Food Marketing through Social Media Influencers: The Impact on Millennial Consumers’ Purchase Intentions

Abstract Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: The current study investigates the influence of social media food influencers and the moderating effect of millennial consumers’ gender on buying intention. Design/Methodology/Approach: Following a quantitative research approach, 453 responses were collected using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach were applied to assess the proposed measurement and structural models. Research findings: The results show that food influencers with familiarity, attractiveness, and credibility positively affect millennial consumers’ buying intentions. However, no evidence of the moderation effect of gender on buying intent was found. The fsQCA results confirm the significance of all the source characteristics, including product matchup as determinants, and provide the configurations that can lead to purchasing intentions. Theoretical contribution/Originality: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to explore the impact of food influencers and the moderating effect of gender on the buying intention of millennial consumers by using SEM and fsQCA. Research limitations/Implications: This study does not look into the direct effect of customers’ emotions, which might play a significant role in their decision-making. Future studies may evaluate the relative impact of additional components, such as the emotions and socio-economic characteristics of millennials. Practical/managerial implications and/or Social/economic implications: This study offers theoretical and practical implications for scholars and marketers. It extends our understanding of associative learning, suggesting that pairing a brand with positive stimuli can elicit favourable responses towards the brand. Furthermore, this study provides insights for millennials to understand how food markets operate, by whom, and how food influencers influence them.