An empirical assessment of the drivers of digital brand engagement in Kampala, Uganda

The rapid spread of digital technology in Sub-Saharan Africa has significantly changed the dynamics of consumer-brand interactions in this region. Although marketing spend on digital advertising is increasing in Uganda, consumers continue to display poor and inconsistent levels of engagement with brands through digital media. The existing studies tend to rely on knowledge developed within Western markets and fail to address the need for empirically grounded knowledge about factors that influence digital brand engagement in Eastern African cities. The study uses a cross-sectional quantitative survey design and collects the data using a structured self-administered questionnaire completed by 60 respondents who use digital platforms in Kampala, divided into five areas. All dependent and independent variables were measured using five-point Likert scales. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of reliability analysis (Cronbach's Alpha), normality analysis, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression in IBM SPSS Statistics. Multiple linear regression model showed that 67% of variance in digital brand engagement (R² = .67, Adjusted R² = .65, F = 27.40, p < .001) could be explained using the identified variables. Among those, Brand Strategic Capabilities turned out to be the best predictor of digital brand engagement (β = .41, p < .001), followed by Cultural Mediators (β = .29, p = .001) and Structural Enablers (β = .18, p = .031). AI-Mediated Engagement proved to be an ineffective predictor (β = .12, p = .102) in this particular context. All constructs demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = 0.78 – 0.91). Based on the obtained results, the authors conclude that human-focused brand experiences tailored according to local cultural norms play the main role in shaping brand engagement in Kampala, while technological and AI factors are secondary.