The influence of parasocial relationship in fashion web on customer equity

Abstract

With the global rise of the internet economy, firms are increasingly involved in marketing processes with social networking sites (SNSs) as the carrier. In this context, it is important for firms to use parasocial relationships as a promotional tool. This research examines the role that parasocial relationships can play as a strategic tool. It seeks to reveal which attributes possessed by fashion web celebrity endorsers impact parasocial relationship. The work also explores how customer equity is affected by parasocial relationship. The study also investigates the moderating role of brand love in the relationship between fashion web celebrity endorser attributes and parasocial relationship. The findings show that fashion web celebrity endorser attributes of popularity, fashionable and affinity positively affect parasocial relationship. Also, a positive association is found between parasocial relationships and customer equity. The relationships between fashion web celebrity endorser attributes and parasocial relationship are affected differently by brand love.