From Follower to Consumer: Analyzing How Internet Celebrity Attributes Shape Brand Attitudes and Purchase Intentions across Different Socio-Economic Strata

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the online influencer economy has transformed digital marketing by creating new opportunities to influence consumer purchasing behavior, particularly in emerging markets such as Pakistan. This study investigates the impact of Internet celebrity attributes on consumers' purchase intention by integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework and Persuasion Theory. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected from 400 Pakistani digital consumers. The proposed model was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS. The findings reveal that four Internet celebrity attributes professionalism, credibility, interactivity, and attractiveness positively and significantly influence consumers' attitudes toward endorsed brands, with attractiveness emerging as the strongest predictor. Brand attitude was found to fully mediate the relationship between celebrity attributes and purchase intention, confirming its central role in the persuasion process. Furthermore, digital literacy significantly moderated the relationship between brand attitude and purchase intention, indicating that consumers with higher digital literacy respond more effectively to influencer marketing. However, perceived risk did not significantly moderate purchase intention, likely due to the widespread acceptance of Cash on Delivery (COD) in Pakistan. The study contributes to theory by validating the applicability of persuasion theories within an emerging digital economy and provides practical implications for digital marketers regarding influencer selection and strategies to enhance consumers' digital literacy for more effective marketing outcomes.