This master thesis empirically assesses the impact of the fit between digital fitness influencers and promoted brands on attitudes and purchase intentions of Instagram users. The study identifies attitudes toward source – both source credibility and source trustworthiness, attitudes towards ads and attitudes towards brands as important constructs to measure the advertising impact on attitudes.
Based on a review of the existing literature regarding digital influencers and the concept 'fit', an experiment with two conditions was conducted via independent online surveys. They were carried out to members of online fitness forums and communities and fitness groups on social network sites. Data collected from 109 respondents in survey A and 110 in survey B was analyzed and tested using unpaired 2-sided tests.
The empirical study reveals the relevance of influencer-/brand fit. The results confirm that the impact on all tested constructs is significantly more positive for the test group exposed to the survey including a post of a digital fitness influencer with a high perceived influencer-/brand.
The findings require further confirmation in other settings and industry sectors before they can be generalized, but offer helpful new insights to better allocate efforts and resources to effectively manage the collaboration with digital influencers. A high influencer-/brand fit serves as a key driver for advertising effectiveness of influencer marketing.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Relevance, research questions and objectives
1.2 Course of investigation
2. Conceptual framework: influencer marketing
2.1 Origins, goals and classification in the scientific context
2.2 Types of digital influencers
2.3 Social media platforms
2.3.1 Blogs and micro blogs
2.3.2 Online forums and communities
2.3.3 Social networking sites
2.3.4 Media sharing platforms
2.3.4.1 General information
2.3.4.2 Instagram
2.4 Success factors and limitations of influencer marketing
2.4.1 Overview of success factors and limitations
2.4.2 Influencer-/brand fit
3. Digital fitness influencers in Germany
3.1 German fitness industry
3.2 German fitness influencers on Instagram
4. Purchase decision process and advertising impact of influencer marketing in the German fitness industry
4.1 Influencing factors on purchase behavior
4.1.1 S-O-R-model overview
4.1.2 Promotional posts on Instagram as stimuli
4.1.3 Reference groups
4.1.4 Attitudes
4.2 Purchase decision process
4.2.1 Phases of purchase decision processes
4.2.2 Purchase intention
4.3 Advertising impact
4.3.1 Model overview
4.3.2 Measuring advertising impact: attitudes and purchase intention
5. Empirical analysis
5.1 Objectives and research methodology
5.2 Operationalization of constructs
5.3 Results
5.4 Discussion
6. Recommendations and further steps
7. Summary and outlook
Objectives and Topics
This master thesis aims to empirically investigate the impact of the perceived fit between digital fitness influencers and the brands they promote on the attitudes and purchase intentions of Instagram users. By applying an experimental design, the study explores how influencer-brand congruency affects key constructs such as source credibility, source trustworthiness, attitude toward the advertisement, and attitude toward the brand, ultimately influencing purchase intentions within the German fitness market.
- Influencer marketing and the strategic relevance of "fit"
- The role of Instagram in the German fitness industry
- Mechanisms of consumer behavior (S-O-R-model) in an online context
- Empirical assessment of influencer-brand congruence on advertising effectiveness
Excerpt from the Book
4.1.3 Reference groups
According to Foscht, Swoboda and Schramm-Klein (2015, p.145) reference groups are: “[…] Gruppen, nach denen das Individuum sich in seinem Verhalten ausrichtet. Sie können Mitgliedschafts- und Fremdgruppen umfassen und üben Einfluss auf Konsumenten aus, der zu konformen Verhaltensweisen führt (Anpassungsdruck).“. Opinion leaders belong to reference groups of individuals and their influence on purchase decisions is said to be high (cf. Homburg and Krohmer, 2011, p.30; cf. Foscht, Swoboda and Schramm-Klein, 2015, pp.148–151). Influence of reference groups is generally categorized in three types: normative, comparative and value expressing (cf. Kroeber-Riel and Gröppel-Klein, 2013, p.565; cf. Solomon, Bamossy and Askegaard, 2003, p.317). Normative influence means that they set norms and individuals can measure their actions with respect to these (cf. Kroeber-Riel and Gröppel-Klein, 2013, p.565f.). Consumers are supposed to show tendencies during purchase decision processes to select brands that are valued by relevant reference groups – in this case digital fitness influencers (cf. Ahrens and Dressler, 2011, p.45). Comparative influence means that reference groups set standards with respect to attitudes, perception and opinions that serve as an orientation for consumers. As such, actions and posts of digital fitness influencers function as directions for cognitive processes of individuals. Value expressing influence means that individuals try to purchase brands which will - in their perception - boost their image. For instance, consumers purchase a certain brand to be like a digital fitness influencer (cf. Solomon, Bamossy and Askegaard, 2003, p.317). The stronger the identification of individuals with reference groups, the stronger the influence on purchase decisions (cf. Pepels, 2004, p.126).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the context of the marketing landscape transition to web 2.0 and social media, establishing the research question regarding the impact of influencer-brand fit on consumer behavior.
2. Conceptual framework: influencer marketing: It provides a theoretical overview of influencer marketing, defining types of influencers, the role of social media platforms, and identifying success factors like influencer-brand fit.
3. Digital fitness influencers in Germany: This section presents the German fitness sector and describes the significant role of Instagram as the primary platform for fitness influencers to reach young, health-conscious audiences.
4. Purchase decision process and advertising impact of influencer marketing in the German fitness industry: It outlines the theoretical models of purchase behavior, specifically using the S-O-R-framework to explain how promotional posts act as stimuli to influence target consumers.
5. Empirical analysis: This chapter details the experimental study, including research objectives, variable operationalization, and the quantitative analysis of data collected from users in online fitness communities.
6. Recommendations and further steps: It offers managerial and theoretical implications, suggesting that influencer-brand fit is a critical driver for advertising effectiveness that requires long-term commitment.
7. Summary and outlook: This final chapter synthesizes the main findings, confirms the hypotheses regarding the impact of fit on attitudes and purchase intentions, and suggests future research directions, such as virtual reality integration.
Keywords
influencer marketing, digital influencers, fitness, Instagram, influencer-brand fit, attitudes, electronic word-of-mouth, purchase intention, advertising impact, social media, consumer behavior, S-O-R-model, source credibility, source trustworthiness, brand influence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work investigates whether the perceived fit between digital fitness influencers and the brands they promote on Instagram has a measurable impact on the attitudes and purchase intentions of their followers.
Which thematic fields are central to the study?
The central thematic fields include influencer marketing, digital communication, consumer psychology in the fitness industry, and the mechanics of purchase decision-making on social media.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The primary objective is to fill a research gap regarding the impact of "influencer-brand fit" within the German fitness sector, moving beyond general assumptions toward empirical evidence.
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The author conducted an experimental study using two independent online surveys (high-fit vs. low-fit conditions) with 219 participants, analyzing the data via unpaired two-sided t-tests using SPSS.
What is the main topic of the work's core (the main sections)?
The main part synthesizes existing literature into a conceptual influencer marketing framework, details current practices in the German fitness market, develops a research model based on the S-O-R-approach, and performs an empirical validation.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include influencer marketing, digital influencers, Instagram, influencer-brand fit, source credibility, source trustworthiness, attitude toward the ad, purchase intention, and advertising impact.
How does a "high fit" between an influencer and a brand affect perceived source credibility?
The empirical results verify that a high perceived influencer-brand fit lead to significantly more positive ratings for source credibility and trustworthiness compared to a low fit.
Does the level of fit impact actual purchase intentions?
Yes, the study confirmed that participants exposed to content with a high influencer-brand fit exhibited significantly higher purchase intentions than those exposed to content with a low fit.
What were the main constraints of the study?
Limitations include the focus on only one example per fit-level to prevent bias, the specialization on the German fitness industry, and the challenge of collecting data specifically from existing followers of the influencers.
- Citar trabajo
- Ben Schiefer (Autor), 2018, Fitness Influencers. Impact on Purchase Intentions and Attitudes of Instagram Users, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1338004
