefly tested. The test was conducted by randomly selecting 10 respondents, asking them to judge the theme of the materials, and modifying the materials based on their feedback.

The mediating variable was consumers’ perception of authenticity. According to this study’s analysis of the concept, dimension, and measurement of the perception of authenticity, a measurement was derived, and the specific measurement items are shown in

Table 2. Consumers’ perceived authenticity scale.

Dimension	Measurement Indicators	Source
Sustainability	The brand has maintained its own style since its creation	Burhn, Beverland [37,38]
	The brand stays true to itself
	The brand offers continuous, consistent brand beliefs
	The brand pursues clear values
Originality	This brand is different from all others
	The brand stands out from the rest
	I think the brand is unique
	The brand clearly differentiates itself from other brands
Dependability	Experience has taught me that brands always maintain their commitment to their customers.
	The brand has been delivering on its promise
	Customers can trust the brand’s brand promise
	The brand makes a solid promise
Naturalness	The brand is natural and unmanufactured
	The brand makes a real, genuine impression
	The brand gives a natural impression
	The brand cares about people’s health and safety

.

The moderating variable was regional familiarity. The measurement of regional familiarity is commonly based on Baloglu’s categorization of destination familiarity in the academic field. Thus, referring to Baloglu’s framework for regional familiarity, in this study, materials for regional familiarity were composed using two dimensions: experiential and informational familiarity. This encompassed descriptions of experiences with the region, frequency of visits, and sources of information.

The choice to develop materials for regional familiarity based on dimensions rather than directly measuring it was supported by several factors. First, directly measuring regional familiarity would require the use of an existing agricultural regional brand. However, the pre-existing brand attitudes of consumers towards such brands could influence the measurement of the dependent variable, brand attitude. Second, while Baloglu’s perspective on regional familiarity is widely recognized, his research is not grounded in the Chinese context and employs frequency-based measurement methods. Notably, domestic scholars such as Ming Ma and Jing Gao have extended Baloglu’s work to explore dimensions and measurement scales for regional familiarity. However, their findings have not gained extensive recognition.

3.3. Questionnaire Design

The research focus of this study was the impact of regional agricultural product brand story themes on brand attitudes. Taking the dimensions of the independent variable and the moderating variable into account, questionnaires were designed in various forms based on the presence or absence of natural-environment-themed brand stories, the presence or absence of human-history-themed brand stories, and the level of regional familiarity.

The questionnaire structure was organized into five sections. The first section served as an introduction to the questionnaire, providing a brief description of the survey’s purpose. The second section controlled for the moderating variable, presenting different experimental materials related to regional familiarity to the respondents. The third section controlled for the independent variable, displaying diverse experimental materials concerning regional agricultural product brand story themes to the respondents. The fourth section encompassed the measurement of the mediating and dependent variables. The questionnaire items are designed and measured based on the measurement scales for consumers’ perception of authenticity and brand attitudes. The fifth section collected demographic information about the respondents.

4. Empirical Analysis of the Results

4.1. Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis

A total of 201 questionnaires were returned in this experiment, of which 112 were valid. The descriptive statistical processing of the questionnaires gave an idea of their coverage and the status of the respondents, as shown in

Table 3. Descriptive statistics of the variables.

Variables	Project	People
Gender	Male	68
	Female	133
Age	<18	9
	18–25	104
	26–30	23
	31–40	14
	41–50	41
	>51	10
Education	Primary and below	1
	Middle school	7
	High school and junior college	30
	College and bachelor’s degree	143
	Master’s degree or above	20
Income/month	<1000	18
	1001–2000	64
	2001–4000	55
	4001–6000	43
	6001–8000	7
	8001–10,000	2
	>10,001	12
Occupation	Students	121
	Freelance workers	12
	Entrepreneurs	4
	Office workers	58
	Others	6

.

4.2. Reliability and Validity Analysis

(1)

Reliability Analysis for Perception of Authenticity

From the reliability analysis shown in

Table 4. Reliability test for each variable.

Indicators	Items	Deleted Cronbach’s Alpha Values	Cronbach’s Alpha Based on Standardized Items
Perceived authenticity	Contiguity	0.891	0.923
	Originality	0.863
	Dependability	0.875
	Naturalness	0.852
Brand attitude	Cognitive	0.801	0.829
	Emotional	0.796

, it is evident that in terms of the perception of authenticity, the overall standardized reliability coefficient was 0.923. However, looking at the reliability coefficients after removing individual items, all four coefficients were lower than the overall 0.923. Thus, there was no need for adjustments to the measurement items in the dimension of perception of authenticity.

The overall standardized reliability coefficient of 0.923 fell between 0 and 1. The closer the standardized reliability coefficient was to 1, the higher its reliability was. With a result of 0.923 from the experimental analysis, the dimension exhibited good reliability.

(2)

Reliability Analysis for Brand Attitude

From the reliability analysis shown in Table 4, it is evident that the overall standardized reliability coefficient for respondents’ brand attitudes was 0.829. Looking at the reliability coefficients after removing individual items, both coefficients were lower than the overall 0.829. Therefore, there was no need for adjustments to the brand attitude dimension. The overall standardized reliability coefficient for brand attitude was 0.829, which was close to 1.

The results of the analysis indicated good reliability for this dimension.

• Overall Reliability Analysis

From the comprehensive reliability coefficient shown in

Table 5. Overall reliability analysis.

Based on Cronbach’s Alpha for Standardized Items	Number of Items
0.956	22

, it is evident that the standardized Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient reached 0.956. This implied that the questionnaire exhibited high reliability.

The Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients for the perception of authenticity and brand attitude in this study were 0.923 and 0.829, respectively, with both exceeding 0.6. Through a comprehensive examination of the above indicators, it was observed that all latent and observed variables met the reliability requirements. This confirmed the effectiveness of the questionnaire’s design and collection process, making it suitable for further analysis.

• Validity Analysis

As shown in

Table 6. KMO and Bartlett’s test.

Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy	Measurement	0.947
Bartlett’s Sphericity Test	Approximate Chi-Square	3582.488
	df	231
	Sig.	0.000

, the coefficient obtained from the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) test was 0.947. The KMO coefficient ranged from 0 to 1, with values closer to 1 indicating higher validity. Considering the significance level of the sphericity test, the questionnaire’s significance level was nearly 0. This rejection of the null hypothesis demonstrated the effectiveness of the analysis.

4.3. The Influence of a Natural Environment Theme on Consumers’ Perception of Authenticity

Excluding the influences of other variables, such as human-history-themed brand stories and regional familiarity, the hypothetical regional agricultural product brand “H City Lotus Root” was selected. The questionnaires were divided into two sets: one with a natural-environment-themed brand story and without a human-history-themed brand story, with no regional familiarity; the other set was without a natural-environment-themed brand story, a human-history-themed brand story, and regional familiarity. These questionnaires were used for testing purposes.

Based on

Table 7. Statistical results.

	Natural Environment	N	Mean	Standard Deviation	Standard Error of the Mean
Authenticity Perception	No	20	32.60	16.126	3.606
	Yes	27	63.33	7.884	1.517

and

Table 8. Independent t-test results.

		Levene’s Test for Variance Equality		t-Test for Mean Equality
		F	Sig.	t	df	Sig. Two-Tailed
Authenticity Perception	Assumption of Equal Variances	31.556	0.000	−8.630	45	0.000
	Assumption of Unequal Variances			−7.856	25.734	0.000

, it can be observed that there were differences in the perception of authenticity concerning the presence or absence of natural environmental elements in regional agricultural product brand stories. The significance level for the difference in the perception of authenticity based on the presence or absence of a natural-environment-themed brand story was 0.000, which was significantly smaller than 0.05. This confirmed that the presence or absence of a natural-environment-themed brand story significantly impacted consumers’ perception of authenticity. According to the means, it is evident that consumers perceived greater authenticity when exposed to brand stories with a natural environment theme compared to those without.

Thus, Hypothesis 1, which asserts that the presence of the natural environment in regional agricultural product brand stories has a greater impact on consumer authenticity perception than the absence of a natural environment theme, was validated.

4.4. The Impact of a Human History Theme on Consumers’ Perception of Authenticity

Excluding the influences of other variables, such as human-history-themed brand stories and regional familiarity, the hypothetical regional agricultural product brand “H City Lotus Root” was selected. The questionnaires were divided into two sets regarding this brand: one with a human-history-themed brand story and without a natural-environment-themed brand story, with no regional familiarity; the other set had no human-history-themed brand story, no natural-environment-themed brand story, and no regional familiarity. These questionnaires were used for testing purposes.

Based on the results from the independent sample t-test presented in

Table 9. Results of the group descriptive statistics.

	Human History	N	Mean	Standard Deviation	Standard Error of the Mean
Authenticity Perception	No	20	32.60	16.126	3.606
	Yes	23	64.04	7.923	1.652

and

Table 10. Independent sample t-test results.

		Levene’s Test for Variance Equality		t-Test for Mean Equality
		F	Sig.	t	df	Sig. Bilateral
Authenticity Perception	Assumption of Equal Variances	29.681	0.000	−8.282	41	0.000
	Assumption of Unequal Variances			−7.928	26.794	0.000

, it can be observed that there were differences in the perception of authenticity concerning the presence or absence of human history elements in regional agricultural product brand stories. The significance level for the difference in the perception of authenticity based on the presence or absence of a human-history-themed brand story was 0.000, which was significantly smaller than 0.05. This indicated that the presence or absence of a human-history-themed brand story significantly impacted consumers’ perception of authenticity. According to the means, it is clear that consumers perceived greater authenticity when exposed to brand stories with a human history theme than when exposed to those without.

Hence, Hypothesis 2 was validated, suggesting that the presence of human history in regional agricultural product brand stories has a greater impact on consumers’ perception of authenticity than the absence of a human history theme does.

4.5. The Impact of Consumers’ Perception of Authenticity on Brand Attitudes

Based on the correlation analysis and linear regression results presented in

Table 11. Correlation test results.

		Authenticity Perception	Brand Attitude
Authenticity Perception	Pearson Correlation	1	0.869 **
	Significance (Two-Tailed)		0.000
	N	112	112
Brand Attitude	Pearson Correlation	0.869 **	1
	Significance (Two-Tailed)	0.000
	N	112	112

** Significant at confidence level 5%.

,

Table 12. ANOVA test results.

Model		Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
1	Regression	1848.798	1	1848.798	340.092	0.000
	Residuals	597.978	110	5.436
	Total	2446.777	111

and

Table 13. Test results for coefficient a.

Model		Unstandardized Coefficients		Standardized Coefficients	t	Sig.	95.0% Confidence Interval for B
		B	Standard Error	Trial Version			Lower Limit	Upper Limit
1	(Constant)	3.759	1.122		3.350	0.001	1.535	5.982
	Authenticity Perception	0.318	0.017	0.869	18.442	0.000	0.284	0.353

, it is evident that there was a significant correlation between the variables at a 99% confidence level. Moreover, the correlation coefficients were positive. Hence, the correlation coefficient between the perception of authenticity and brand attitude was 0.869, indicating a positive correlation.

Therefore, Hypothesis 3, which asserts that stronger perception of authenticity by consumers is associated with a more positive brand attitude, was validated.

4.6. The Mediating Role of Consumers’ Perception of Authenticity

In this experiment, the hypothetical regional agricultural product brand, “H City Lotus Root”, was selected. The influences of regional familiarity and different dimensions of the independent variable were excluded. The questionnaires were divided into two categories: one with a human-history-themed brand story, a natural-environment-themed brand story, and no regional familiarity, and the other with no human-history-themed brand story, no natural-environment-themed brand story, and no regional familiarity. According to the results of the correlation analysis in

Table 14. Correlation test results.

		Brand Attitude	Brand Story	Authenticity Perception
Pearson correlation	Brand attitude	1.000	0.743	0.966
	Brand story	0.743	1.000	0.794
	Authenticity perception	0.966	0.794	1.000
Sig. (one-tailed)	Brand attitude		0.000	0.000
	Brand story	0.000		0.000
	Authenticity perception	0.000	0.000

, the significance level between variables was 0.000, which was significantly smaller than 0.05. This indicated that the variables were significantly correlated with each other. This confirmed that the independent variable, the brand story, was correlated with the dependent variable, the brand attitude. the mediating variable, perception of authenticity, was correlated with the dependent variable, the brand attitude; in addition, the independent variable, the brand story, was correlated with the mediating variable, perception of authenticity. This allowed for further testing.

According to the results of the regression analysis in

Table 15. Regression analysis results.

Model		Unstandardized Coefficients		Standardized Coefficients	t	Sig.	95.0% Confidence Interval for B
		B	Standard Error	Trial Version			Tolerance	VIF
1	(constant)	12.400	1.149		10.791	0.000
	Brand story	11.124	1.606	0.743	6.928	0.000	1.000	1.000
2	(constant)	0.020	0.942		0.022	0.983
	Brand story	−0.999	1.023	−0.067	−0.976	0.335	0.369	2.711
	Authenticity perception	0.380	0.025	1.019	14.909	0.000	0.369	2.711

, it can be observed that in Model 1, which only included the independent variable “brand story”, the significance level was 0.000, which was significantly smaller than 0.05. This indicated that the independent variable “brand story” could significantly influence the dependent variable “brand attitude”. In Model 2, after adding the mediating variable “authenticity perception”, the significance level of the independent variable “brand story” on the dependent variable “brand attitude” became 0.335, which was significantly larger than 0.05, shifting from significant to non-significant. However, in this model, the significance level of the mediating variable “authenticity perception” with respect to the dependent variable “brand attitude” was 0.000, which was significantly smaller than 0.05. This suggested that the mediating variable “authenticity perception” could significantly influence the dependent variable “brand attitude”.

From this, it can be concluded that there was a complete mediating effect of the mediating variable “authenticity perception”, thus further confirming the model.

4.7. The Moderating Effect of the Regional Familiarity Level

According to the hypotheses regarding the moderating variable, it can be measured in two dimensions: the presence or absence of regional familiarity. Therefore, a differential analysis can be employed to examine the impact of the moderating variable.

In this experiment, the virtual regional agricultural brand “H City Lotus Root” was selected. The influence of other variables, such as the presence of natural-environment-themed brand stories and human-history-themed brand stories, was excluded. The participants were divided into two groups: one group with the presence of human-history-themed brand stories, natural-environment-themed brand stories, and no regional familiarity, and the other group with the presence of human-history-themed brand stories, natural-environment-themed brand stories, and regional familiarity. This categorization allowed for the testing of the effects of the moderating variable.

Based on the results of the independent-sample t-tests presented in

Table 16. Results of the group statistical test.

	Familiarity	N	Mean	Standard Error	The Standard Error of the Mean
Authenticity perception	no	21	64.52	7.613	1.661
	yes	11	67.36	7.788	2.348

and

Table 17. Results of the independent-sample test.

		Levene’s Test for Variance Equation		t-Test for the Mean Equation
		F	Sig.	t	df	Sig. (Two-Sided)
Authenticity perception	Assumption of equal variance	0.296	0.590	−0.995	30	0.328
	Assumption of unequal variance			−0.987	20.010	0.335

, it can be observed that there was no significant difference in consumers’ perception of brand authenticity based on the presence or absence of regional familiarity. The p-value for the t-test comparing brand authenticity perception with and without regional familiarity was considerably greater than 0.05. This indicated that the presence or absence of regional familiarity did not have a significant impact on consumers’ perception of brand authenticity.

In this experiment, a virtual regional agricultural product brand named “H City Lotus Root” was selected. The questionnaire was divided into four categories: (1) one with a regional brand story and without regional familiarity, (2) one with a regional brand story and with regional familiarity, (3) one without a regional brand story and with regional familiarity, and (4) one without a regional brand story and without regional familiarity. A linear regression analysis was employed to examine the impacts of regional familiarity levels.

The results of the analysis are presented in

Table 18. Results of the test on coefficient a.

Model		Unstandardized Coefficients			t	Sig.	95.0% Confidence Interval for B
		B	Standard Error	Trial Version			Tolerance	VIF
1	(constant)	32.209	2.318		13.895	0.000
	Brand story	32.687	2.867	0.815	11.399	0.000	0.955	1.048
	familiarity	1.018	2.852	0.026	0.357	0.722	0.955	1.048
2	(constant)	32.600	2.585		12.613	0.000
	Brand story	31.924	3.611	0.796	8.840	0.000	0.610	1.640
	Familiarity	−0.350	4.835	−0.009	−0.072	0.943	0.336	2.972
	Interaction items	2.112	6.009	0.049	0.351	0.726	0.252	3.972

. The variance inflation factor (VIF) for collinearity statistics was below 10, indicating that there was no multicollinearity between the matching conditions and ownership needs. The significance (sig) values for the interaction term coefficients were greater than 0.05, suggesting the absence of a moderating effect.

Thus, Hypothesis 4, which posited a positive moderating effect of regional familiarity levels on the relationship between regional agricultural product brand stories and brand authenticity perception, cannot be supported. It can be concluded that there is no significant interaction effect in which greater regional familiarity leads to a stronger perception of brand authenticity in comparison with that among consumers with lower regional familiarity levels.

4.8. Robustness Test

Building upon the previous simple regression analysis, we incorporated control variables for individual characteristics. The results of the multiple regression analysis also supported the research hypotheses.

5. Conclusions and Implications

5.1. Conclusions of the Study

The following conclusions were drawn from this study based on its experimental design. Firstly, the influence of regional agricultural product brand story imagery on the perception of authenticity was confirmed. It was demonstrated that consumers exhibited stronger perceptions of authenticity when exposed to brand stories with a natural environment theme as compared to stories without such a theme. Similarly, when presented with brand stories featuring a human history theme, consumers’ perception of authenticity was stronger than that with stories lacking this theme. Secondly, the impact of perception of authenticity on brand attitude was validated. This study verified that a stronger perception of authenticity is correlated with more positive brand attitudes. Thirdly, the complete mediating effect of the perception of authenticity as a mediating variable in the model was established. Lastly, this study tested the moderating effect of the regional familiarity level, and the results indicated that this hypothesis was not supported.

5.2. Theoretical and Practical Contributions

Theoretical contributions: Firstly, in terms of theoretical contributions, this study delved deeply into uncovering the mechanisms by which ecological narratives of brand stories on B2C e-commerce platforms impact brand attitudes, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of perceived authenticity. This enriches the existing body of theory and provides a deeper understanding of how brand story themes shape consumer attitudes. Secondly, this research introduced regional familiarity as a moderating variable, investigating variations in effects under different geographical conditions. This introduced an additional dimension to theoretical constructs, aiding in a better comprehension of consumer responses across various environments. Lastly, this study employed quantitative research methods to provide more persuasive evidence for relevant theories. This helps in filling gaps in the existing literature, thus enhancing the reliability of the associated theories.

Practical contributions: In terms of practical contributions, firstly, the findings of this research will assist businesses in devising more effective brand strategies, particularly in the ecological agricultural product sector. Brand managers can utilize the research results to craft better brand images and enhance consumers’ brand awareness and loyalty. Secondly, by exploring the moderating role of regional familiarity, this research offers guidance for businesses planning to expand into different regional markets. Understanding regional disparities aids in adapting to the needs and characteristics of diverse markets. Lastly, the agricultural product industry can gain valuable insights from this research regarding sustainable agricultural practices and brand communication, which can facilitate more environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural development while meeting consumer demands.

In summary, this study’s theoretical contributions reinforce the foundational theories surrounding the relationship between brand story themes and consumer attitudes. Its practical contributions offer valuable guidance and strategic recommendations for brand managers and the agricultural product industry.

5.3. Implications of the Study

From a theoretical perspective, this study enriches the research on the relationship between brand storytelling from the perspective of regional agricultural product brands and consumer brand attitudes. Existing research on brand narratives in the context of regional agricultural product brands has predominantly focused on story construction and practical application, often utilizing case study methods. There has been relatively limited exploration of psychological aspects on the part of consumers. This study addresses this gap by adopting a quantitative analytical approach and focusing on the consumer perspective, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of this angle.

In terms of management implications, firstly, this study offers guidance for businesses seeking to develop regional agricultural product brands through brand storytelling. Enterprises can leverage the creation of brand stories with natural environment and human history themes to showcase the unique regional characteristics of their brands. Secondly, it provides insights for regional agricultural product brand enterprises to enhance consumers’ perception of authenticity and brand attitudes. Through the appropriate use of thematically aligned brand stories, businesses can potentially elevate consumers’ perception of authenticity and brand attitudes to a certain extent.

5.4. Limitations of the Study

This study originated from the existing research on brand storytelling imagery in regional agricultural product brands. the dimensions of the independent variable were divided, experiments were designed, and the influences of different brand storytelling imagery in regional agricultural product brands on brand attitudes were investigated. However, this study also has the following limitations.

Firstly, the moderating effect of the regional familiarity level was not adequately measured. According to the experimental results, the hypothesis regarding the moderating effect of the regional familiarity level was not supported. This study suggests that this outcome might have been influenced by various factors, such as unreasonable experimental materials for regional familiarity, limitations in the scope of respondents, and a limited number of valid questionnaires. Further validation is required. Future research could build upon the conclusions of this study to further explore the role of the regional familiarity level.

Secondly, the sample size in the experiment was limited. The distribution of the questionnaire primarily relied on dissemination through social media, which constrained the range of respondents to individuals’ social circles. Therefore, after analyzing the demographic information of the respondents, it was found that the majority were young, female, those with college or undergraduate degrees, those with monthly incomes of 1001–2000 yuan, and students. The questionnaire’s results might exhibit certain biases and may not represent all consumer groups.

5.5. Further Research in the Future

Building upon the limitations of this study and the current research status of brand storytelling in regional agricultural product brands, the following research prospects are suggested. These prospects are aimed at further enhancing and refining the research field.

Firstly, there is a need for an in-depth study of the role of regional familiarity. Regional familiarity is inherently tied to discussions about regional aspects when considering regional agricultural product brands. The current understanding of regional familiarity’s influence encompasses theories such as the country-of-origin effect and heritage appeals. This study tested the moderating effect of regional familiarity between regional agricultural product brand stories and authenticity perception. However, its influence on consumers requires further investigation.

Secondly, further research is needed regarding other aspects of brand storytelling in regional agricultural product brands. Current research in this area mostly focuses on macro-level considerations, and it lacks micro-level analyses of the impacts on consumers’ attitudes and behaviors. In the future, research can expand in two directions: exploring the application of brand storytelling in regional agricultural product brands and delving deeper into the mechanisms through which these brand stories influence consumers’ attitudes and behaviors.