Fancying the New Rich and Famous? Explicating the Roles of Influencer Content, Credibility, and Parental Mediation in Adolescents’ Parasocial Relationship, Materialism, and Purchase Intentions

Abstract

While social media influencers are gleaning increasing trust and investment from brands, advertisers, and followers, insights on the role of influencers in adolescents’ relationship formation and consumption behaviors are still rare. Drawing on the literatures of influencer content value, influencer credibility, parental mediation, and parasocial relationship (PSR), this study proposed a conceptual model that expounds the appeal of influencers among adolescents. To test the model, we administered an online survey – recruited in proportion to demographic quotas (i.e., age, gender and ethnicity) – among 500 United States adolescents (aged 10- to 19-years old) via Qualtrics panel. Results revealed that, the entertainment value of influencer-generated content, influencer expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, and followers’ perceived similarity to their favorite influencers, are positively related to the perceived PSR between adolescent followers and their favorite influencers, which in turn, are associated with adolescents’ materialistic views and purchase intentions. We also explored the role of parental mediation of adolescents’ social media use in their PSR with influencers. Results indicate that, neither active mediation nor restrictive mediation is related to the PSR between adolescents and influencers. Active mediation is negatively associated with adolescents’ materialism, whereas restrictive mediation is positively related to adolescents’ purchase intentions toward influencer-promoted products. This study proposed and tested a comprehensive conceptual model that accounts for the role of influencers in adolescent followers’ materialism and purchase intentions. This study yields three major theoretical contributions. First, it adopts and applies the concept of PSR from the literature of media psychology to explicate influencers’ appeal among adolescents, which lays a theoretical foundation for future research on the impact of influencers. Second, it advances the current literature on social media influencers by specifying key contributing factors for the development of adolescents’ PSR with influencers. Lastly, it explores the roles of the two facets of parental mediation – active and restrictive mediation – in the appeal of influencers among adolescents, which offers directions for future research of parental mediation in the influencer context.

Analysis of the Role of Digital Influencers and Their Impact on the Functioning of the Contemporary On-Line Promotional System and Its Sustainable Development

“…A more extended definition of influencers understood in this way is presented in [45]: an "influencer is an opinion leader, popular in a wider or higher group of regular recipients, who, with his or her credible actions-currently conducted more and more often on the Internet-inspires trust, engages and convinces the addressees of his or her communication to make specific choices, such as those related to shopping, nutrition or worldview". In the context of their use of social media, they are referred to as social media influencers [25,67]. For influencers understood in this way, two other definitions are more relevant.…”

“…This generation requires a completely different marketing approach from the organization, since, among other things, it is ceasing to pay attention to many of the advertising forms used so far. Spending a lot of time in social media [1,25], they willingly follow the persons present in it who they trust [26]. Therefore, in the new market situation, when promoting products, services or brands has never been so difficult, organizations have begun to look for alternative methods of influencing consumers [27].…”

Online Food Shopping: A Conceptual Analysis for Research Propositions

“…According to Linder et al (2018) processing new distribution options often provides additional opportunities available to food marketers to provide the final consumer with convenience. However, when overhead costs such as marketing and processing are added they result in significantly higher costs (Lou and Kim, 2019).…”

One-sided Social Media Relationships and the Impact of Advertising on Children

“…6 Among children and teenagers, perceived attractiveness and similarity with the media influencer can positively impact PSR, and that PSR can positively influence purchase intentions. 7 Unfortunately, parental restriction of screen time may not affect this purchase intent. 7 The Federal Trade Commission Act "prohibits unfair or deceptive advertising in any medium.…”

“…7 Unfortunately, parental restriction of screen time may not affect this purchase intent. 7 The Federal Trade Commission Act "prohibits unfair or deceptive advertising in any medium. That is, advertising must tell the truth and not mislead consumers."…”