The Effect of Innovative Product Brand Design on Digital Marketing Efficiency: A Mixed Study of Chinese Food Manufacturing Industry

This study investigates the relationship between innovative product brand design and digital marketing efficiency in the Chinese food manufacturing industry, with AI-driven digital innovation as a moderating variable. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), we analyzed data from 287 Chinese food manufacturing enterprises. Results reveal that innovative product brand design positively influences digital marketing efficiency (β = 0.643, p < 0.001), with this relationship strengthened by AI-driven digital innovation (β = 0.389, p < 0.01). The ANN analysis confirmed the nonlinear relationships between variables, while fsQCA identified multiple pathways to high digital marketing efficiency. This research contributes to innovation management theory and provides practical insights for food manufacturers seeking to enhance digital marketing performance through design innovation and AI technologies.