When parasocial relationships turn sour: social media influencers, eroded and exploitative intimacies, and anti-fan communities

ABSTRACT

Whilst social media influencers (SMIs) excel at establishing positive parasocial relationships with their followers, they can also provoke intense negative responses, as evidenced by the prevalence of SMI-focused anti-fan communities. Prior research does not explain how consumers’ parasocial relationships with SMIs become negatively charged, nor does it explain why this shift may fuel anti-fan community participation. Drawing from a netnographic study of two SMI anti-fan communities, we reveal that eroded reciprocal and disclosive intimacies, as well as exploitative commercial intimacies, can lead consumers’ positive parasocial relationships with SMIs to become negatively charged. We demonstrate that anti-fan communities provide opportunities for consumers reluctant to sever ties with the SMI to sustain their negative parasocial relationship by rebuilding eroded intimacies whilst avoiding and/or retaliating against their exploitation.

KEYWORDS:

• Social media influencers
• influencer marketing
• parasocial relationships
• intimacy
• anti-fandom
• anti-fan communities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rebecca Mardon

Rebecca Mardon is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University. Rebecca’s research explores the impact of digital media on consumer culture, with a particular focus on shifting experiences of ownership and possession and emerging forms of commercialisation within online consumer collectives. Her research has been published in a range of journals including the Journal of Consumer Research, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Marketing Theory, and the Journal of Marketing Management.

Hayley Cocker

Hayley Cocker is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Lancaster University Management School, UK. Her research focuses on the social and cultural aspects of consumption, with a particular interest in influencer culture and consumer collectives. Hayley's research has been published in journals including European Journal of Marketing, Marketing Theory, and Journal of Marketing Management.

Kate Daunt

Kate L. Daunt (PhD) is a Professor of Marketing at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University and is a Co-Director of the Security, Crime and Intelligence Innovation Institute, Cardiff University. Kate’s research interests include influencer marketing, audience reception of disinformation and dysfunctional customer behaviour dynamics. Kate’s research has been published in multiple outlets including European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Retailing and Journal of Business Research.