‘To trust or not to trust’: The impact of social media influencers on the reputation of corporate brands in crisis

Jaywant Singh, Benedetta Crisafulli, La Toya Quamina and Melanie Tao Xue

Journal of Business Research, 2020, vol. 119, issue C, 464-480

Abstract: Corporates often partner with social media influencers to bolster brand image after crises. Although existing evidence suggests that influencers have largely positive effects on brands, there is paucity of research on the role of influencers in corporate crisis communications. Across two studies, we examine the impact of influencers on consumers’ perception of corporate brands responding to crises. Drawing on persuasion knowledge theory, we identify issues associated with brands engaging influencers, such as inference of manipulative intent, which negatively affects perceived trustworthiness and corporate reputation. The downside of employing influencers in crisis communications is, however, offset by the influencer and brand communicating values-driven motives of their partnership. Our findings imply that corporate brands should respond to crises through a bolstering strategy promoting existing corporate goodwill, without the influencer’s involvement. When leveraging influencers’ support, however, brands should endeavor to inoculate against manipulative inferences by communicating values-driven motives behind the brand-influencer partnership.

Keywords: Corporate reputation; Corporate brand crisis; Influencer marketing; Persuasion knowledge; Crisis communications; Experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:119:y:2020:i:c:p:464-480

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.03.039

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