Exploring the moderating role of demographics in consumer responses to advertising: evidence from family business brands in Kosovo

This study investigates how demographic factors moderate consumer responses to advertising within Kosovo's family-owned businesses. Using advertising expenditure data across multiple media channels and survey responses from 417 participants, we analyse the effects on brand awareness, perceived quality, brand image, and purchase intention. The demographic variables examined include age, gender, education level, marital status, employment status, and geographical location. The findings reveal that younger, urban, and highly educated consumers exhibit higher levels of brand awareness, while older, rural, and less-educated groups respond more strongly in terms of perceived quality and purchase intention. These results offer valuable implications not only for family businesses brands in Kosovo but also for firms in other emerging economies with comparable demographic dynamics. The study also emphasises the importance of adapting advertising strategies to global trends such as digitalisation, youth urban migration, and globalisation, which increasingly influence media consumption habits and consumer expectations across generations.