The impact of social media influencers on Kuwaiti women's brand attitude and consumption behaviour

Nowadays, internet connectivity has permeated every aspect of our lives. Increased global accessibility to the internet resulted in numerous day-to-day operations being conducted online, ranging from personal browsing and interpersonal communications to e-learning and e-business activities. Social media platforms have particularly gained worldwide prominence. Not only do they facilitate cross border interactions, but also with the rise of social media influencers, social media platforms have become a central hub for forming, maintaining, and developing consumer-brand relationships. Despite the myriad marketing strategies that rely on social media influencers to communicate with current and potential consumers, the impact of social media influencers on individuals in diverse cultural contexts remains under explored. It is vital for businesses to understand consumers' sentiments towards and relationship with social media influencers prior to investing in influencer marketing. This paper employs a qualitative methodology consisting of fifteen semi-structured interviews to explore the impact of social media influencers on Kuwaiti women's brand attitude and consumption behaviour. The findings reveal that social media influencers impact Kuwaiti women's brand perceptions, purchase intentions, and choices. Three key themes are identified, namely, brand authenticity vs. inauthenticity, brand association vs. disassociation, brand resonance vs. dissonance.