Digital Influencers Promoting Healthy Food: The Role of Source Credibility and Consumer Attitudes and Involvement on Purchase Intention

Edar Añaña () and Belem Barbosa
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Edar Añaña: Department of Business Administration, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96.015-560, RS, Brazil
Belem Barbosa: School of Economics and Management, University of Porto, 4200-464 Porto, Portugal

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-18

Abstract: This article investigates the influence of digital influencers on healthy food purchase intention within the context of Instagram. The research model is guided by the theory of source credibility and the elaboration likelihood model. A quantitative approach was employed, and data were collected through an online survey from Instagram users in Portugal (n = 221). A set of ten hypotheses was tested using structural equation modeling (SPSS-AMOS). The findings corroborated that purchase intention of healthy foods is positively influenced by digital influencer perceived credibility, involvement with healthy foods, and attitude toward advertising on Instagram. The findings also confirmed that involvement with healthy foods and with Instagram affect advertising avoidance behavior, and that these three constructs affect attitude toward advertising on Instagram. However, the expected relationship between attitude toward advertising and digital influencer credibility was not confirmed. The study contributes to the literature on influencer marketing, specifically in the context of healthy food, and it provides valuable insights for social media marketers and brand managers interested in adopting influencer marketing to leverage their communication effectiveness.

Keywords: influencer marketing; Instagram; source credibility; ads avoidance; consumer attitude; consumer involvement; healthy food (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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