Problemformulering: Konsumenter har påvisat en ökad misstro mot traditionell marknadsföring och efterfrågar autenticitet. Influencer Marketing används i allt större utsträckning av företag för att nå sin målgrupp på önskvärt sätt, och branchen anses ha mognat. Som en vidareutveckling av Influencer Marketing har ett nytt fenomen tagit form; Artificiella Influencers. Fenomenet är ännu relativt okänt av gemene man, men har redan uppmärksammats av såväl modehus som marknadsförare världen över. Hur användandet av detta fenomen kan komma att påverka företag, dess varumärken och uppfattade autenticitet är i dagsläget ännu oklart och forskning på ämnet saknas. Syfte: Studien ämnar undersöka om, och hur, konsumenters uppfattning av ett varumärke och dess autenticitet skiljer sig åt då varumärket kommuniceras via en Verklig- eller Artificiell Influencer. Vidare avser studien jämföra hur dessa två marknadsföringsstrategier skiljer sig åt gällande koncepten varumärkesperception och autenticitet. Slutsats: Studien påvisar att såväl likheter som skillnader går att urskilja gällande de attityder och inställningar som återfinns hos respondenterna mellan Verkliga och Artificiella- Influencers. Den avgörande faktorn konstaterades vara vare sig det framgick om Influencern var artificiell eller ej. Om detta ej kunde avgöras av respondenten bedömdes varumärkessamarbetet utefter samma kriterier för båda typerna av Influencers, vilka därmed likställdes från ett autenticitetsperspektiv. Vidare fastställdes den övergripande kongruensen av matchning mellan samtliga faktorer och modeller vara av stor vikt och helt beroende av individernas subjektiva perception av autenticitet. Forskningsbidrag: Denna studie tillför nya insikter om hur individer uppfattar varumärkesautenticitet vid användandet av fenomenet Artificiella Influencers. Detta fenomen är därmed en ny-tappning på ämnesområdet Influencer Marketing varför uppsatsen bidrar med ökad förståelse för såväl fältet Influencer Marketing som fenomenet Artificiella Influencers. / Problematization: Consumers have demonstrated an increased distrust against traditional marketing and are demanding authenticity. Influencer Marketing is used more frequently by companies in order to reach the target audience in a desired manner, and the industry is considered to have matured. As a further development of Influencer Marketing, a new phenomenon has evolved; Artificial Influencers. The phenomenon is still relatively unknown by the commonalty but has already been recognized by both fashion houses and marketers worldwide. The effects this phenomenon will have upon companies deciding to follow this new trend, their brands and perceived authenticity is still unclear and as for now, there is a lack of research on the subject. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine if, and how, consumers perception of a brand and its authenticity alters whether the brand is communicated by a Real- or an Artificial Influencer. Furthermore, the study aims to compare how these two marketing strategies differs in terms of brand perception and authenticity. Conclusion: This study determines that both similarities and differences can be distinguished among the attitudes of the respondents regarding the matter of Real- versus Artificial Influencers. The decisive factor was found to be whether or not it was clear that the Influencer was artificial. If the respondent could not tell the origin of the Influencer, the brand collaboration was assessed upon the same criteria for both types of Influencers, hence they can be regarded being equal in terms of authenticity. Moreover, it became clear that the overall congruence of fit between all of the determinants as well as the theoretical models were of importance, which depended on the individual’s subjective perception of authenticity. Contribution: This study contributes with new insights on how individuals perceive brand authenticity when companies market themselves with the help of Artificial Influencers. The phenomenon can therefore be seen as a remastered form of Influencer Marketing hence this thesis contributes to an increased understanding of both the Influencer Marketing field as well as the phenomenon of Artificial Influencers.

Syfte och forskningsfrågor Syftet med studien är att klargöra och analysera influencers roll i företags marknadskommunikation. Utifrån detta syfte har följande tre forskningsfrågor formulerats: ❖ Vad präglar influencers roll som marknadsförare? ❖ Vad innebär digitaliseringen för företags sätt att arbeta med sin marknadskommunikation? ❖ Hur har utvecklingen av sociala medier påverkat företags användande av influencer marketing? Metod Uppsatsen är utformad efter en kvalitativ forskningsmetod. Ansatsen kan anses vara av abduktiv karaktär, eftersom forskningsprocessen utgörs av ett växelspel mellan ett deduktivt och induktivt förhållningssätt. Den empiriska datan utgörs av sju semistrukturerade intervjuer där respondenterna anses vara experter inom området. Slutsatser Studiens resultat har visat att digitaliseringen och utvecklingen av sociala medier gjort att företag allt mer använder sig av influencers i sin marknadskommunikation. Således har influencers fått en betydande roll inom företags marknadskommunikation och rollen kan sammanfattas med följande begrepp: Föra en dialog och dela företags berättelser, högre autenticitet, längre räckvidd på fler plattformar, större genomslagskraft, nischa företags marknadsföring samt nå yngre målgrupper, maskerar marknadsföringen, bygger och ansvarar för företags varumärken och förlust av kontroll. / Purpose and research questions The purpose of this study is to clarify and analyse influencers’ role in corporate marketing communications. With this purpose in mind, the following three research questions have been formulated: ❖ What characterizes influencers’ role as marketers? ❖ What does the digitalization mean for companies’ ways of working with their marketing communication? ❖ How has the development of social media affected companies’ use of influencer marketing? Method The essay is designed according to a qualitative research method. The research approach could be considered as abductive, since the research process comprises of an interaction between a deductive and inductive approach. Furthermore, the empirical data consists of seven semi-structured interviews where the respondents are considered experts in the field. Conclusion The study’s results have shown that the digitalization and the development of social media have increased the use of influencers within corporate marketing communications. Thus, influencers have gained a significant role in corporate marketing communication, and the role can be summarized with the following concepts: Conducting a dialogue and sharing the companies’ stories, higher authenticity, longer reach on various platforms, greater impact, niche the company’s marketing and reach younger target groups, disguise marketing, build and be responsible for a corporate brand and at last loss of control.

Problemformulering: Från 1970-talet började andelen kvinnliga sökande till Sveriges ingenjörsutbildningar att öka, men sedan 2000-talet har ökningen avstannat. Andelen kvinnliga studenter som sökte sig till ingenjörsutbildningar våren 2016 var endast 31 procent. Att kvinnliga ingenjörer är så få på arbetsmarknaden är ett problem som kommer leda till konsekvenser för jämställdheten och den ekonomiska tillväxten i Sverige. Medvetandet om problemet måste därför öka och satsningar måste börja redan i grundskolan. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att se hur tre organisationer beskriver och kommunicerar sitt arbete med influencers, samt hur de kommunicerar via sina webbsidor för att skapa engagemang och intresse för teknik hos unga tjejer. Metod och material: Utifrån tre organisationers samarbeten med influencers, KTH och Robyn, Teknikföretagen och Therese Lindgren samt Valtech och tidningen Frida, valdes en person från varje organisation ut som arbetat med samarbetet. Genom telefonintervjuer samlades empiri in kring respondenternas syn på arbetsprocessen och kommunikation via influencers. En innehållsanalys av organisationernas webbsidor gjordes också som kopplades ihop med budskap gällande samarbetena. Huvudresultat: Resultatet visar att de undersökta organisationerna har uppmärksammat ett problem och att de använder sig av en ny typ av kommunikation för att nå ut till en ny målgrupp. Organisationerna använder sig av samarbetet med influencers för att nå ut till den målgrupp som de i vanliga fall inte kommunicerar med lika mycket. Organisationerna använder sig av sina egna kanaler främst för att kommunicera med andra intressenter såsom medlemmar, branschkollegor och andra företag inom teknikbranschen.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att öka förståelsen för en ny typ av arbete; att vara influencer, vilket innebär att arbeta med sociala medier för att på något sätt påverka den publik man byggt upp. Huvudsakligt fokus ligger på att förstå vilka eventuella problem influencers upplever inom sitt arbete, vilket besvaras genom två frågeställningar: Hur upplever influencers balansen mellan privatliv och yrkesliv? Och Vilka metoder använder de för att hantera eventuella konflikter mellan de två? Datan bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem influencers. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna är Marx alienationsteori samt Goffmans teori om intrycksstyrning, vilka bidrar till förståelsen för yrket ur olika perspektiv. Resultatet kan också kopplas till tidigare forskning om mikrokändisskap och frilansarbete, eftersom detta är två aspekter som tydligt karaktäriserar influencerskapet. Resultatet visar att influencers upplever gemensamma problem som i olika grad går att koppla till alienation, samt att de utvecklat tre kategorier av strategier för att hantera dessa problem; praktisk, emotionell och relationell särskiljning. Detta visar att influencers använder en aktiv och medveten särskiljning mellan livet och arbetet för att motverka den alienation man i viss mån upplever. Bidraget till forskningsfältet består i ett sätt att kategorisera strategier för särskiljning som ett sätt att hantera alienation genom arbetet, samt ökad kunskap om ett nytt och högst relevant yrke som tidigare inte studerats ur den aktuella gruppens eget perspektiv.

En esta investigación se analiza Los canales de comunicación audiovisual de Instagram y su relación con la intención de compra de ropa deportiva de moda en mujeres de 18 a 35 años de nivel socioeconómico A de San Borja, Surco, San Isidro y Miraflores en el presente año. En base a esto, la hipótesis planteada es que los canales de comunicación audiovisual de Instagram se relacionan con la intención de compra de ropa deportiva en mujeres. De esta manera, la investigación describe el marketing de boca a boca y su evolución en el tiempo, el desarrollo del concepto mencionado en las redes sociales, ahondando en Instagram. Asimismo, se describe lo que es una intención de compra, con apoyo del proceso de compra, comportamiento del consumidor y el ZMOT1. Finalmente, se detallan la evolución y características de Instagram, haciendo hincapié en las “fotos”, “videos”, “stories” e “Instagram Tv”. La investigación es de tipo descriptivo, menciona los 4 canales de comunicación audiovisual y los actores como “seguidos”, “influencers” y “cuentas de las marcas” que participan en esta red social. La intención de compra en Instagram se ve influenciada de forma diferente por canal, actor y la actividad que este pueda hacer al momento de publicar algún contenido. / This research analyzes the audiovisual communication channels of Instagram and its relationship with the intention of buying fashionable sportswear in women from 18 to 35 years of socioeconomic status A of San Borja, Surco, San Isidro and Miraflores in the current year. Based on this, the hypothesis is that Instagram's audiovisual communication channels are related to the intention of buying sportswear for women. In this way, the research describes word of mouth marketing and its evolution over time, the development of the concept mentioned in social networks, delving into Instagram. In addition, the purchase intention, the purchase process, the consumer's behavior and the ZMOT are described. Finally, the evolution and characteristics of Instagram, how to make disabilities in the "photos", "videos", "stories" and "Instagram TV" are detailed. The research is descriptive, the 4 channels of audiovisual communication and the actors as "followed", "influencers" and "accounts of the brands" that participate in this social network. The intention to buy on Instagram is influenced differently by channel, actor and the activity that can be done when publishing some content. / Trabajo de investigación

The rapid growth of visual microblogging platforms, such as Instagram, has created new opportunities for brands to communicate with stakeholders. As these platforms evolve, brands have had to adapt in order to use the available social media platforms to gain visibility in the millennial audience. Recently brands have turned to online 'celebrities' known as a social media influencer (SMI) to distribute information and influence consumers' product perceptions. This specifically has become a common tactic in communication and marketing efforts with the fashion and beauty industry. Ample research is available on the effects of celebrity endorsements but currently there is a gap in research pertaining to the consumer's perspective towards SMIs and SMIs effects on consumers. The online experiment completed in this thesis addressed how promotion of a product by a SMI affects perceptions of consumers on Instagram by measuring social comparison and self-congruity. This is accomplished by comparing participant's product perception to promotional posts on Instagram by a SMI, brand, and unbranded retail source. A three-condition experiment (SMI, Brand, Control) compared effects of product perception, social comparison, and self-congruity. A questionnaire consisting of 48 questions pertaining to SMI, self-congruity, social comparison, and product perception was completed by 151 participants. Significant relationships were found between the source of the promotional post (SMI, Brand, Control) and product perception. There was also a correlation between self-congruity and social comparison towards the SMI as well as product perception. Results suggest that the post source influences product perception. Results also indicate consumers' perception of the SMI effects product perception. These results provide practical implications for communication practioners who utilize social media. The rapid growth of visual microblogging platforms such as Instagram, is creating new opportunities for organizations to communicate with stakeholders. Brands have used social media platforms in order to gain visibility in the college age audience. Currently there is a gap in research pertaining to SMI and their effects on consumers. This online experiment will address how promotion of a product by an SMI affects perceptions of consumers on Instagram through social comparison and self-congruity theory by comparing responses to a product promoted by an SMI to the same product promoted by the promoted by the brand and to an unbranded retail source. A questionnaire consisting 34 of questions pertaining to SMI, self-congruity, and social comparison will be asked to 180-240 participants. The participants will be randomly assigned one of nine Instagram posts to accomplish stimulus sampling across the three conditions: three from SMI, three from brands, and three from an unbranded retail source / Master of Arts

Influencers on social media is a new phenomenon that has gained popularity in recent years. Despite the increasing popularity of influencer marketing on Instagram, research has been limited. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the credibility of Instagram influencers from the perspective of followers, and see whether the dimensions of source credibility outlined by Ohanian (1990) has a positive impact on users to follow influencers on this platform. The research first presents and compares the research and theories to date regarding the use of celebrities in advertisement and influencer marketing. Then it attempts to investigate the credibility of Instagram influencers in the eyes of male and female users, and evaluates the differences in both genders on the criteria that they decide to follow influencers. This study also evaluates purchase intention of Instagram users based on the product advertisements by influencers to see whether dimensions of source credibility positively impact users’ intent to purchase. For the purpose of this study, a survey of 250 participants was conducted using Amazon MTurk. The results show that about 77 percent of the participants spend more than at least half an hour a day on Instagram and more than half of the participants indicated that their purchase intention is impacted by influencers on this platform. The key findings of this study provide further understanding of the influencers phenomenon on Instagram and give marketers valuable insight in the process of decision-making when running influencer marketing campaigns on Instagram. It provides marketers with more information on how to match up influencers and potential consumers.

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo general explicar de qué manera las influencers de moda impactan en el proceso de valorización del lujo para la joven limeña Gen Z del sector A/B, en la actualidad. Para ello, es importante conocer el papel de las influencers como agente de decisión de compra para los productos de lujo, así como explicar la relación entre la valorización del lujo y las influencers de moda mediante objetivos especificos. La presente investigación tiene un enfoque cualitativo de diseño etnográfico. Los objetivos serán desarrollados a través del análisis de información teórica en torno a conceptos como el lujo, influencers y generación Z, así como ténicas de recojo de información: entrevistas semi estructuradas y un focus group a 8 jóvenes limeñas Gen Z universitarias del sector socioeconómico A/B, pertenecientes a distritos como La Molina, Miraflores, San Borja, San Isidro y Santiago de Surco, a las cuales se les preguntará sobre sus conocimientos y percepciones de los productos de lujo en la moda y si es que esta se ha visto afectada por la influencers de moda, ya que se desconoce su posición y experiencia al respecto. De esta manera, se propone responder la siguiente pregunta de investigación: ¿Cómo las influencers de moda en instagram impactan en el proceso de valorización del lujo en la joven limeña Gen Z, del sector A/B. / This research aims to explain how fashion influencers impact the process of luxury valorization luxury for Gen Z young woman of the A/B socioeconomic sector, from Lima, Perú. To do so, it is important to know the role of influencers as a purchasing decision agent for luxury products, as well as to explain the relation between the valorization of luxury and fashion influencers through specific objectives. This research has a quantitative approach and ethnographic design. The objectives will be developed through the analysis of theoretical information around concepts such as luxury, influencers and generation Z, as well as information collecting techniques: semi-structured interviews and a focus group to 8 Gen Z woman, who also are university students and belong to the socioeconomic sector A/B, belonging to districts such as La Molina, Miraflores, San Borja, San Isidro and Santiago de Surco. They will be asked about luxury products in fashion and if their desire of consumption has been affected by fashion influencers content, since their position or knowledge about them it is unknown. In this way, it is proposed to answer the following research question: How do fashion influencers on instagram impact the process of valorizing luxury for Gen Z young woman of the A/B socioeconomic sector, from Lima, Perú.

Millennials are leaving the Catholic Church in great numbers, despite being raised in the faith. When asked for the reason of disaffiliation, young adults do not blame sexual abuse scandals in the Church nor do they cite specific Catholic beliefs and teachings. Instead, they say that they have begun to ask why stay Catholic and what meaning does the Catholic faith provide in their lives. This search for meaning has caused them to leave their faith and seek it elsewhere. However, prominent figures in Catholic media, Emily Wilson and Fr. Mike Schmitz, use YouTube as a platform to reach out to young adults in the Catholic faith. This thesis aims to understand how the two Catholic YouTube influencers use eudaimonic messages in their videos to provide the meaning that young adults have been missing from their faith. Eudaimonics has been linked to a sense of enjoyment beyond pleasure, focusing on a sense of well-being instead; this provides a deeper sense of meaning for those who view media containing eudaimonics. Using a directed content analysis, videos will be analyzed for the seven dimensions of eudaimonics – meaning in life/sense of purpose, self-acceptance, autonomy, competence, relatedness, personal growth, and living according to central personal values – and two transcendent elicitors – hopefulness and religiousness. Comments left by viewers under the videos will also be analyzed to see if viewers pick up on these meaningful messages. This analysis will evaluate how those messages by the YouTube influencers may impact young adult viewers and their Catholic faith. / Master of Arts / Millennials are leaving the Catholic Church in great numbers, despite being raised in the faith. When asked for the reason of disaffiliation, young adults do not blame sexual abuse scandals in the Church nor do they cite specific Catholic beliefs and teachings. Instead, they say that they have begun to ask why stay Catholic and what meaning does the Catholic faith provide in their lives. This search for meaning has caused them to leave their faith and seek it elsewhere. However, prominent figures in Catholic media, Emily Wilson and Fr. Mike Schmitz, use YouTube as a platform to reach out to young adults in the Catholic faith. This thesis aims to understand how the two Catholic YouTube influencers use eudaimonic messages in their videos to provide the meaning that young adults have been missing from their faith. Research has shown that eudaimonics provides a deeper sense of meaning for those who view media containing eudaimonic messages. This thesis will analyze the YouTube videos by the Catholic influencers for eudaimonic messages as well as analyze the comments left by viewers. This will help to evaluate how the influencers' messages may impact young adult viewers and their Catholic faith.

In a new media landscape, social media have become a new way of interacting for internet users. It has also given birth to new professions and new empowerments. One of the new existing players in the modified field of media is influencers.  Influencers affect people in a variety of ways, for instance in commerce and opinions. They do this on different platforms and with different tools of persuasion. International researchers have been studying general media use on social media, influencing marketing and what motivates the choices of social media users. They have also investigated the motives when it comes to why users choose to follow influencers. The Swedish research field in this area isn’t as satisfying as the international research, though. Swedish researchers have been studying influencers from an influencer point of view. This study’s vision is, therefore, to broaden the influencer research, with a user perspective. The theoretical framework uses and gratifications is a common way to investigate users, and their motivations to make certain choices, using media. A survey was conducted and sent to grown up females. The survey focused on what motivated them to follow influencers on Instagram, and whether they had been influenced by the influencers in any way. The result of the study gave us different insights. A factor analysis showed that there were four different motivations for following influencers, and that the strongest motive was entertainment. The entertainment motive also contained the most highly valued item which was the motive to be amused. The factor analysis also found the motives; socialization, social status and new trends. The study also showed that there weren’t any strong correlations between the four motives and the users’ history in being affected by the influencer. However, there was a correlation between the affected-variable and the two items following new trends and to keep updated about new products.