Purpose

This study aims to focus on the dynamics in influencer-consumer relationships to understand how Generation Z consumers’ identification and social comparison with influencers shape their response to influencers’ branded posts. Specifically, this study investigates how perceived similarity and wishful identification lead to distinct social comparison mechanisms that affect Generation Z consumers’ self-improvement motives, which, in turn, drive their message engagement, brand attitudes and purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted with 295 college students who are digital natives and whose purchase decisions are heavily influenced by social media influencers.

Findings

The study findings confirmed that perceived similarity positively influenced assimilative comparison emotions of optimism, admiration and aspiration while negatively influenced contrastive comparison emotions of envy, depression and resentment. Wishful identification positively affected both assimilative and contrastive comparison emotions. Both types of social comparison emotions further affected consumers’ motivations to follow the influencer for self-improvement, thereby enhancing their brand attitude, purchase intention and engagement behaviors.

Originality/value

This study is one of the earliest attempts to investigate the relationship dynamics between influencers and consumers from the lens of social comparison. The study examines the antecedents of perceived similarity and wishful identification, the mediators of upward comparison emotions and self-improvement motives and the brand evaluation outcomes of message engagement, brand attitude and purchase intention.

中文翻译：

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Z 世代消费者与社交媒体影响者的对比和同化向上比较的前因和结果

目的

本研究旨在关注影响者与消费者关系的动态，以了解 Z 世代消费者的认同以及与影响者的社会比较如何影响他们对影响者品牌帖子的反应。具体来说，本研究调查了感知相似性和一厢情愿的认同如何导致不同的社会比较机制，影响 Z 世代消费者的自我完善动机，进而推动他们的信息参与度、品牌态度和购买意图。

设计/方法论/途径

一项在线调查针对 295 名数字原住民大学生进行，他们的购买决策很大程度上受到社交媒体影响者的影响。

发现

研究结果证实，感知到的相似性对乐观、钦佩和渴望等同化比较情绪产生积极影响，而对嫉妒、抑郁和怨恨等对比比较情绪产生消极影响。一厢情愿的认同对同化和对比比较情绪都有积极影响。两种类型的社会比较情绪进一步影响消费者追随影响者自我提升的动机，从而增强他们的品牌态度、购买意愿和参与行为。

原创性/价值

这项研究是从社会比较的角度调查影响者和消费者之间关系动态的最早尝试之一。该研究考察了感知相似性和一厢情愿的认同的前因、向上比较情绪和自我完善动机的中介因素以及信息参与度、品牌态度和购买意愿的品牌评估结果。