A Call for Authenticity: Audience Responses to Social Media Influencer Endorsements in Strategic Communication

Utilizing social media celebrities as a communication channel has become
a strategic practice for many organizations. By using the concepts of celebrity
endorsement and authenticity, the effect of celebrity and content characteristics
on followers’ attitudes towards the content and, in the case of sponsored
content, purchase intentions are scrutinized. Instagram followers (N = 592) of
45 celebrities responded to a survey on nine photos of the celebrities. The
results show that both the perceived authenticity and attractiveness of the
celebrity are positively related with photo attitudes, but only authenticity has
an effect on purchase intentions. Photos of social media influencers, people
who have become famous through social media, increase purchase intentions
more than photos of general celebrities. Congruence between the photo and
the celebrity has the strongest positive effect on photo attitudes and purchase
intentions. Sponsored photos are less favorably perceived than non-sponsored
photos, but, among sponsored photos, sponsor disclosure has no effect on
purchase intentions. The perceived authenticity of both the celebrity and her
content is said to explain favorable audience perceptions. The findings imply
that organizations should seek authentic matches between their message and
the endorsing celebrity and that the content should align with the usual style
of the celebrity.