How not who: Message strategies adopted by celebrities v/s social media influencers

ABSTRACT

The popularity of social media platforms changed influencer marketing. Social media influencers also became opinion leaders. Brands can choose between traditional celebrities and social media influencers for their marketing campaigns. The present research compares the brand-related video content (n = 638) on YouTube of celebrities and social media influencers in the fashion and food industry. Taylor’s message strategy, narrative transportation, and persuasion are used as content analysis frameworks. The analysis shows a difference in the message strategies adopted by celebrities and social media influencers according to the intent. The study presents implications for practitioners for creating effective branding campaigns.

KEYWORDS:

• social media influencers
• SMIs
• celebrities
• influencer marketing
• message strategy
• narrative transportation
• persuasion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daneshwar Sharma

Daneshwar Sharma is Dean, Student Affairs and Professor of Business Communication at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur. He has 16 years of teaching experience in India and Fiji. He has taught and trained engineering and management professionals and students in varied aspects of Business Communication and Professional Development. He has trained the teacher-trainees and in-service teachers in the art of teaching English literature and language during his 03 years association with Fiji National University, Fiji. He is associate editor of Business and Professional Communication Quarterly. His research interests are Human Communication, Leadership, Language Teaching, Literature in life, Sacred Texts, and Gender Studies.