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Making and breaking relationships on social media: the impacts of brand and influencer betrayals

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  • Reinikainen, Hanna
  • Tan, Teck Ming
  • Luoma-aho, Vilma
  • Salo, Jari

Abstract

This study considers how the relationships between social media influencers, brands and individuals are intertwined on social media and analyses the spill-over effects of feelings of betrayal. An experimental design with two transgression scenarios (influencer vs. brand) was created, and 250 individuals were recruited to participate in the study. The results show that a perceived betrayal by a brand can negatively affect the perceived coolness of the social media influencer that has endorsed the brand, as well as the parasocial relationships that followers have with the influencer. Accordingly, a perceived betrayal by a social media influencer can negatively affect attitudes, trust and purchase intentions toward a brand that the influencer has endorsed. The current research helps in understanding brand and influencer transgressions and highlights the fact that both influencers and brands should have a sense of collaboration responsibility. It also introduces the concept of influencer coolness, understood here as a desirable success factor for social media influencers, which partly explains their desirability and influence, and a feature that can be endangered through both influencer and brand betrayals.

Suggested Citation

  • Reinikainen, Hanna & Tan, Teck Ming & Luoma-aho, Vilma & Salo, Jari, 2021. "Making and breaking relationships on social media: the impacts of brand and influencer betrayals," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:171:y:2021:i:c:s0040162521004224
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120990
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Koorank Beheshti, Mohammadali & Gopinath, Mahesh & Ashouri, Sama & Zal, Saeed, 2023. "Does polarizing personality matter in influencer marketing? Evidence from Instagram," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Ooi, Keng-Boon & Lee, Voon-Hsien & Hew, Jun-Jie & Leong, Lai-Ying & Tan, Garry Wei-Han & Lim, Ai-Fen, 2023. "Social media influencers: An effective marketing approach?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    4. Tan, Teck Ming & Makkonen, Hannu & Kaur, Puneet & Salo, Jari, 2022. "How do ethical consumers utilize sharing economy platforms as part of their sustainable resale behavior? The role of consumers’ green consumption values," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Myers, Susan & Syrdal, Holly A. & Mahto, Raj V. & Sen, Sandipan S., 2023. "Social religion: A cross-platform examination of the impact of religious influencer message cues on engagement – The Christian context," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).

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