The role of micro-influencers for luxury fashion brands

• Main Author: Pedro, Isabel Lourenço Martins
• Publication Date: 2023
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/29043
• topic: Micro-influencers; Influencer marketing; Luxury fashion brands; Customer engagement; Purchase intention; Brand equity; Micro-influenciadores; Marketing de influenciadores; Indústria de produtos de luxo; Intenção de compra; Valor da marca -- Brand value

Recently, marketers have been turning to social media influencers as cost-effective and wide- reaching alternatives to traditional marketing, propelling the growth of influencer marketing. Nevertheless, brands are now shifting away from macro-influencers to micro-influencers, with less followers but higher engagement rates and perceived as credible and original. Luxury fashion brands, despite initial scepticism, are improving their digital presence by investing in influencers with common values. Notwithstanding some articles addressing influencers and fashion brands in general, given the topic’s novelty, there are still plenty unanswered questions and a significant gap can be identified when it comes to connecting luxury fashion brands and micro-influencers in particular. Thus, this dissertation’s purpose is to understand if partnerships with micro-influencers can be profitable for luxury fashion brands. More specifically, comprehending whether micro-influencers’ characteristics, such as credibility, content quality and originality, have an impact on customer engagement, as well as assessing if this customer engagement subsequently influences luxury fashion brands’ purchase intention and brand equity. The data collection and analysis have been performed through quantitative methodology, supported by an online questionnaire constructed based on previous research articles regarding the topic previously mentioned. Findings show that micro-influencers’ credibility and originality positively impact customer engagement, which in turn has a positive influence on luxury fashion brands’ purchase intention and brand equity. From this study’s results, luxury fashion managers and marketers can recognize the importance of investing in partnerships with micro-influencers, given their significant influence on brands’ purchase intention, brand equity and overall success.