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Travel bragging, driven by impression management, is common on social media. However, straightforward bragging can create negative perceptions. To mitigate this, tourists often turn to humblebragging, but its effectiveness is unclear. This study aims to examine whether humblebragging elicits more positive responses from viewers than straightforward bragging.

Drawing on social comparison theory and compensation theory, this paper developed a moderated mediation model to explore the impact of bragging type (bragging vs humblebragging) on viewer behavior. The model was validated through two scenario-based experiments.

The results reveal the double-sword effect of humblebragging: Humblebragging elicits stronger benign and malicious envy than bragging. Benign envy mediates the relationship between bragging type and consumption intention, while malicious envy mediates between bragging type and avoidance/gossip. Perceived deservingness moderates the effect of bragging type on envy and the mediation processes. When viewers perceive the poster’s advantage as deserving, humblebragging elicits more benign envy than bragging. When perceived as undeserving, humblebragging leads to more malicious envy.

This study is innovative in validating the double-edged sword effect of humblebragging and identifying perceived deservingness as a boundary condition.

The strategic application of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is pivotal in shaping tourist decisions. This study aims to examine the nuanced impacts of endorsement styles and the innovative role of emojis on the persuasiveness of eWOM, highlighting essential insights for digital marketing effectiveness.

Using a robust experimental design, this research engaged 376 participants through scenario-based experiments on popular platforms Ctrip and Xiaohongshu. This study leveraged the professional online data platform, Credamo, to ensure a diverse and representative sample.

The analysis demonstrates that implicit endorsements, such as “I like this restaurant,” consistently outperform explicit endorsements like “I recommend this restaurant” regarding persuasiveness. This effect is attributed to the enhanced perceived authenticity and reduced persuasion knowledge activation by implicit endorsements. Remarkably, incorporating emojis within explicit endorsements mitigates their inherent drawbacks, enhancing their persuasive impact. In contrast, emojis do not significantly influence the effectiveness of implicit endorsements.

The findings provide significant insights, demonstrating that endorsement styles and emojis play a crucial role in identifying persuasive eWOM and fostering the creation of compelling eWOM for tourism and hospitality marketers. These elements can help marketers effectively track and enhance the impact of eWOM in their digital strategies.

This research maps the effects of endorsement styles and highlights the strategic role of emojis in eWOM, offering practical insights for maximizing persuasion and enhancing digital marketing strategies in tourism and hospitality.