| dc.description.abstract | The importance of influence on decision-making amongst consumers has for long been
emphasised within the marketing literature. There is a number of different individuals that
can be seen as influential, having an impact on customers. However, with the emergence
of social media, new ways to influence consumers have been discovered, and thereby also
a new type of influencer. The aim of this paper is to create an understanding of this new
influencer marketing practice, as well as position it in regards to other closely related
marketing fields incorporating influential individuals. To accomplish this, an exploratory
study was conducted, where a number of in-depth interviews were executed with influencer
marketing practitioners, considered as experts within the area, grasping their
understanding of the concept. The results reveal the notion of 1. an entirely new way of
using influential individuals in firms’ marketing strategies, and 2. a new type of influencer
different from influential individuals previous discussed in the marketing literature. The
main focus was seen amongst firms to be the expertise of the individual, whereas the match
between the values of the brand and influencer was somewhat disregarded. To conclude,
this new type of influencer described, could be seen as a merge between different
influential individuals discussed previously in the marketing literature, as she possesses a
number of resembling characteristics. | sv |
