SUSTAINABLE INFLUENCERS FOR CSR CAMPAIGNS: THE EFFECTS OF INFLUENCER-CAUSE FIT AND THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ALTRUISTIC MOTIVE AND PARASOCIAL INTERACTION

• Published in: American Academy of Advertising. Conference. Proceedings (Online) p. 9
• Main Author: Kim, Hyosun
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lubbock American Academy of Advertising 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Advertising campaigns; Altruism; Influencer marketing; Social activism; Social responsibility
• ISSN: 0883-2404

A between-subject online experiment (N = 178) was conducted to examine how activist influencers can partner with brands to promote CSR initiatives. A sequential mediation model revealed that influencer-cause fit predicts eWOM intent to promote a brand's CSR initiative through perceived altruistic motive and subsequent parasocial interaction. That is, activist influencers' area of expertise and the identity they create on Instagram should be closely related to the cause the brand supports to evoke an altruistic motive; however, the perceived altruistic motive does not mediate the relationship between influencer-cause fit and eWOM intention alone and PSI should be taken into account to successfully promote CSR initiatives when partnering with influencers.