People trust in people: How Instagram has changed the way in which women from the Millennial generation in Ireland are influenced by beauty brands for purchasing decision.

Voltolini, Eduardo Cesar (2019) People trust in people: How Instagram has changed the way in which women from the Millennial generation in Ireland are influenced by beauty brands for purchasing decision. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Considered as digital immigrants and digital natives, Millennials spend long hours on social media networks, this online interaction with other users and consideration of online reviews and e-WOM influences their purchasing decision. Corresponding with that behaviour, beauty brands are increasingly investing in partnerships with social media influencers in order to catch a natural migration of Millennials from traditional mass media marketing towards social engagement. However, that relationship of “sponsored or paid content” is not always clear, with the ethical issues of Stealth Marketing related to trust and credibility, becoming more apparent.

The main objective of this study, therefore, is to assess and understand how the relationship of beauty brands and social media influencers on Instagram affect purchase decisions of Millennial women living in Ireland. Within this context, filling a gap found in the literature review, the researcher expects to contribute for better practices in marketing communication strategies. The study follows the methodology of interpretivism in epistemology, underpinned by an inductive approach based on a qualitative method of collecting data using semi structured interviews conducted with nine women living in Ireland from the Millennial generation, customers of beauty products (cosmetics) and with an active Instagram account. Analysis to produce reliable and valid findings were made by applying thematic coding.

The findings of this research suggest that social media influencers have a huge impact on purchasing decisions of beauty products by female Millennial users of Instagram living in Ireland, such as it happens in other countries. The relationship of credibility and trust built over time between social media influencers and their audience is what drives purchase decision. As Instagram is still updating new forms of interaction among brands, customers and influencers, further studies in the phenomena can be carried out related with the topic.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4150 Computer Network Resources > The Internet > World Wide Web > Websites > Online social networks T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering > Telecommunications > The Internet > World Wide Web > Websites > Online social networks
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Science in Marketing
Depositing User:	Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín
Date Deposited:	24 Oct 2019 14:42
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2019 14:42
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/4048

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