Published Online:August 2025
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Marketing Management
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJMM010825
DOI:10.71329/IUPJMM/2025.24.3.5-37
Author Name:Mansi Phogat and Tarannum Mohan
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Management
Download Format:PDF
Pages:5-37
With the advent of new digital marketing techniques like influencer marketing, the advertising industry has been transformed in the sense that it now provides firms with new prospects to engage with customers through credible influencers. This study explores how certain issues, such as inauthentic behavior, misinformation, unethical actions, brand control, hate speech, and interruptions to users' goals, affect both the trust people place in influencers and their decision to tune them out. The study gathered insights from 276 social media users through surveys, using targeted sampling to get a wide range of opinions. The data was analyzed using PLS-SEM, a statistical method, to uncover patterns. When influencers are seen as inauthentic, dishonest, or behaving immorally, it seriously damages their credibility and pushes followers away, leading to influencer avoidance. Interestingly, other concerns—like brand interference, hate speech, or goal impediments—do not seem to have much of an affect. For influencers and brands, the message is clear: staying authentic and ethical is not just a good option, it is essential for keeping your audience engaged and maintaining their trust.
Lately, influencer marketing has grown into a powerful force in brand promotion and digital marketing. This shift has been driven by the explosive growth of social media, evolving consumer behaviors, and an increasing demand for authenticity in marketing campaigns (De Veirman et al., 2017; Kumar et al., 2016). Influencers, particularly those with large online followings, have a unique ability to forge personal connections with their audiences. This makes them valuable partners for brands aiming to build genuine relationship with consumers (Abidin, 2018; Lee et al., 2015). In fact, Kantar (2020) found that 44% of Gen Z makes purchasing decisions based on influencer recommendations. Recognizing the significant impact these influencers have on consumer habits, brands are increasingly focusing on authentic influencer endorsements to strengthen their connection with audiences.