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Constructing Personas: How High-Net-Worth Social Media Influencers Reconcile Ethicality and Living a Luxury Lifestyle

Author

Listed:
  • Marina Leban

    (ESCP Business School)

  • Thyra Uth Thomsen

    (Copenhagen Business School)

  • Sylvia Wallpach

    (Copenhagen Business School)

  • Benjamin G. Voyer

    (ESCP Business School)

Abstract

Drawing from a multi-sourced data corpus (in-depth interviews and Instagram posts) gathered from high-net-worth (HNW) social media influencers, this article explores how these individuals reconcile ethicality and living a luxury lifestyle through the enactment of three types of personas on Instagram: (1) Ambassador of ‘True’ Luxury, (2) Altruist, and (3) ‘Good’ Role Model. By applying the concepts of taste regimes and social moral licensing, we find that HNW social media influencers conspicuously enact and display ethicality, thereby retaining legitimacy in the field of luxury consumption. As these individuals are highly influential, they could leave a potentially significant mark on public discourse and, consequently, on their audiences’ construction of ethically responsible luxury consumption. In this vein, this article offers significant managerial insights into professional influencers and discusses ethical managerial practices to ensure ethical collaborations between influencers and managers.

Suggested Citation

  • Marina Leban & Thyra Uth Thomsen & Sylvia Wallpach & Benjamin G. Voyer, 2021. "Constructing Personas: How High-Net-Worth Social Media Influencers Reconcile Ethicality and Living a Luxury Lifestyle," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(2), pages 225-239, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:169:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s10551-020-04485-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-020-04485-6
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    2. Joëlle Vanhamme & Adam Lindgreen & Gülen Sarial-Abi, 2023. "Luxury Ethical Consumers: Who Are They?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 805-838, March.
    3. G. Pino & M. Nieto Garcia & A. Peluso & G. Viglia & R. Filieri, 2023. "Understanding how virtuous lenders encourage support for peer-to-peer platforms’ prosocial initiatives," Post-Print hal-04248928, HAL.

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