From Brands to Celebrities: How Para-Social Brand Interactions Relate to Positive WOM

Today's social media platforms have become indispensable tools for businesses to engage with their target audiences. Social media marketing holds a significant place as a dynamic and effective strategy that enables businesses to interact with their target audiences. This approach allows businesses to communicate directly and personally with consumers while also providing access to wide audiences and high interaction potential. At the heart of this strategy, social media influencers play a crucial role in reliably transmitting businesses' messages to their followers. The strong bonds between influencers and their followers can positively influence consumers' brand perception, loyalty, and intention to purchase. Parasocial interaction theory suggests that media users can develop one-sided relationships with media personalities, and these relationships can influence users' attitudes and behaviors towards businesses or products. The parasocial interactions that develop between social media influencers and their followers have become powerful and effective, especially in the era of social media. This study aims to contribute to consumer behavior, parasocial interaction theory, and marketing practice. The research is a quantitative and descriptive analysis that examines the effect of variables such as influencers' perceived credibility, attitudes towards influencers, and the quality of their posts on purchase intention through parasocial interaction. Data collected through surveys in Karabük were analyzed using SPSS 21 and AMOS 20 statistical analysis programs through structural equation modeling. The results highlight the significant impact of influencer marketing on parasocial interaction and, indirectly, on purchase intention. This analysis demonstrates the potential of influencer marketing within the parasocial interaction theory framework to influence consumers' purchase intentions. The study emphasizes that the impact of influencers cannot be reduced merely to the number of followers or the visual appeal of content; beyond that, the depth and quality of the parasocial relationships established are also crucial.

Mentor or partner: Matching effect of para-social interaction and product type on purchase intention in live-streaming commerce

Previous studies have found that CEOs manage their firms through traditional methods such as leadership and management practices. In this study, we investigate how the parasocial relationship (PSR) between middle-level managers and CEOs affects the organizational trust and the organizational identification (OI) of middle managers. We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers.Purpose: Middle managers and CEOs are the key components of a firm and are crucial to firm strategies and control systems. Middle managers play a vital role in information transmission like in the organizational hierarchy while CEOs influence low-level employees through middle managers. In this study, we investigate how the PSR between middle managers and CEOs affects organizational trust and OI.Design/Methodology: In this study, the data concerning OI, integrity perception, and organizational trust are derived from a survey conducted by the internal control research group of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The research group began the survey on September 5, 2014, for the firms listed in the A-share market, accounting firms with securities and future practice qualifications, and institutional investors through the accounting department of the CSRC, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Asset Management Association of China. The research group members surveyed 2,536 A-share firms listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange. As of October 31, 2014, 2,154 sets of questionnaires with a total of 12,551 questionnaires were received, with a response rate of 84.95%. The financial and accounting data are from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database.Findings: We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers. This study extends the application of the parasocial interaction (PSI) theory, organizational trust theory, and social identity theory in listed firms.Practical Implication: There are practical implications for internal relationship management, corporate governance, and performance management. CEOs should value the influence of organizational trust and improve his/her own social and work abilities on middle-level managers as the organizational trust of middle-level managers has a significant positive impact on their sense of responsibility, ethical behavior, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and performance. CEOs should adopt various methods to influence different managers because organizational trust mediates the relationship between the PSR and OI.Originality/Value: Our study is one of the first attempts to apply the PSI theory to the corporate world. Given the dynamics of present-day markets and changing stakeholder demands, there is little insight into how this relationship affects organizational health and functioning. Much less what a PSR between CEO and middle management looks like in practice. Our study attempts to fill the gap by investigating how CEOs might come to affect middle managers through their practices and behaviors.

The research objective of this study is to determine the impact of parasocial interactions on consumers' propensity to purchase cosmetics in the digital age. The other aim of this study is to elucidate how hedonism, social attractiveness, and physical beauty affect parasocial interactions. The originality of this study is the integration of theories in the research model, namely the parasocial interaction theory, social identity theory, and theory of reasoned action. The main goal of this study is to fill a theoretical and practical gap by answering the question of how internal and external factors significantly influence online purchase intention. Beauty vloggers' physical and social attractiveness is used to explain the external variables, while hedonism is used to explain the internal factors. The researchers used a positive paradigm and a quantitative approach. Data from well-known media platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube, were gathered. The sample of subscribers to beauty vlogger accounts numbered 450 and they were surveyed using a purposive sampling technique. The data were examined using the outer and inner models of Smart PLS through Structural Equation Modeling. This study shows that parasocial interactions entirely offset the effect of physical and social attractiveness on purchase intention in the digital age. The external variables affect how millennials interact with beauty vloggers more than the internal variables do. Therefore, it is distinctive how millennial netizens use the Instagram and YouTube platforms in parasocial interactions, using beauty vloggers as influencers. Given the results, managers should engage with the influencers to create collaborations and manage social media channels to interact with audiences who are involved with beauty vloggers.

In the past few years, internet celebrities have become a new and important way to get people to buy energy-saving products. Their psychological mechanisms for promoting fans’ intention to purchase have become the focus of academic attention, but a unified conclusion has yet to be reached. This study uses online communities as a scenario, with the characteristics of influencers’ expertise, social attraction, and task attraction as antecedent variables and social cognitive theory and parasocial interaction theory as the theoretical basis to explore their influence on fans’ intention to purchase household energy-saving products. The study investigates the mediating role of parasocial relationships and the moderating role of fans’ green self-efficacy in influencing internet celebrities’ expertise and attraction of fans’ parasocial relationships. The results showed that the parasocial relationships formed between fans and influencers mediated the relationship between the expertise and attraction of influencers and fans’ intention to purchase energy-saving products and that “green self-efficacy” positively moderated the parasocial relationships formed between fans and internet celebrities in terms of their expertise and task attraction. The moderating effect of “green self-efficacy” on the parasocial relationships between fans and internet celebrities was insignificant.

The effect of hotel livestreaming on viewers’ purchase intention: Exploring the role of parasocial interaction and emotional engagement

This study aims to explore how influencers’ attributes foster parasocial interactions on social media, which in turn influence consumers’ purchase intentions. Additionally, it examines the mediating role of parasocial interactions and the moderating effect of online comments on purchase intention. Drawing on Horton and Wohl's parasocial interaction theory (1956), this study developed and analyzed a model illustrating the direct and indirect relationships between the three independent factors - influencers' attributes, parasocial interaction, online comments and the dependent factor- consumers' purchase intention in Bangladesh. Additionally, several interpersonal attraction attributes of influencers were selected based on McCroskey and McCain's (1974) recommendations, alongside attitude homophily. Using the purposive sampling method, data were collected from 244 samples of Bangladesh who watched product related contents of various social media influencers. For data collection, a structured questionnaire was developed where the five-point Likert scale was used. Using SmartPLS 4, data were analyzed through applying PLS-SEM. Results discovered that task attractiveness and attitude homophily are two important influencer attributes that generate parasocial interaction in social media. Besides, these two attributes further affect consumers’ purchase intention through the mediating effect of parasocial interaction. The study recommends that marketers prioritize task attractiveness and attitude homophily of influencers. Additionally, it highlights the role of parasocial interaction with social media influencers, which affects consumers' purchase intentions both directly and indirectly.

Effect of WeChat interaction on brand evaluation: A moderated mediation model of para-social interaction and affiliative tendency

This study investigates the impact of Social Media Influencers (SMIs) on the purchasing behavior of Generation Z Filipino consumers, emphasizing the role of influencer attributes in fostering parasocial relationships (PSRs) that ultimately drive online shopping decisions. In the context of the Philippines’ rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape and digitally native Generation Z population, this research explores how nano, micro-, and macro-influencers influence consumer behavior through strategic content and emotional engagement. Grounded in David Chaffey’s Social Media Marketing Theory, Parasocial Interaction Theory, Source Credibility Theory, Source Attractiveness Model, and Social Proof Theory, the study provides a multi-theoretical framework to analyze consumer-influencer dynamics. A quantitative-descriptive approach was used, surveying 380 Generation Z respondents in San Fernando, La Union, through a structured and validated questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rho correlation. Findings reveal that nano-influencers (with 0–10,000 followers) are particularly effective in building trust and emotional connection, significantly strengthening PSRs. Key attributes such as authenticity, content style, perceived fit, and popularity were found to contribute to stronger PSRs and positively influence purchasing intent. Gender differences were observed in emotional engagement, with female respondents demonstrating higher PSR levels, although purchasing behavior was not significantly different across genders. The study concludes that Generation Z consumers value influencers who are relatable, emotionally resonant, and aligned with their values. PSRs play a critical role in shaping buying behavior, making influencer partnerships a powerful strategy in digital marketing. The study recommends that brands collaborate with nano-influencers who exhibit high credibility and emotional appeal to achieve lasting consumer engagement. This research contributes to existing literature by contextualizing influencer marketing within Southeast Asia. It offers practical insights for marketers seeking to optimize strategies for Generation Z in the post-pandemic digital economy.

Purpose This study aims to investigate how different dimensions of anthropomorphism (physical, behavioral, cognitive and emotional) influence social presence and parasocial relationships and how these, in turn, affect users’ behavioral intentions and word-of-mouth (WOM) toward a hotel brand endorsed by a virtual influencer in the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was used, along with an online survey administered to participants who were exposed to different Instagram posts featuring a virtual influencer promoting a hospitality brand. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships among the variables and test mediation effects. Findings The results reveal that social presence acts as a full mediator in the relationship between physical and behavioral anthropomorphism and parasocial relationship, while it partially mediates the effect of emotional anthropomorphism. Both social presence and parasocial relationship mediate the impact of anthropomorphism on brand-related outcomes. Notably, behavioral anthropomorphism emerged as the strongest predictor, whereas cognitive anthropomorphism did not exhibit a significant effect. Practical implications The study offers insights for virtual influencer designers, managers and communication strategists in the hospitality sector. Strategies for selecting or developing effective virtual influencers in hospitality contexts are discussed. Originality/value This paper sheds light on the roles of different components of anthropomorphism in shaping social presence and parasocial relationships. Furthermore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore how these psychological mechanisms drive behavioral intentions and positive WOM toward a brand endorsed by a virtual influencer within the context of hospitality management.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the disruptive impact of firm-led influencer marketing on promoting health behaviors, examining how firms can leverage online opinion leadership to drive consumer health behavior and navigate the complex and evolving health industry. Design/methodology/approach The empirical approach revolves around a sequential mixed-methods approach with 15 semistructured interviews with social media users followed by a time-lagged survey of 331 followers of an Instagram account. Findings The results reveal that online opinion leadership is positively associated with consumer health behavior via consumer parasocial relationships and health behavioral control. Moreover, this study also reveals that online opinion leader-cause congruence significantly increases the direct association of online opinion leadership with parasocial relationships and the indirect association with consumer health behavior. Research limitations/implications This work offers insights on consumer health behavior antecedents, online opinion leadership outcomes and the roles of parasocial relationships, health behavioral control and influencer-cause congruence. Exploring other social media platforms like X, YouTube and TikTok can provide additional insights. Practical implications Firms should leverage online opinion leadership for personalized engagement, build parasocial relationships through authentic influencer partnerships, develop influencer-based content through long-term collaborations and measure ROI through health-related outcomes. Originality/value This study investigates the disruptive impact of influencer marketing on promoting health behaviors among consumers, thereby advancing the growing body of literature on online opinion leadership. By emphasizing the strategic use of online opinion leaders and ensuring congruence between influencers and causes, this research provides actionable insights for practitioners to enhance behavioral control and influence health-promoting behaviors in consumers.

Older adults’ parasocial interaction formation process in the context of travel websites: The moderating role of parent-child geographic proximity

Voice assistants are changing the way consumers shop. Guided by the anthropomorphism literature and parasocial interaction theory, this study investigated how the new unique relationship between consumers and artificial intelligence‐powered voice assistants may affect the way consumers evaluate the recommended products through two experiments. Study 1 (n = 85, students) employed a 2 (shopping medium type: voice assistant vs. website) × 2 (interaction style: task‐oriented vs. socially‐oriented) between‐subjects design lab experiment. Study 2 (n = 418, Mechanical Turk) employed a 2 (shopping medium type: voice assistant vs. website) × 2 (product type: search vs. experience) between‐subjects online experiment. The results suggested that consumers may perceive voice assistants as pseudohuman agents detached from the service provider while perceiving websites as a tool or interface used by the provider, resulting in a more positive perception and evaluation of websites. As one of the few studies investigating voice assistants from the consumer perspective, this study contributes to the growing body of research in voice assistants. The study also contributes to anthropomorphism literature and parasocial interaction theory by confirming the causal relationship between humanlikeness and parasocial relationships.

Purpose Drawing on parasocial interaction theory, this study examines how key attributes of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbot services, including functionality, trustworthiness, efficiency, human-likeness, responsiveness and reference to the service, affect consumers’ perceived interactivity and foster brand experience, thereby enhancing parasocial relationships between brands and customers. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. A total of 278 valid responses were obtained from an online questionnaire survey. Findings The attributes of AI-enabled chatbot services, namely trustworthiness, efficiency, human-likeness and reference to the service, positively affect their perceived interactivity. Furthermore, brand experience mediates the relationship between perceived interactivity and parasocial relationships. Practical implications AI-enabled chatbots serve as virtual frontline employees capable of simulating human-like interpersonal engagement, thereby enhancing brand experiences. When consumers perceive a high level of interactivity with an AI-enabled chatbot, they develop more favorable impressions of the brand, which in turn strengthens the parasocial bond between the brand and its customers. These findings provide practical guidance for designing AI-enabled chatbot services that foster deeper brand–customer relationships. Originality/value While previous research on AI-enabled chatbots has focused primarily on anthropomorphic features and service quality, limited attention has been paid to how specific service attributes contribute to building parasocial relationships in the context of online retail. This study addresses this gap by demonstrating how chatbot–customer interactions can strengthen brand–customer connections. Our findings provide valuable insight for managers across various industries and offer guidance on the application of AI technologies in digital transformation strategies to enhance customer service.

Introduction Agricultural live streaming has emerged as a vital channel for rural development, yet limited research examines how new farmer live streamers’ characteristics influence consumer behavior. Guided by the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework and parasocial interaction theory, this study investigates how the characteristics of new farmer live streamers shape consumers’ purchase intention in agricultural e-commerce. Methods Five key streamer characteristics—authenticity, social responsibility, trustworthiness, affinity, and interactivity—were identified through surveys, interviews, and text analyses. Data from 441 valid responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test the proposed relationships. Results The findings reveal that authenticity, social responsibility, trustworthiness, and interactivity positively affect purchase intention, whereas affinity shows no significant impact. Parasocial interaction mediates the effects of authenticity, trustworthiness, affinity, and interactivity on purchase intention, but not social responsibility. Additionally, regional cultural differences negatively moderates the relationship between parasocial interaction and purchase intention. Discussion These findings provide actionable implications for stakeholders: governments, agricultural enterprises, and new farmer streamers should cultivate essential streamer characteristics, strengthen parasocial connections, and adapt engagement strategies to regional cultural contexts to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of agricultural live streaming.