Influencer marketing as a modern phenomenon creating a new frontier of virtual opportunities

Abstract

Social media influencers are winning over the Internet with their outstanding work and presence. Their opinions have a powerful impact on people, especially on young generation. We can mark them as a modern phenomenon that has seen a huge increase in cooperation with marketing agencies over recent years. More and more people are following such influencers so that they do not miss out on their content. Brands flock to such influencers for mentions, reviews and recommendations. Even though influencer marketing is a relatively new strategy, it continues to be a viable solution for marketers who are willing to think outside the box while building relationships with their target market. The aim of the study is to offer a comprehensive reflection on influencer marketing opportunities and determine the impact of influencers on consumer behaviour of Generations Y and Z. We wanted to find out whether influencers, who promote products, can attract potential customers and encourage them for purchase, as well as find differences between the given consumer generations. In order to meet the objectives of the study, own research was conducted (459 respondents from the Slovak Republic belonging to Generations Y and Z were involved in the inquiry). The research findings confirm that there are significant differences between the above-mentioned consumer generations in the area of impact of influencers on consumer behaviour, which leads to different marketing opportunities. For statistical processing of the results, we used the Kruskal-Wallis Test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, Fisher's Exact Test and Dunn's Test of Contrasts. © 2018, University of SS. Cyril and Methodius, Faculty of Mass Media Communication.

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90 Research Studies Communication Today
Zdenka KÁDEKOVÁ – Mária HOLIENČINOVÁ
ABSTR ACT:
Socia l media influencers are winning over the Internet with their outstanding work and presence. Their
opinions have a powerful impact on people, especia lly on young generation. We ca n mark them as a modern
phenomenon that has seen a hu ge increa se in cooperation with marketing agencies over recent years. More
and more people are following such influencers so that they do not miss out on their content. Brands flock to
such influencers for mentions, reviews and recommendations. Even though in fluencer marketing is a relatively
new strateg y, it continues to be a viable solution for marketers who are wil ling to t hink outside the box whi le
building relationships with their t arget ma rket. The aim of the study is to offer a comprehensive reflection
on influencer marketing opportunities and determine the impact of influencers on consumer behaviour
of Generat ions Y and Z. We wanted to find out whether influencers, who promote products, can attract
potentia l customers and encou rage them for purchase, as well as find differences between the given consumer
generat ions. In order to meet t he objectives of the study, own resea rch was conducted (459 respondents from
the Slovak Republic belonging to Generations Y and Z were i nvolved in the inqu iry). The research findi ngs
confir m t hat there are significant dif ferences between the above-ment ioned consumer generations in the
area of impact of influencers on consumer behaviour, which leads to different marketing opportunit ies. For
statistica l processing of the results, we used the Kruskal-Wallis Test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, Fisher’s
Exact Test and Dunn’s Test of Contrasts.
KEY WORDS:
brand, consumer behaviou r, influencer ma rketing, marketi ng communication, WOM marketing
Introduction
Influencer marketing involves marketing products and ser vices to those who have a sway over the
things other people buy. This market influence ty pically stems from an individual’s exper tise, popularit y or
reputat ion. Ma rketing to an audience of influencers is similar to word-of-mouth marketing, but it does not rely
strictly on explicit recommendat ions.1 Socia l media have been crucial in revitalising this instrument, creating
1 Influence r Marketing. [on line]. [2018-09-24]. Ava ilable at : <http://w ww.marke ting-s chools.org/ty pes-of -marketi ng/influ -
encer-marketing.html/>.
INFLUENCER MARKETING
AS A MODERN PHENOMENON
CREATING A NEW FRONTIER
OF VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Ing. Zdenka Kádeková, PhD.
Faculty of Economics a nd Management
Slovak Universit y of Agriculture
Trieda A. Hlink u 2
949 76 Nitra
Slovak Republic
zdenka_kadekova@yahoo.com
Zdenk a Kádeková is a n Assistant Professor at the Depar tment of Marketing and Trade, Facu lty of Economics
and Management, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. Her lectur ing activities are focused on marketing,
marketing communication, ma nagerial communication, commercial business, social network s and consumer
behaviour and consumer persona lity. She is also a lecturer of MBA study at the FEM SUA in Nitra. Her scholarly
works are aimed at the ma rketing communication field, especial ly at the relations between PR and CSR in food
indust ry. She publishes in foreign and domestic conference proceedings, scientific journals a nd monographs.
Ing. Mária Holienči nová, PhD.
Faculty of Economics a nd Management
Slovak Universit y of Agriculture
Trieda A. Hlink u 2
949 76 Nitra
Slovak Republic
maria.holiencinova(@gmail.com
Mária Holienčinová is an Assistant P rofessor at the Depa rtment of Market ing and Trade at the Facult y
of Economics and Management, Slovak Universit y of Ag riculture in Nitra. She gives lectures related to
marketing, ma rketing commun ication, managerial communication, consumer behav iour and consumer
persona lity, sustainability in food industry and CSR. She has been cooperating with the Slovak Ag ricultural
and Food Chamber, eva luating and participating in severa l projects. Her scientific and research activities, as
well as the works she has published in foreign and domestic con ference proceedings, scholarly journals and
monographs, reflect on the above-mentioned issues and topics she is interested in.
Communication Today, 2018, Vol. 9, No. 2

92 Research Studies Communication Today
greater and better opportunities for its use. Wh ile in the past, branding has been focused exclusively on well-
known persona lities, it has later moved to well-know n bloggers and today it is a bout everyday consumers w ho
have a huge impact.2 More and more bra nds and companies are focusing on their ma rketing act ivities to find
new opportunities for presenting t hemselves. They are look ing for someone to ‘tell’ their story.3 Influencer
marketing is one of the fastest growing tools in terms of getting new customers online. Proper use of influencer
marketing is a cost-effective way of promoting goods, people or ideas, bringing creative content to the company
and offer ing the abilit y to reach target groups in a natura l way.4
“Influencer” is an indiv idual with a signi ficant following on socia l media who is paid by brands to
promote their products to said fol lowers, via free products and trips and/or cash payment per promotional
post.5 T he purpose is to persuade followers to purchase such products.6 Popular social media of choice for
influencing a re Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube. A n influencer has t he power to af fect purcha se
decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position or relationship with their audience. It is
import ant to note t hat these individuals are not simple marketing tools, but rather social relationship assets
with which bra nds can collaborate to achieve their marketing objectives.7
Influencers are a late modern phenomenon; there has been a huge increase in their collaboration
with marketing agencies over the past year.8 T he majority of influencers fit into the followi ng categories:
celebrities, industry experts and thought leaders, bloggers or content c reators and m icro-influencers. Today,
the bulk of socia l influencer marketing occurs on social media, predominantly with micro-influencers and
blogging. Industry experts and thought leaders (such as journalists) can a lso be considered in fluencers and
hold an important position for brands. Then there are celebrities. They were the orig inal influencers, and they
still have a role to play, although their importance a s influencers ha s been wa ning. Bloggers a nd influencers
active on social media (predominantly micro-bloggers) have the most authentic and active relationships with
their fa ns. Brands are now recogn ising and encouraging this.9
New t ypes of agencies have been est ablished, prov iding ser vices to look for the right influencers and
influencing tools that help them get to know their followers better and to create more interesting contents.
This is a new way of reach ing the target group, especia lly the you nger generation. Content A gency d ivides
influencers into four groups, as follows:
1. Blogger – the owner of a blog (website) aimed to share their thoughts and passions. A blogger creates
authentic and unique content – photos, texts and comments – and displays them in chronological or
alphabetical order by posting on the blogs. Such posts are often shared via social media.
2. YouTuber (vlogger) – interacts with audiences through their videos on YouTube, expressing own feelings
and experiences and dealing with the most diverse topics one can imagine.
3. Celebrity – most often an actor, singer, presenter, athlete, but also a person who gets watched due to
some extraordinary action or show. In other words, it is a person who has become widely known thanks to
media. On Facebook, Instagram or YouTube, these celebrities have a number of followers to share their
everyday professional accomplishments and private ‘secrets’ with.
4. Instagrammer – a person who, thanks to high-qualit y photo content, has been able to attract the
audience to Instagram while gaining a large number of followers. This person is not a t ypical celebrity.
2 SCOTT, D. M.: The Ne w Rules of Marketi ng and PR. New Jers ey : John Wiley & S ons, 2015, p. 123.
3 ODELL , P.: Influen cer Marketin g Benefits, Chal lenges, Fac ts: Infographic. Rel eased on 7th July 2016. [online]. [2018-07-20].
Avail able at: <htt p://ww w.chiefma rketer.com/in fluencer-ma rketing -benefits -chal lenges-fa cts-in fograph ic/>.
4 PEN G, S. et a l.: Influe nce Ana lysis in Social Network s: A Sur vey. In Jour nal of Netw ork and Com puter Appl ications, 2018,
Vol. 106, No. 1, p. 19.
5 LA NDSVE RK, K. H.: The In stagram Handb ook: 2014 Ed ition. London : P rime Head, 2 014, p. 105.
6 KU BELA KOVÁ, A., ŠUG ROVÁ, M.: Hab it or C hoice? The Decision -Maki ng Pr ocess of Young G eneration in P urchasin g
Dair y Produ cts in t he Slovak Republic. I n Internatio nal Day of S cience 2017 – Econ omics, Mana gement, Inno vation. Olomou c : Moravi an
Univer sity Colleg e, 2017, p. 114.
7 OLENS KI, S.: The Impac t of Live Streamin g on Influencer Ma rketing. Relea sed on 25th Septembe r 2017. [online]. [2018- 09-
22]. Avai lable at: <htt ps://bit .ly/2HY8cv2 >.
8 VI KTOR, K .: 10 najsledov anejších slo venských p rofilov na In stagrame: A ko využívajú vplyvní Sl ováci svoj e sociálne siete?.
Releas ed on 23rd A pril 2017. [online]. [2 018- 07-23]. Availa ble at: <ht tps://ref resher.sk/42817-10- najsledova nejsich-slov enskych-p rofi-
lov-na-Instagrame-Ako-vyuzivaju-vply vni-Slovaci-svoje-socialne-siete>.
9 What Is an Infl uencer?. [on line] . [2018- 09-2 4]. Av ail able a t: <h ttp s://influe ncer mar keti nghu b.com /what -is- an -infl uenc er/>.
Instagrammers’ followers (thanks to the still unaffected algorithm of Instagram) can share new and
new posts that followers respond to with masses of hearts, emojis and comments. In Slovakia, very little
has been said and known about them, and the brands rather approach the above-mentioned groups of
influencers for cooperation.10 In addition to the given facts, YouTube has emerged as a new type of digital
journalism environment, offering users an opportunity to participate in the content for free. YouTube is
the place for creating many online celebrities (so-called YouTubers) whose videos have been watched by a
huge number of people (for example Jenna Marbles, Ray William Johnson and others).11
Studies on the topic show that people act ually conduct surveys and sea rch for products, which clearly
points out that the importa nce of compa nies is based on the fact that their ideas or stories will be disseminated
online, so that they are available at a time when potential buyers surf the Internet and ask for answers.12 The
definition and aiming at the target g roup is the first step that accompanies the process of creating a marketing
strategy. Every communication activity should begin by defining a target customer or audience. A strateg y will
be chosen to address potential customers and what they are going to ta lk about. The more we find out about the
target group, the better we understa nd how they live, what they think, what they enjoy, what discou rages them,
and then it leads to t he creation of an effective ad vertising campaign.13
Over t he last decade, we have seen social media grow rapidly in import ance. According to the August
2017 Global Digital Statshot from We Are Social and Hootsuite, 3.028 billion people actively use socia l media
– that is 40% of the world’s population. These people inevit ably look up to influencers on socia l media to guide
them with thei r decision-mak ing.14
A type group of consumers represents a certain set of common consumer traits sha red by these people;
we need to know about their pa rticular interest in an organ ization or a product or about their problems t hat
can be solved by the product or serv ice offered by the company. Online marketing would not fulfil its pur pose
without the correct identi fication of one or more types of consumer groups. Thus, achieving success is
conditioned by working with t hese groups efficiently. Creating or rather identifyi ng such groups is the most
import ant step to take when compiling a marketing pla n.15
Today’s young people can be divided into two groups: Generation Y, which comprises people born in
1981-1991, and G eneration Z including people born in 1992-2001. We can call these t wo generat ions by a
common na me – the Millenn ials. Research shows that 25% of Slovak citizens a re Millenn ials. This group has
already been formed and it is assu med that in the coming years, it will a lso possess a very strong purchasing
power. Marketers are very well aware of this fact and therefore are making big efforts to understand who t he
people of these generat ions really are.16
The M illennia ls openly claim that t raditional media (such a s TV, newspapers, magazines) are not the
key ones for them anymore. They prefer social networks instead; social media are becoming their area of
interest and tracking on a daily basis. They prefer visua l content such as videos, photos or music and tend to
ignore long written texts. They travel a lot, dress well a nd care for their health and hea lthy lifest yle. And this
is to encourage the emergence of a new group of ‘heroes’– influencers. No influencer has to be a celebrity.
Influencer is anyone who has added value to their social network, whether it is Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat,
Pinterest, YouTube or others, by reaching a large number of subscribers, friends or fa ns, bri nging some of
this added value to their followers and also expressing the ability to influence their behaviour.17 These are
people who have built up t he reputation based on their knowledge and exper tise in a specific field. They
10 Conte nt Agency. [onli ne]. [2018 -09-24]. Ava ilable at: <ht tps://content agency.sk />.
11 RU SŇÁKOVÁ, L .: YouTube, YouTuber. P RAVDOVÁ, H ., RA DOŠINSK Á, J., V IŠŇOVSKÝ, J . (eds.): Slovník vybraných
pojmov z me diálnych štúdi í. Kľúčové termíny v súčasnej m ediálnej kom unikácii. Trn ava : FMK UC M, 2016, p. 230.
12 GODIN, S.: All Marke ters Are Liars. New York : Portfol io, 2005, p. 104.
13 TRI AD A DVERTISI NG BLOG: Čo je cieľová skupina?. Released on 30th Octob er 2011. [online]. [2018- 08-24]. Ava ilable
at: <htt ps://bl og.triad.sk /marketin govy-s lovnik /co -je-cielo va-skupi na/>.
14 What Is a n Influencer?. [on line]. [2018-09 -24]. Availab le at: <https: //influe ncermar ketinghu b.com/what-i s-an- influence r/>.
15 REV ELLA , A.: Buyer Persona s. New Jersey : Joh n Wiley & Sons, 2015, p. 154.
16 TULG AN, B.: Not Ever yone Gets A Trophy: How to Mana ge the Millenni als. New Jersey : Jo hn Wiley & Sons , 2016, p. 198.
17 STRÍŽ, E.: Influenceri : Inter netové c elebrity a ich vply v na marketin g značiek. Released on 7th September 2016. [onl ine].
[2018-07-21]. Availabl e at: <http://www.un itedli fe.sk/infl uenceri-i nternetove -celebrit y-a-ich -vplyv -na-ma rketing- znaciek />.

94 Research Studies Communication Today
publish regula r contributions on different topics on their preferred social network s, creating a relationship
with people (fans, followers, subscribers) who pay close attention to them. Brands, whether bigger or sma ller,
love influencers, because they can be closer to their customers; they can create new fa shion trends. T he main
reason why people watch influencers is the presumed authent icit y of such communication activities.
And here comes the quest ion of celebrities in the position of influencers. Celebrities may have many
fans and g igantic social media followings. However, it is debatable exactly how much real i nfluence they hold
over those who follow them.18
Research Methodology
The aim of the st udy is to offer a comprehensive empirica l reflection on influencer marketing
opportunities a nd determine the impact of influencers on consumer behav iour of Generations Y and Z. We
wanted to find out whether influencers, who promote products, can attract potent ial customers and encou rage
them to buy specific goods, a nd also identif y differences bet ween these two customer generations.
In order to ach ieve the stated objective, primary and secondary sources of information were collected
and used. We present the findings related to researches conducted by various agencies to descr ibe the current
marketing realit y in the subchapter titled Research Outlines. Secondary data was obtained from available
scholarly sources, i.e. from studies and a rticles published by domestic and foreign authors a nd professional
organ isations. In order to process indiv idual underly ing data and for mulate conclusions of the st udy, methods
of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and the comparative method were applied. Our own marketing
research was conducted in t he period from September 2017 to May 2018.
The questionnai re wa s evaluated by contingency ta bles prepared in MS E xcel; graphic represent ations
of the obtained data were created subsequently. As we were interested in a deeper analysis of the results, t he
following assu mptions were tested:
• Assumption 1: There are certain preferences for a specific social network, and these preferences vary by age
groups.
• Assumption 2: There are differences in the reasons for following influencers between different age groups.
• Assumption 3: There is a dependency between the ability to influence the purchasing behaviour and the
consumers’ different age.
The questionnaire was processed in Google Forms and the respondents were asked to participate in the
research on social networks and via e-mails. Some questionnaires were filled in printed form during personal meetings.
Finally, 459 respondents from the Slovak Republic were involved, of which 48.6% represented Generation Y (people
born in years 1981-1991) and 51.4 % G e ne r a t io n Z (p e op l e b or n i n ye a r s 1 99 2 -2 0 01) , a s c a n b e s e e n i n Table 1.
Table 1: Sociodem ographic chara cteristic s of responden ts
Category Abso lute frequen cy Relat ive frequenc y
Gender
Female 249 54.2%
Male 210 45.8%
Age g roup
Gener ation Y 223 48.6%
Gener ation Z 236 51.4%
Residence
City 210 45.8%
Countryside 249 54.2%
18 What Is a n Influencer?. [on line]. [2018-09-2 4]. Availabl e at :<https://influence rmarket inghub.com /what-is -an-in fluencer/>.
Economic a ctivit y
of respond ents
Employed 199 43.4%
Unemployed 15 3.3%
Student 225 49.0%
Mater nity leav e 20 4.4%
Education
Prim ary educ ation 82 17.9 %
Second ary educa tion witho ut A level 14 3.1%
Second ary educa tion 132 28.8%
Bachelor’s deg ree 74 16.1%
Mast er’s degree 151 32.9%
PhD. 6 1.3%
Source: o wn processing
Research Outlines
Influencer ma rketing is becoming more and more popu lar every year, a nd many businesses see
customer interest increasing along with sales growth that companies have ach ieved by using influencers in
their campaigns. Influencers have built their credibility and authority over a large group of fans. Tellin g a
brand ’s ‘story’ through influencers ca n help manage and connect with t he target audience.
Research confirms that 92% of consumers say that they trust word-of-mouth recommendations of
their acqua intances, relatives, f riends or influencers more than any ot her type of advertising; 70% of teenage
YouTube subscribers trust influencer opinions more than trad itional celebrities and 40% of Millennials say
that thei r favourite YouTube personalit y “understa nds them better than their friends”. 81% of marketers
who have already used influencer marketing judged it to be effective.19 Tomoson surveys have found out
that influencer marketing has a strong ROI (on average, businesses generate $6.50 for every $1 invested in
influencer marketing).20
This af firms that influencer market ing is the fastest growi ng channel in online marketing and the
fastest grow ing tool for acquiring customers.21 Influencer Orchestration Net work compiled a cross-section of
the most compelling stat s together in one place, a s follows:
• 51% of marketers say that video content produces the best ROI;
• 86% of women turn to social networks before making a purchase;
• 32% of US influencers who currently work with brands cite Facebook as the best platform, followed by
Instagram at 24%;
• 71% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on a social media reference;
• 86% of the most viewed beauty videos on YouTube were made by influencers, compared to 14% made by
beauty brands themselves. Beauty videos’ views have been increasing by 65% year over year;
• 57% of beaut y and fashion companies use influencers as part of their marketing strategies, while an
additional 21% are also planning to add this strategy to their campaigns in 2018.22
19 HAR AN, R.: H ow to Grow Your Bu siness with Infl uencer Marketing . [onli ne]. [2018-0 9-10]. Avai lable a t: <ht tps://w ww.
singlegrain.com/content-marketing-strateg y-2/what-is-influencer-marketing-chris/>.
20 Tomos on. [on line]. [2018-07-15]. Availa ble at: <http s://ww w.tomoson.com/tou r>.
21 ĎURAČKOVÁ, L.: Význam infl uenc ero v v on line mark eti ngu. Released on 2 8th Septem ber 2016. [online]. [2018-07-28]. Ava i-
lable at: <htt ps://blog.mindsha re.sk /2016/09/28/dig ital/uputajte-svojich-zakaznikov-vyzna m-influencerov-online-marketingu />.
22 Influence r Orchestra tion Network. [online]. [2018-07-19]. Avail able at: <htt ps://w ww.ion.co/essentia l-stat s-for-i nfluencer-
-marketing-in-2017>.

96 Research Studies Communication Today
Consumers expect brands to establish conversations, make contacts. This trend allows influencers
to possess more power than ever before. Through a partnership with the right influencers, brands are a ble
to create a conversat ion with the desired audience segments. Linking bra nds with a suitable influencer
represents t he perfect link and is the most important prerequisite for success in Slovakia, too. If a brand is
working with a n influential person who is consistent in what they are promoting, success is gua ranteed. T he
power of marketing influence lies in the fact that 3% of people can generate 90% of the effect.23 When looking
for brand influencers, it is impor tant to look at the nu mber of their followers on social net works. However, the
number of followers does not defi ne the impact. An important aspect is a lso the expertise and credibilit y that
we call “affi nity marketing”.
The relationship between influencers and their followers is a necessary va riable. Marketing using
influencers is the fastest growing communications plat form that can change the stereot ypes in advertising (see
Figu re 1). This is based on the results that a re in favour of influencers and say that the target g roup is better
penetrated in and its access to adver tising is more positive. This leads to a n increase of the advertising cost of
large brands, a s the effect is positive.
Influence
Audience
Reach
Affinity to
the B
rand
Relationship
P
ower with
F
ollowers
Figure 1: Math ematical exp ression of the infl uencer-foll ower relation
Source: ĎURAČKOVÁ, L.: Význam influencero v v onli ne marketingu . Released on 28th Septem ber 2016. [onli ne]. [2018-07-28]. Available at:
<https://blog.mindshare.sk/2016/09/28/digital/uputajte-svojich-zakaznikov-vyznam-influencerov-online-marketingu/>.
There are also Slovak influencers who have become famous and successful thanks to the I nternet.
The use of influencers in Slova kia is st ill much cheaper t han abroad. T hey are more a ffordable a nd
inexpensive, and they are also an opportunity for medium-sized businesses to enrich their marketing by
means of communication that are well-known across the world, but may still appear to be innovative in
Slova kia. However, it is importa nt to make su re that the promot ion is not violent and the promoted products
and services are of good quality.
Influencer Marketing: Brands Create Virtual
Influencers
Nowadays, every thing is really possible. W hile influencers have helped form brands i n the past, the
brands are creating their own influencers at present. Shudu Gra m is a digital supermodel and L il Miquela is a
vir tual in fluencer (see Figure 2). Bot h promote selected brands, are successful and appeal to millions of fans
on Instagram. However, they do not really ex ist. Is that all right?24
23 HOLOTA , T. et al.: Teória obm edzení – m oderný ná stroj ria denia kv ality. I n Kvalita, te chnológie, d iagnostik a v technick ých
systémoch, 2014, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 47.
24 HAPÁ K, P.: Influen cer marketin g: Značky tvoria virtu álnych influenc erov. Release d on 2nd Ju ly 2018. [onl ine]. [2018 -07-19].
Avail able at: <htt ps://marke teris.sk /cla nok/infl uencer-ma rketing -znacky -tvoria -virt ualnych -influenc erov>.
Figure 2: Shudu G ram is a digital mo del who ro cks Fent y Beauty lipstick . Miquela S ousa is a compute r-generate d influence r who supp orts
Black Liv es Matter and adv ertises for P rada
Source: S hudu.gram. [onl ine]. [2018-0 9-24]. Ava ilable at: <ht tps://www.i nstagram.c om/p/Be0ldl7F-Pu /?hl=en&taken- by=shudu.gra m>.
Lilmiqu ela. [online]. [2018-09-24]. Available a t: <https://www.instag ram.com/p/BhK8RQZlt Qr/?hl=en&taken-by =lilmiquela>.
The problem of v irtua l brand ambassadors brings along new questions, either related to the principles
of intellect ual propert y, authent icity and credibi lity or to the moral principles. A lot of interest ing information
about this phenomenon of dig ital marketing has been introduced in an a rticle published in ADWEEK.
Although swapping the Kardash ians for virtua l influencers might sound like a dream that have come true,
the realit y is that vir tual influencers and their creators bring their own set of PR and lega l cha llenges. In
the course of months, they have collectively amassed more than a million followers on Instagram. Shudu is
being posit ioned more as a piece of ar t, like a mannequin, but Miquela is put forward as an ordi nary girl. ‘She’
(through her creators) posts pict ures of herself wit h purported friends on Instagram, claims to support Black
Lives Matter a nd participates in media inter views.
Virtual or rather artificial influencers operate online, much like the real ones. Brands want to tea m
up with them to tap into their fan ba se. Even if they are not originally designed to be brand ambassadors,
with enough popularity, they will a lmost surely attract companies seeking endorsement deals. Shudu recently
promoted Ri hanna’s Fenty Beauty lipstick in an Instagram post that went viral, a nd Miquela pushes Prada and
Chanel, among other brands.25
There arises a question: If virtual in fluencers are so lifelike and intrig uing that they are able to go vira l,
do we real ly need to hire human in fluencers to market our products?
Whether this trend will continue or whether virtu al influencers will prove boring in the long run is just
one issue of many to address here. Af ter all, it is the u nattainable a ssets mixed with the fatal flaws associated
with real human beings that sustain the public’s interest. Celebrity has a cycle. Consumers may lift them
up, then tear them down and later celebrate their comeback. It is t he imperfection that ulti mately creates
connection. However, setting aside longev ity issues, there are also ma ny business-related and lega l issues that
need to be considered before we can declare that v irtua l influencers will put t he humans out of business.26
25 NOL AN, H.: Brands A re Creati ng Virtual Influencers, Which C ould Make the Karda shians a Thing of the Past : But Bra nds
Could Face Leg al Troubles Alo ng the Way. Re leased on 11th M ay 2018. [onlin e]. [2018 -07-19]. Availabl e at: <ht tps://w ww.adwee k.com/
brand-marketing/brands-are-creating-virtual-influencers-which-could-make-the-kardashians-a-thing-of-the-past/>.
26 NOL AN, H.: Brands A re Creati ng Virtual Influencers, Which C ould Make the Karda shians a Thing of the Past : But Bra nds
Could Face Leg al Troubles Alo ng the Way. Re leased on 11th M ay 2018. [onlin e]. [2018 -07-19]. Availabl e at: <ht tps://w ww.adwee k.com/
brand-marketing/brands-are-creating-virtual-influencers-which-could-make-the-kardashians-a-thing-of-the-past/>.

98 Research Studies Communication Today
Results of the Authors’ Own Research
Our marketing research wa s conducted in order to determine the impact of influencers on consumer
behaviour of Generations Y and Z. We wa nted to find out whether influencers, who promote products, can
attract potentia l customers and encourage them to buy products, also aiming to identify potential dif ferences
between these t wo consumer generations.
In the introductory part of t he questionnaire, the respondents were asked whether they knew the ter m
“influencer” or whet her they had ever hea rd of this concept. We found that almost half of the respondents
(48%) knew what this term meant, and 22% of the respondents said that they had alread y known about the
concept of “influencer”, but they did not know exactly what or who they were. A pproximately one thi rd of the
respondents (30%) claimed t hey had never heard of t his concept (see Figure 3).
In order to allow the respondents to cont inue filli ng in the questionna ire, it was necessar y to explain
the concept of influencer in the next step and offer examples of well-know n influencers active on Slovak media
market that our respondents could have met or heard about on socia l media. We released photos of t hree well-
known influencers, including the most fa mous Slovak YouTuber and vlogger Gogo, the oldest YouTuber (as he
calls himself ) Matej ‘Sajfa’ Cifra and the popular blogger Sweet Lady Lollipop.
Figure 3: Knowledge of the “influencer” concept
Source: own processing
Since vloggers and bloggers are currently able to reach out to their target audience in a natural
way and through creative content affecting many different groups of people, we wanted
to find out more about the ways our respondents follow influencers on social networks
(Figure 4). Based on the obtained data, we can see that up to 66% of the respondents regularly
follow their influencers. The respondents (more precisely, 21% of them) say they sometimes
encounter them or their contents on social networks, but do not follow their contributions
regularly. Only 13% of the respondents do not track or look for any influencers on social
networks.
Figure 4: Following influencers on social networks
Source: own processing
In the following question, the respondents had the option of choosing one social network they
followed most often (Figure 5), thus the most popular social networking platform. The most
attractive social networks to monitor influencers are Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. It is
quite complicated to unambiguously determine their rank in popularity. If we evaluate social
networks from the point of view of individual consumer generations, it is possible to identify
a clear preference and see differences between generations.
According to the results of our survey, for Generation Z, the most attractive social network
to monitor influencers is Instagram, which was chosen by 115 respondents (49%). The reason
may be that influencers or celebrities have the ability to establish a business account that has
13%
66%
21%
No
Yes, I follow some of them
Sometimes I find them or their contents on social media, but I do not follow them
48%
29%
22%
Yes
No
I have heard about it, but I do not know what it means
Figure 3: K nowledge of th e “influ encer” concept
Source: o wn processing
Since vloggers and bloggers are cur rently able to reach out to their target audience in a natural way and
through creat ive content affecting many different groups of people, we wanted to find out more about the ways
our respondents follow influencers on socia l networks (Fig ure 4). Based on the obta ined data, we can see that
up to 66% of the respondents regu larly follow their influencers. The respondents (more precisely, 21% of them)
say they sometimes encounter t hem or their contents on social net works, but do not follow their contributions
regu larly. Only 13% of the respondents do not track or look for any influencers on social net works.
Figure 3: Knowledge of the “influencer” concept
Source: own processing
Since vloggers and bloggers are currently able to reach out to their target audience in a natural
way and through creative content affecting many different groups of people, we wanted
to find out more about the ways our respondents follow influencers on social networks
(Figure 4). Based on the obtained data, we can see that up to 66% of the respondents regularly
follow their influencers. The respondents (more precisely, 21% of them) say they sometimes
encounter them or their contents on social networks, but do not follow their contributions
regularly. Only 13% of the respondents do not track or look for any influencers on social
networks.
Figure 4: Following influencers on social networks
Source: own processing
In the following question, the respondents had the option of choosing one social network they
followed most often (Figure 5), thus the most popular social networking platform. The most
attractive social networks to monitor influencers are Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. It is
quite complicated to unambiguously determine their rank in popularity. If we evaluate social
networks from the point of view of individual consumer generations, it is possible to identify
a clear preference and see differences between generations.
According to the results of our survey, for Generation Z, the most attractive social network
to monitor influencers is Instagram, which was chosen by 115 respondents (49%). The reason
may be that influencers or celebrities have the ability to establish a business account that has
13%
66%
21%
No
Yes, I follow some of them
Sometimes I find them or their contents on social media, but I do not follow them
48%
29%
22%
Yes No I have heard about it, but I do not know what it means
Figure 4: F ollowing infl uencers on soci al networks
Source: o wn processing
In the following quest ion, the respondents had the option of choosing one social network they followed
most often (Figure 5), thus t he most popular social network ing platform. The most attractive social net works
to monitor in fluencers are Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. It is quite complicated to una mbiguously
determine their ran k in popula rity. If we evaluate social networks from the point of view of individual consumer
generat ions, it is possible to identif y a clear preference and see dif ferences between generations.
Accordi ng to the results of our survey, for Generation Z, the most attr active social network to monitor
influencers is Instagram, which wa s chosen by 115 respondents (49%). The reason may be t hat influencers or
celebrities have the ability to establish a business account that has ma ny benefits on this network , providing
different statistics, the abilit y to promote products and a better feedback from fans. These profiles, to be of such
a natu re, have to be public, so that their tracking is accessible to anyone. The second most popular platform is
YouTube preferred by 54 respondents (24% of the research sample). The reason is that YouTubers and vloggers
who work there are nowadays the most powerfu l influencers, especially amongst young people. The third place
belongs to Snapchat w ith a 17% sha re. Facebook was reported only by 20 respondents (8%).
For Generation Y, however, Facebook is the most popular socia l net work (in case of 68% of the research
participants belonging to this consumer generat ion). YouTube is the second most popula r social network
(14%) and Instagram (10%) is ran ked third. For both generations, Blog and Pinterest were chosen by very few
of the respondents. This may be due to the fact that most bloggers or other in fluencers work on all plat forms
where they have the opportu nity to present their posts, and then fewer people v isit their blogs.
many benefits on this network, providing different statistics, the ability to promote products
and a better feedback from fans. These profiles, to be of such a nature, have to be public, so
that their tracking is accessible to anyone. The second most popular platform is YouTube
preferred by 54 respondents (24% of the research sample). The reason is that YouTubers
and vloggers who work there are nowadays the most powerful influencers, especially amongst
young people. The third place belongs to Snapchat with a 17% share. Facebook was reported
only by 20 respondents (8%).
For Generation Y, however, Facebook is the most popular social network (in case of 68%
of the research participants belonging to this consumer generation). YouTube is the second
most popular social network (14%) and Instagram (10%) is ranked third. For both
generations, Blog and Pinterest were chosen by very few of the respondents. This may be due
to the fact that most bloggers or other influencers work on all platforms where they have
the opportunity to present their posts, and then fewer people visit their blogs.
Figure 5: The most popular social networks
Source: own processing
In relation to the data obtained via this question and answers provided by the respondents,
Assumption 1, where we assume that there are preferences for a specific social network
and these preferences vary by age generation, was statistically tested.
H0: Preferences for a specific social network by age generation do not exist.
H1: There are preferences for a specific social network by age generation.
For evaluation, we used the non-parametric Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test. This test is used
in situations where a comparison has to be made between an observed sample distribution
and theoretical distribution. The results are shown in Table 2. Since the calculated value is
greater than the critical value, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there exist
preferences for a specific social network by age generation.
Table 2: Results of Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test
D-stat
0.231
D-crit
0.185
D-stat > D-crit
The result is significant at p < 0.05.
Source: own processing
8%
24%
49%
17%
0%
2%
68%
14%
10%
1%
2%
4%
-10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
FACEBOOK
YOUTUBE
INSTAGRAM
SNAPCHAT
PINTEREST
BLOG
Generation Y
Generation Z
Figure 5: The m ost popular so cial network s
Source: o wn processing
In relation to the data obtained v ia this question and ans wers provided by the respondents, Assumption
1, where we assume that there are preferences for a specific social network and these preferences var y by age
generat ion, was statistically tested.
H0: Preferences for a specific social network by age generation do not exist.
H1: There are preferences for a specific social network by age generation.
For evalu ation, we used t he non-para metric Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test. This test is used in situations
where a compa rison has to be made bet ween a n observed sample distribution and theoretical distribution.
The results are show n in Table 2. Since the calculated value is g reater than the critical va lue, we reject the null
hypot hesis and conclude that there ex ist preferences for a specific social network by age generation.

100 Research Studies Communication Today
Table 2: Results of K olmogorov- Smirnov Test
Kolmog orov-Smir nov test
D-stat 0.231
D-crit 0.185
D-st at > D-cr it
The res ult is sign ificant at p < 0.0 5.
Source: o wn processing
In the following question, we aimed to find out what are the most common reasons for following
influencers. As of the respondents who did not follow any influencers, they should have (hypothetically)
state which reasons would have been most relevant to them i f they had been interested in such contributions.
Respondents had the opt ion to select up to th ree responses. On basis of evaluating Generation Y, we can st ate
that the most common reasons are inspiration (68%) and reviews (54%), as more than half of t he respondents
selected these reasons particularly. In the third posit ion, with 43%, is the option it is a part of my job, followed
by relax (39%) and fun (34%).
What is especia lly interesting, fun is the least import ant factor for Generation Y (34%); for Generation
Z (78%), it is, however, the most impor tant reason why to follow influencers. Even for Generat ion Z, inspiration
is an important factor, as it wa s indicated by up to 44% of t he respondents. The opportunit y to relax also
gained a g reat percenta ge (43%). Different percentages in comparison with Generation Y were gained by
reviews (23%) and it i s a part of my job (9%). We can say t hat for the younger generation, reviews a re not as
import ant as for people belonging to G eneration Y (see Figu re 6 below).
In the following question, we aimed to find out what are the most common reasons
for following influencers. As of the respondents who did not follow any influencers, they
should have (hypothetically) state which reasons would have been most relevant to them if
they had been interested in such contributions. Respondents had the option to select up to
three responses. On basis of evaluating Generation Y, we can state that the most common
reasons are inspiration (68%) and reviews (54%), as more than half of the respondents
selected these reasons particularly. In the third position, with 43%, is the option it is a part
of my job, followed by relax (39%) and fun (34%).
What is especially interesting, fun is the least important factor for Generation Y (34%);
for Generation Z (78%), it is, however, the most important reason why to follow influencers.
Even for Generation Z, inspiration is an important factor, as it was indicated by up to 44%
of the respondents. The opportunity to relax also gained a great percentage (43%). Different
percentages in comparison with Generation Y were gained by reviews (23%) and it is a part
of my job (9%). We can say that for the younger generation, reviews are not as important as
for people belonging to Generation Y (see Figure 6 below).
Figure 6: Reasons for following influencers
Source: own processing
The analysis of the most common reasons for following influencers was carried out
by the Kruskal-Wallis Test, the results of which are given in Table 3. In connection
with the evaluation of this question, we wanted to find out whether the choice of the particular
option (the main reason) is different for Generation Y and Generation Z (Assumption 2).
The following hypotheses were tested:
H0: There are no differences in the answers given by two different age generations.
H1: There are differences in the answers given by two different age generations.
Based on the theoretical level of significance, the zero hypothesis related to the same choice
of answer by both age generations is rejected. In other words, we can assert that there are
statistically significant differences in the choices associated with age-based reasons
at the level of alpha significance.
43%
68%
54%
39%
34%
9%
44%
23%
43%
78%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%
it is a part of my job
inspiration
reviews
relax
fun
Generation Y
Generation Z
Figure 6: Re asons for foll owing influenc ers
Source: o wn processing
The analysis of the most common reasons for follow ing in fluencers was carried out by the Kruskal-
Wallis Test, the results of which are g iven in Table 3. In connection w ith the evaluation of this question, we
wanted to fi nd out whether t he choice of the particular option (the main reason) is different for Generation Y
and Generation Z (Assumption 2). The follow ing hypotheses were tested:
H0: There are no differences in the answers given by two different age generations.
H1: There are dif ferences in the answers given by two different age generations.
Based on t he theoretical level of significance, t he zero hypothesis related to the same choice of ans wer
by both age generations is rejected. In other words, we can assert that there are statistically significa nt
differences in t he choices associated w ith age-based reasons at the level of alpha sign ificance.
Table 3: Results o f Kruskal-Wall is Test
Kru skal-Wal lis test:
K (Obser ved value) 27.3982
K (Critic al value) 4.7264
DF 2
p-value (Two-tailed) < 0.0001
alpha 0.05
Source: o wn processing
Based on the results of Dunn’s Test of Contrasts, we can confirm there are statistically significant differences
between the two generational groups. Table 4 lists the P-Values of the paired comparison of each category.
Table 4: Result s of Dunn’s Test of C ontrasts
Reason –Gener ation Y Reason –Gener ation Z
Reason –Gener ation Y 1 0,0099
Reason –Gener ation Z 0,0099 1
Source: o wn processing
The next question was aimed at the dependency between influencing the purchasing behaviour and
the age generation (A ssumption 3). We believe that young people aged 17-26 (Generation Z), for whom socia l
networks have become an area of interest and tracking on a daily basis, are more influenced by their favourite
influencers. A much smaller impact on purchasin g behav iour is assu med in case of people aged 27-37 (Generation
Y). To evaluate this question, we used the Fisher’s Exact Test (see Table 5), testing the following hypotheses:
H0: There is no dependency between influencing the purchasing behaviour and the age generation.
H1: There is a dependency between influencing the purchasing behaviour and the age generation.
The dependence is expressed in Table 5 using the Phi Coefficient, the Contingency Coefficient and the
Cramer Coefficient. The values of t hese coefficients indicate moderate to strong dependence.
Table 5: Results o f Fisher’s Exact Test
Statistic DF Va lue Prob
Chi-Square 471.238 <.0001
Likel ihood Rat io Chi-S quare 4 43.1237 <.0001
Mant el-Haensz el Chi-Sq uare 1 25.2437 <.0001
Phi Co efficient 0.782
Contin gency Coef ficient 0.6132
Cram er’s V 0.5517
Fisher’s Ex act Test
Table Proba bility (P) 2.38E-11
Pr<= P 8.15E-09
Source: o wn processing

102 Research Studies Communication Today
Based on Fisher’s E xact Test results, we reject t he zero hypothesis at the significance level alpha =
0.05. In other words, we can assert that there is a statistically proven dependency between influencing the
purchasing behaviour and the age generation.
To prov ide a better explanation, we offer a visualisation of the obtained research data (Figure 7).
Comparing the answers provided by each generation’s represent atives, we can identif y severa l differences.
Accordi ng to the data, up to 41% of the Generation Z respondents regu larly purchase goods on basis of
influencers’ recommendations, whereas only 19% of the respondents belonging to Generation Y purchase
products or services based on influencers’ recommendations. A nother sig nificant difference in responses is
obvious in the options where the respondents claimed they did not believe in fluencers’ recommendations; only
11% of the respondents of Generation Z, but twice as ma ny respondents of G eneration Y (24%) decided to
mark this option.
Given the above-mentioned options, the opposite tendencies of the t wo generations were clearly
confir med. Approximately t he same percentage of both generations stated they sometimes bought and tested
what in fluencers had recommended. Both generations hesitate whether their recommendations are true,
although G eneration Y (26%) to a greater extent than Generation Z (17%). For more in formation, see Fig ure
7 below.
To provide a better explanation, we offer a visualisation of the obtained research data (Figure
7). Comparing the answers provided by each generation’s representatives, we can identify
several differences. According to the data, up to 41% of the Generation Z respondents
regularly purchase goods on basis of influencers’ recommendations, whereas only 19%
of the respondents belonging to Generation Y purchase products or services based
on influencers’ recommendations. Another significant difference in responses is obvious
in the options where the respondents claimed they did not believe influencers’
recommendations; only 11% of the respondents of Generation Z, but twice as many
respondents of Generation Y (24%) decided to mark this option.
Given the above-mentioned options, the opposite tendencies of the two generations were
clearly confirmed. Approximately the same percentage of both generations stated they
sometimes bought and tested what influencers had recommended. Both generations hesitate
whether their recommendations are true, although Generation Y (26%) to a greater extent than
Generation Z (17%). For more information, see Figure 7 below.
Figure 7: Influencing the purchasing behaviour by influencers
Source: own processing
Figure 8 presents how a contemporary consumer perceives influencers’ posts promoting
products of certain brands. Many posts, especially on YouTube channels, are focused
on the fact that YouTube personalities have corporate sponsors who pay for product placement
in their clips or production of online ads. The advantage of such promotion is authenticity,
and people get first-hand reviews provided by a person they trust. By offering the individual
options, we wanted to obtain an answer to the question whether people feel bothered or ignore
such posts or perceive them as a part of their work. Seeing the data in Figure8, it is clear that
users of social networks currently accept brand-influencer cooperation, as indicated
by the largest percentage of the respondents. The research also confirms that this type
of product promotion is perceived positively and people like to watch or read influencers’
posts. Up to half of the Generation Z respondents (50%) like to watch/read this kind
of product placement, while only 35% of the Generation Y respondents marked this option.
The smallest percentages are associated with the two remaining choices, so it can be said that
such posts bother people just a little bit and almost none of the respondents ignore them. It is
possible to summarise that the surveyed people consider influencers as an integral part
of the online environment with a certain economic background.
17%
11%
32%
41%
26%
24%
30%
19%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
I do not know whether their
recommendations are true
No, I do not believe their recommendations
and I do not follow them
Yes, I sometimes try what influencers
recommend
Yes, I regularly buy what influencers
recommend
Generation Y
Generation Z
Figure 7: Influe ncing the pur chasing be haviour by influ encers
Source: o wn processing
Figu re 8 presents how a contemporary consumer perceives i nfluencers’ posts promoting products of
certain brands. Many posts, especial ly on YouTube channels, are focused on the fact that YouTube personalities
have corporate sponsors who pay for product placement in their clips or production of onli ne ads. The
adva ntage of such promotion is authenticity, and people get first-ha nd reviews provided by a person they trust.
By offering the indiv idual options, we wanted to obtain an ans wer to the question whether people feel bothered
or ignore such posts or perceive them as a part of their work. Seeing the data in Fig ure8, it is clear that users of
social net works currently accept brand-in fluencer cooperation, a s indicated by the largest percentage of the
respondents. The research also confi rms that this ty pe of product promotion is perceived positively and people
like to watch or read in fluencers’ posts. Up to half of the G eneration Z respondents (50%) like to watch/read
this kind of product placement, while only 35% of the Generation Y respondents marked this option. The
smallest percentages are associated w ith the two rema ining choices, so it can be said that such posts bot her
people just a little bit and almost none of t he respondents ignore them. It is possible to summarise that the
surveyed people consider influencers as an integra l part of the online environment with a certain economic
background.
Figure 8: The ways consumers perceive the influencer-brand cooperation
Source: own processing
Discussion and Conclusions
Brand marketers are eager to partner with influencers, particularly to attract the Millennials.
Moreover, it looks like this trend will continue. Influencer marketing appeals to marketers
for a number of reasons; among other things, it allows them to do an end run around ad
blocking. eMarketer forecasts that in 2018, more than one in four Internet users will employ
software to block ads.27At this point it is adequate to say that online marketing has been just
a new and different way of promoting goods, services or people. It has created a new form
of media on which to peddle goods and services. In 2018, the average Internet user has at least
7 social media accounts. The current trend is that an average person spends over 2 hours a day
on social media, average teenagers 9 hours. Social media are integrated into everything they
do – from school, through work, to entertainment and hanging out with friends. Social media
are anywhere where people are. They have become an integral part of what a business is to its
customers.28
As influencer-backed promotion continues to grow in popularity for marketers, various tactics
have proven more effective than others. We see future in ambassadorships as one of the most
effective uses of influencers, ahead of product reviews and brand mentions. Influencers,
especially YouTubers, have a great impact on Internet economy by influencing purchasing
behaviour and representing a source of information and entertainment for the young
generation known as Millennials. This is part of an overall shift in how we prioritise word-of-
mouth information over paid television, magazine and newspaper ads; it is hard to ignore
the power of these unofficial brand ambassadors. Influencer marketing provides
an opportunity for companies to leverage the power of social proof, while relying on those
who already have a large following.29
In our study, we have outlined the current issue of virtual brand ambassadors which brings
along new questions. We believe that replacing real people by digital constructs brings many
new challenges and problems to address. What does this mean for influencer marketing?
A major advantage identified in relation to using virtual influencers is the power they can give

27 eMarketer. Released on 13th December 2016. [online]. [2018-08-21]. Available at:
<https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Marketers-Boost-Influencer-Budgets-2017/1014845>.
28 Lyfemarketing. Released on 15th June 2018. [online]. [2018-09-24]. Available at:
<https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/importance-of-digital-marketing/>.
29 HARAN, R.: How to Grow Your Business with Influencer Marketing. [online]. [2018-09-10]. Available at:
<https://www.singlegrain.com/content-marketing-strategy-2/what-is-influencer-marketing-chris/>.
1%
45%
4%
50%
2%
53%
9%
35%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
I ignore any posts containing brand
promotion
I accept it, it is just a brand-influencer
cooperation
I perceive it, and it bothers me a little bit
I perceive it positively - I like to read/watch
this kind of posts
Generation Y
Generation Z
Figure 8: Th e ways consumers pe rceive the infl uencer-br and cooperat ion
Source: o wn processing
Discussion and Conclusions
Brand marketers are ea ger to part ner with influencers, pa rticularly to at tract the Millen nials.
Moreover, it looks like this trend will continue. I nfluencer marketing appeals to ma rketers for a number of
reasons; among other t hings, it a llows them to do an end run around ad block ing. eMarketer forecasts that in
2018, more tha n one in four Internet users will employ softwa re to block ads.27At this point it is adequate to
say that online marketing has been just a new and dif ferent way of promoting goods, services or people. It has
created a new for m of media on which to peddle goods a nd services. In 2018, the average Internet user has at
least 7 social media accounts. The current trend is that an average person spends over 2 hours a day on socia l
media, average teenagers 9 hours. Social media are integ rated into everything they do – from school, t hrough
work, to enter tainment and hanging out with friends. Socia l media are any where where people a re. They have
become an integral part of what a business is to its customers.28
As influencer-backed promotion cont inues to grow in popularit y for marketers, var ious tactics have
proven more effective than others. We see future in ambassadorships as one of the most ef fect ive uses of
influencers, ahead of product reviews and brand mentions. Influencers, especially YouTubers, have a great
impact on Inter net economy by influencing purchasing behaviou r and representing a source of information
and entertainment for the young generation known as Millennials. This is pa rt of an overall shift in how we
prioritise word-of-mouth information over paid television, maga zine and newspaper ads; it is hard to ig nore
the power of these unofficia l bra nd ambassadors. Influencer market ing provides an opportunit y for compan ies
to levera ge the power of social proof, whi le relying on those w ho already have a large following.29
In our study, we have outlined the current issue of virtu al brand ambassadors which brings along
new questions. We believe that replaci ng real people by digita l constr ucts brings many new chal lenges and
problems to address. What does this mean for influencer marketing? A major advantage identified in relation
to using virtual influencers is the power they can give to a brand. A s the designer team behind the a rtificial
influencer has total control over the content created for the campaign, using vir tual influencers can be, in
fact, less risky. The content is, quite natura lly, desig ned to perfectly match the g iven promotional request.
Moreover, this strategy ca n allow brands to reach a younger audience, a nd accounts such as Lil Maquela are
very attractive to Millen nials, especially to Generation Z. In addition, the publicity gained by these vir tual
accounts going v iral can a lso be beneficial to brands, as it furt her enhances their audience.
27 eMa rketer. Relea sed on 13th December 2016. [online]. [2018 -08-21]. Ava ilable a t: <htt ps://ww w.emarkete r.com/Article/
Marketers-Boost-Influencer-Budgets-2017/1014845>.
28 Lyfemarketing. Relea sed on 15th Jun e 2018. [online]. [2 018- 09-24]. Ava ilable a t: <htt ps://ww w.lyfema rketing.com /blog/
importance-of-digital-marketing/>.
29 HAR AN, R.: How to Grow Your B usiness with Infl uencer Marketing. [online]. [2018-09-10]. Available at: <https://www.
singlegrain.com/content-marketing-strateg y-2/what-is-influencer-marketing-chris/>.

104 Research Studies Communication Today
On the other hand, the use of virtua l influencers is a lso subject to crit icism. A key flaw identified is the
lack of authenticity: how can an influencer genuinely promote a product if they cannot see, touch or use it?
Their rev iews and recommendations are entirely artificia l and based upon mimicking trends alone, which does
not sit well against a backdrop of increasing importance a nd awareness of fa ke news and a growing number of
legal regulat ions ensuring honest adver tisements. Both brands and influencers must find a way to remedy the
issue of inauthentic product endorsements in order to pursue a successf ul virt ual influencer campa ign.30
It is also a g reat opportun ity for medium-sized brands to enrich their marketing with such forms of
communication that are trendy in the world and show the best retur ns. Accord ing to website Convince and
Convert, each dollar invested in the campaign w ith an influencer is est imated up to 6.5 ti mes.31 That suggests
the space is li kely a multibi llion-dollar industry – and grow ing. Most marketers consider doubling their
investment in 2018. This is no sur prise, since audiences turn to social media influencers more often than
ever to be enterta ined and well-informed.32 Without a ny doubts, we can conclude that influencer marketing
is one of the fa stest g rowing communication platforms, which in addition weakens or even negates severa l
stereotypes related to advertising. T his statement is based on the results of t he mentioned sur veys, which are
in favour of this new ty pe of marketing communication – the ta rget group is much bet ter penetrated in and it s
approach to advert ising is more positive.
Acknowledgements: The study was elaborated within the research project supported by the Grant Agency
of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (VEGA) No. 1/0502/17
titled Consumer Personality and Its Impact on Emotional Behaviour and Decision-Making.
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