Relação dos digital influencers com as marcas

: efeitos na perceção dos consumidores em contexto de crise reputacional

Abstract

The rise of digital influencers revolutionized the communication market, the way brands communicate, how they advertise, and how customers make their decisions. Digital influencers are people who, through the creation of content in digital media, conquer a community of followers. This activity, which recently started to be considered a profession, has already proved its success through its impact on brands, consumers, and the digital marketing area: with the trust relationship that they build, these professionals possess influence in the lives of thousands of people, being able to mobilize their audience, and even impacting their purchasing decisions. More and more brands are realizing the value that influencers can add to them. Whether complementing with traditional media campaigns, or only through social media, digital influencers have become one of the most profitable ways for brands to increase their number of customers, contributing to the brand's awareness, value,and sales. Despite the various advantages resulting from investing in digital influencers, as in other media, there are also some associated risks. This investigation sought to understand whether if, in the event that a digital influencer suffers a reputational crisis, the perceptions that consumers have about the brands he/she represents will be affected. This study started, then, by making a theoretical framework that served as a basis for the investigation. In the empirical component of the investigation, through the creation of a survey, data was collected that allowed the assessment of: 1) the habits of users on socialmedia; 2) the way the public perceives the influencer-brand relationship and, finally, 3) what impact a reputational crisis of a digital influencer would have on the brands it represents. This investigation intended to be an asset for brands, as the results obtained may contribute to a better understanding of important issues for brands about the use of social media. The results will also contribute to ensure that brands are more prepared for a crisis situation, with the minimum possible reputational consequences. Based on the literature review and the resultsof the investigation, a set of guidelines was created so that brands may use in the case of a reputational crisis of one of their digital influencers.

Date of Award	16 Mar 2021
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Mariana Victorino (Supervisor)