Impact of Instagram Influencer Marketing on Consumer Purchasing Intention: The Mediating Effect of Brand Consciousness with Special Reference to the Fashion Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of Instagram influencer marketing on consumer purchasing intentions in the fashion industry. Additionally, it examines the relationship between brand consciousness and purchasing intentions through the research questions posed in the study. The research employs the Source Credibility Model and Source Attractiveness Model. The independent variables include influencer trustworthiness, expertise, similarity, familiarity, and likability, with purchase intention as the dependent variable. Brand consciousness serves as the mediating variable. A quantitative method was utilized, and hypotheses were tested using data collected from 355 Instagram users in Sri Lanka, who are above 15 years old and follow fashion social media influencers (SMIs). Data were gathered through an online survey and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicate a strong positive relationship between all dimensions of Instagram influencer marketing and consumer purchasing intentions, with the mediating effect of brand consciousness. In the Sri Lankan context, the impact of Instagram influencer marketing on consumer purchasing intentions has yet to be fully comprehended.