CONSUMER TRUST DURING BRAND CRISES: INFLUENCER VS. BRAND SPOKESPERSON

Purpose- This research aims to investigate the sourcing of the message and the responsibility for the brand crisis that affects consumer trust in the brand in brand crisis scenarios. The study examines the impact of the different message sources (brand spokesperson vs. influencer) and different levels of crisis responsibility (low vs. high) on consumer perceptions of brand trust, brand attitude, purchase intention, and source credibility. Methodology- The research design used was experimental with a quantitative approach. 115 participants were recruited and split into a 2 × 2 between-subject factorial design. The message sourcing (brand spokesperson versus influencer) and the crisis responsibility (low versus high) factors were manipulated in the experiment across four fictional skincare brand crisis scenarios. Following exposure to the scenarios, participants filled out a structured questionnaire that assessed brand trust, brand attitude, purchase intention, and source credibility. Data analysis was performed by SPSS, descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha reliability test, chi-square test, and two-way ANOVA. Findings- The results showed a high internal consistency for all the constructs measured, such as brand trust (α = .918), brand attitude (α = .928), purchase intention (α = .920) and source credibility (α = .937). There was a statistically significant effect on all of the dependent measures of crisis responsibility (all p < .001), with the low responsibility condition having higher means than the high responsibility condition. When looking at the source of the message, there was a significant effect on brand attitude (p = .010) and purchase intention (p = .027), there was no significant effect on brand trust (p = .092). Furthermore, no significant interaction effects were found between message source and crisis responsibility. Conclusion- From the analysis, it can be concluded that during a crisis, more than the source of the message, the responsibility of the crisis is more influential in shaping the consumer's trust and related perceptions of the brand. While the message source has some influence on attitude and purchase intention, its impact on trust is limited. The results indicate that the perception of responsibility in times of crisis must be taken care of to maintain consumer trust and brand evaluation as the main focus of effective communication strategies. Keywords: Brand crisis, consumer trust, crisis responsibility, influencer marketing, brand spokesperson, crisis communication, source credibility, purchase intention, brand attitude, social media.