Abstract
In emerging Southeast Asian economies, the acceleration of social commerce and digital disruption has compelled small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop agile marketing capabilities to sustain competitive advantage. This study investigates the influence of digital marketing agility (DMA)—encompassing market sensing, rapid execution, and digital content flexibility—on customer-based brand equity among fashion SMEs in Thailand. Grounded in the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. First, quantitative data were collected from 318 founders and digital marketing executives of Thai fashion SMEs across major commercial hubs and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Subsequently, 18 in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted to contextualize the quantitative findings. The empirical results demonstrate that digital marketing agility exerts a significant, positive direct effect on brand equity dimensions, specifically brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. Furthermore, real-time customer engagement was identified as a critical mediating mechanism through which marketing agility enhances brand equity. Qualitative insights revealed that platform-specific responsiveness on visual social commerce channels (e.g., TikTok, Instagram, and LINE) and localized cultural adaptability serve as decisive operational routines for SME brand survival. The study offers actionable managerial frameworks for SME practitioners in emerging markets and extends marketing agility literature within the Asia-Pacific regional context.
