Who is Accountable for the Negative Effects of Influencer Marketing? Voices of the Influencer Ecosystem

Abstract

Research regarding influencer marketing (IM) highlights the influencer’s benefits for brands in terms of visibility, engagement and sales. Studies in the field of psychology and health indicate certain negative forms of behavior demonstrated by influencers that affect their audiences, especially children. However, the influencer advertising sector is complex and requires a deeper understanding of the environment and contexts in which influencers work and their consequent interactions. This paper aims to delve deeper into the IM business by highlighting all the players involved and assessing their influence capacity. The study presents an exploratory analysis of the players involved in the IM industry, based on a qualitative methodology featuring 42 in-depth interviews and five focus groups. The results enable us to progress in terms of both IM research and practice, offering a series of deeper insights regarding its potential negative effects, not only with regard to audiences, but also with regard to the entire influencer environment.