Influence of Beauty Vloggers on the Consumer Purchase Intention for Cosmetic Brands An Empirical Study

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of social media has fundamentally transformed marketing strategies, giving rise to influencer marketing as a potent tool for brands to engage consumers. Among influencers, beauty vloggers have emerged as significant opinion leaders, particularly within the cosmetics industry. This study investigates the efficacy of beauty vlogger marketing in shaping consumer behavior, with a specific focus on the burgeoning market of India. The research aims to bridge the existing gap in the literature regarding vlogger-led marketing effectiveness in Asian emerging markets by examining how beauty vloggers impact consumer responses, attitudes, and purchase intentions. The theoretical framework of the study is grounded in source credibility theory, selfcongruency theory, parasocial interaction theory, meaning transfer theory, and social exchange theory. These theories provide a comprehensive lens to analyze the complex interplay between beauty vloggers and their followers. Purchase intention, a predictor of consumer behavior, was used as the key dependent variable to evaluate beauty vlogger marketing effectiveness. The study attempted to fill a research gap by treating source characteristics, audience characteristics, and interactional elements as distinct execution factors and by examining their effects. The study also investigated the previously unexplored mediating role of trust, consumer attitude, and perceived influence on consumer purchase intention. Since, there is a dearth of research on beauty vlogger marketing in the context of Asian emerging markets, the present study was conducted in North India in the states of Punjsb, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi (NCR). 461 participants were asked to fill the structured questionnaire. The research employs a quantitative approach, specifically structural equation modeling (SEM), to assess the relationships between the variables and to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that source characteristics of beauty vloggers play a crucial role