IMPACT OF AWARENESS OF DEEPFAKE USAGE IN MARKETING CAMPAIGNS ON CONSUMER PERCEIVED BRAND AUTHENTICITY

In today’s digitally driven marketing landscape, the emergence of deepfake technology has introduced both groundbreaking innovation and complex ethical dilemmas. While brands explore hyper-personalized content using AI-generated videos, concerns around consumer trust, authenticity, and transparency persist. This study investigates the impact of deepfake marketing on consumer perception, focusing on three key objectives: the relationship between consumer knowledge of deepfakes and perceived brand transparency, the influence of deepfake recognition ability on brand trust, and the effect of exposure frequency on message believability. Adopting a positivist research philosophy with a deductive approach, the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, sampling 250 randomly selected students from Timeon Kairos Polytechnic, Lagos State. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including regression analysis, were used to analyze the data. Findings reveal that consumer knowledge and deepfake recognition ability significantly influence perceptions of brand transparency and trust, respectively. Likewise, exposure frequency positively affects brand message believability. These results underscore the need for ethical AI use and enhanced digital literacy to foster consumer confidence in technologically advanced marketing. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for marketers and calls for greater alignment with emerging digital transparency standards.