Page 89 - Sorcha Mathews

THESIS ABSTRACT

Social media influencers as a marketing strategy aimed at young adults.

Since the mid-2000s social media in uencers have become an increasingly prominent tool for marketing towards the younger generation.

This is due to several reasons wherein a major one being the popularity of social media today and their ever-present promotions whether

you take notice of them or not. This can then lead to mass consumerism as an emotional result of an individual trying to ll a void.

So as to demonstrate the e ects of a social media in uencers role in marketing we must look at the younger generation and what makes

them so susceptible to the consumption of products advertised by these in uencers.

The purpose of this review is to gain a deeper understanding into how and why young people‘s consumption patterns are in uenced by

social media in uencers and how consumerism relates to helping a young individual shape their identity.

It is apparent we must look at individual matters of marketing, branding, identity and what it means to be an “in uencer” in the process of
this review to understand the topic as a whole. Then we will begin to understand the results of social media in uencer marketing on the

younger generation's consumption patterns.

The rst matter revised is the concept of a social media in uencer and what it means to be one, along with the process of gaining popularity

which will lead into the topic of identity and a young adult’s need to express themselves. We will look into how a young adults idolism of

individuals (in uencers in this case) contributes to the formation of an identity which is aided through consumption of products endorsed
by said idol. This will lead into the topic of consumption as a social practice and an emotional need to ll a void. The third matter examined is

in uencer marketing and how it is constantly evolving in its e orts to keep up with what is relevant and where a certain demographics

attention lies. We will look at di erent marketing strategies from a social and theoretical point of view as well as other themes such as
market research to provide reasoning for the use of in uencer endorsements as a marketing tool. This will lead us into the topic of branding

and how a brands values can be a contributing factor in consumer decision making and an in uencers willingness to promote a product.

Combined these will then give us a greater insight into the impressionable mind of a young adult and how it is targeted by companies

through means of in uencer endorsement.