IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/cog/meanco/v10y2022i1p305-316.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Adolescents’ Understanding of the Model of Sponsored Content of Social Media Influencer Instagram Stories

Author

Listed:
  • Delia Cristina Balaban

    (Department of Communication, Public Relations, and Advertising, Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania)

  • Meda Mucundorfeanu

    (Department of Communication, Public Relations, and Advertising, Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania)

  • Larisa Ioana Mureșan

    (Department of Communication, Public Relations, and Advertising, Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania)

Abstract

Our study stresses the importance of developing understandable and easily recognizable ad disclosures for adolescents as a specific target group of social media influencer (SMI) advertising. A comprehensive advertising literacy concept that includes a cognitive, performative, and attitudinal component builds the theoretical background of the present research. We examine the effectiveness of ad disclosure in the native language of adolescent Instagram users, explore their understanding of the economic mechanism behind SMIs’ advertising activities, and their skepticism toward sponsored content. Furthermore, we analyze the role that sponsorship transparency on Instagram stories plays in adolescents’ responses to advertising. A three-level between-subjects survey-based experimental design (manipulating the absence of ad disclosure versus ad disclosure in the participants’ native language versus standardized paid partnership ad disclosure in English) was conducted online with female adolescent participants (N = 241) in a European country. Findings showed that adolescents who understand the economic model behind SMI advertising have positive intentions toward the SMI and intend to spread online information about the promoted brand. However, even if ad disclosure made in the adolescents’ native language improved ad recognition, such knowledge did not result in more sophisticated defense mechanisms in the form of critical evaluations of the ads.

Suggested Citation

  • Delia Cristina Balaban & Meda Mucundorfeanu & Larisa Ioana Mureșan, 2022. "Adolescents’ Understanding of the Model of Sponsored Content of Social Media Influencer Instagram Stories," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(1), pages 305-316.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:meanco:v:10:y:2022:i:1:p:305-316
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/4652
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boush, David M & Friestad, Marian & Rose, Gregory M, 1994. "Adolescent Skepticism toward TV Advertising and Knowledge of Advertiser Tactics," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 21(1), pages 165-175, June.
    2. Campbell, Colin & Farrell, Justine Rapp, 2020. "More than meets the eye: The functional components underlying influencer marketing," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 469-479.
    3. Friestad, Marian & Wright, Peter, 1994. "The Persuasion Knowledge Model: How People Cope with Persuasion Attempts," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 21(1), pages 1-31, June.
    4. Bartosz W. Wojdynski & Nathaniel J. Evans & Mariea Grubbs Hoy, 2018. "Measuring Sponsorship Transparency in the Age of Native Advertising," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 115-137, March.
    5. Campbell, Colin & Evans, Nathaniel J., 2018. "The Role of a Companion Banner and Sponsorship Transparency in Recognizing and Evaluating Article-style Native Advertising," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 17-32.
    6. John, Deborah Roedder, 1999. "Consumer Socialization of Children: A Retrospective Look at Twenty-Five Years of Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 26(3), pages 183-213, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Claudia Riesmeyer & Arne Freya Zillich & Thorsten Naab, 2022. "Editorial: Digital Child- and Adulthood—Risks, Opportunities, and Challenges," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(1), pages 301-304.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jong Yoon Lee & Jae Hee Park & Jong Woo Jun, 2019. "Brand Webtoon as Sustainable Advertising in Korean Consumers: A Focus on Hierarchical Relationships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-10, March.
    2. Yann Verhellen & Caroline Oates & Patrick Pelsmacker & Nathalie Dens, 2014. "Children’s Responses to Traditional Versus Hybrid Advertising Formats: The Moderating Role of Persuasion Knowledge," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 235-255, June.
    3. van Reijmersdal, Eva A. & Rozendaal, Esther & Hudders, Liselot & Vanwesenbeeck, Ini & Cauberghe, Veroline & van Berlo, Zeph M.C., 2020. "Effects of Disclosing Influencer Marketing in Videos: An Eye Tracking Study Among Children in Early Adolescence," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 94-106.
    4. De Jans, Steffi & Hudders, Liselot, 2020. "Disclosure of Vlog Advertising Targeted to Children," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-19.
    5. Kim, Do Yuon & Kim, Hye-Young, 2021. "Influencer advertising on social media: The multiple inference model on influencer-product congruence and sponsorship disclosure," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 405-415.
    6. Li Chen & Yajie Yan & Andrew N. Smith, 2023. "What drives digital engagement with sponsored videos? An investigation of video influencers’ authenticity management strategies," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 198-221, January.
    7. Dongmei Li & Ung T’chiang Chow & Cecilia Yin Mei Cheong, 2022. "A Critical Genre Analysis of Covert Advertising Through Short-Videos in Douyin: The Chinese Version of Tik-Tok," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, November.
    8. Skarmeas, Dionysis & Leonidou, Constantinos N., 2013. "When consumers doubt, Watch out! The role of CSR skepticism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 1831-1838.
    9. Simona Romani & Silvia Grappi & Richard P. Bagozzi, 2016. "Corporate Socially Responsible Initiatives and Their Effects on Consumption of Green Products," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 253-264, May.
    10. Zofia Saternus & Patrick Weber & Oliver Hinz, 2022. "The effects of advertisement disclosure on heavy and light Instagram users," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(3), pages 1351-1372, September.
    11. Martin Waiguny & Michelle Nelson & Ralf Terlutter, 2014. "The Relationship of Persuasion Knowledge, Identification of Commercial Intent and Persuasion Outcomes in Advergames—the Role of Media Context and Presence," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 257-277, June.
    12. van Reijmersdal, Eva A. & Rozendaal, Esther & Buijzen, Moniek, 2012. "Effects of Prominence, Involvement, and Persuasion Knowledge on Children's Cognitive and Affective Responses to Advergames," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 33-42.
    13. Freya De Keyzer & Nathalie Dens & Patrick De Pelsmacker, 2023. "The processing of native advertising compared to banner advertising: an eye-tracking experiment," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1921-1940, September.
    14. Golovacheva, E., 2016. "When consumers activate persuasion knowledge: Review of antecedents and consequences," Working Papers 6440, Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University.
    15. Becker-Olsen, Karen L. & Cudmore, B. Andrew & Hill, Ronald Paul, 2006. "The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 46-53, January.
    16. Capella, Michael L. & Webster, Cynthia & Kinard, Brian R., 2011. "A review of the effect of cigarette advertising," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 269-279.
    17. Thakor, Mrugank V. & Goneau-Lessard, Karine, 2009. "Development of a scale to measure skepticism of social advertising among adolescents," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(12), pages 1342-1349, December.
    18. Lisa Koonce & Zheng Leitter & Brian White, 2023. "The effect of a warning on investors’ reactions to disclosure readability," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 769-791, June.
    19. Nora Moran, 2020. "Illusion of safety: How consumers underestimate manipulation and deception in online (vs. offline) shopping contexts," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 890-911, September.
    20. Hutzinger, Clemens & Weitzl, Wolfgang J., 2021. "Co-creation of online service recoveries and its effects on complaint bystanders," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 525-538.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cog:meanco:v:10:y:2022:i:1:p:305-316. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: António Vieira (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.