A content analytic study of the presence of brands and materialistic values in popular influencers’ Youtube videos in the Netherlands

Abstract The present study is the first to provide insights into the presence of brands and materialistic values in videos of popular YouTube influencers. We developed a codebook and analyzed a sample of 240 videos from 20 popular YouTube influencers from the Netherlands. We coded general characteristics of the videos (e.g., video length and number of views), the number of brands and branded products, the use of disclosures and brand prominence, as well as the number and types of materialistic values that were present. The findings show that YouTube watchers are confronted with a large number of brands and materialistic values, which may have serious consequences for their view of the world. In addition, the frequent absence of disclosures indicates a need for spreading awareness about regulations regarding influencer marketing practices.