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#sponsored – Influencer Marketing on Instagram : An Analysis of the Effects of Sponsorship Disclosure, Product Placement, Type of Influencer and their Interplay on Consumer Responses

Ewers, N.L. (2017) #sponsored – Influencer Marketing on Instagram : An Analysis of the Effects of Sponsorship Disclosure, Product Placement, Type of Influencer and their Interplay on Consumer Responses.

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Abstract:Influencer marketing on Instagram is a relatively new marketing strategy with which marketers try to reach out to their target group through so called influencers. Often these influencers do not disclose that they are being sponsored, which is why critics see influencer marketing as covert advertising. In order to find out how influencer marketing is perceived by consumers, an online experiment was conducted, employing a 2 (type of influencer: celebrity vs. micro-celebrity) x 2 (sponsorship disclosure: “#sponsored” vs. no disclosure) x 2 (product placement: product placement vs. no placement) between groups design. 240 German females, all registered for an Instagram account, took part in this study, which measured message credibility, brand attitude and purchase intention as consumer responses. A main effect, mediated by source credibility, of type of influencer on purchase intention could be found. No main effects for sponsorship disclosure and product placement were found. However, the interaction of type of influencer and sponsorship disclosure affected message credibility, whereas the interaction of all three independent variables affected brand attitude. Persuasion knowledge was high across all conditions and was not activated by sponsorship disclosure. Based on the findings, theoretical and practical implications are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72442
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