The Influence of Social Media Platform Advertising on Consumer Choices: The Case Study of Electric Vehicle Innovations in Malaysia and China

Abstract

The present study focused on Electric Vehicles (EVs) and their role in sustainable forms of transportation, along with the importance of the Asian markets, specifically Malaysia and China are viable regions for electric vehicles. The theoretical framework of this study explained relevant theories, including the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, that highlight how these concepts will be used in analyzing the impact of social media advertising on EV perceptions and consumer behaviour. The methodology was focused on conducting qualitative research in the form of extensive content analysis. The findings suggest that social media platforms such as Facebook and WeChat aid in the construction of a mindset for reflecting an optimistic viewpoint about electric vehicles as an alternative to oil-based traditional cars. This approach focuses on social media posts, comments, likes, and shares collected from social media platforms popular in Malaysia and China, such as Facebook and WeChat. Therefore, this study contributed to the content analysis of the retrieved data on consumer perceptions and interactions with electric vehicle (EV) content and presented them in the context of Malaysia and China.