How Does Conformity Shape Influencer Marketing in the Food and Beverage Industry? A Case Study in Vietnam

Abstract

This study investigates the role of conformity in shaping the purchasing decisions of young consumers within the food and beverage (F&B) sector. Additionally, we explore how conformity moderates the relationship between influencer credibility and purchase intention while examining the link between psychological ownership and purchase intention. Data was collected from 380 consumers between the age of 18 and 30 in Hanoi, Vietnam who regularly follow food reviews on prominent social media platforms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed for data analysis. We find that: (1) influencer credibility, attitude toward advertising, attitude toward the product, and psychological ownership significantly impact the online purchase intentions of young consumers; (2) informative conformity strengthens the connection between psychological ownership and purchase intention. When consumers express a desire to purchase a product, exposure to positive influencer-driven information further solidifies their purchase intent; (3) psychological ownership and attitude toward advertising act as mediators, bridging the gap between influencer credibility and purchase intention. This study offers managerial insights to improve influencer marketing effectiveness for F&B brands targeting young consumers in Vietnam and Asia, highlighting the importance of conformity, psychological ownership, and attitude toward advertising.

Keywords:

• Online consumer behavior
• online shopping
• social media marketing
• structural equation modeling
• young consumers

Acknowledgements

1. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Banking Academy of Vietnam.

2. The authors would like to express our special thanks to Mr. Tran Quang Hung, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Youth Union –Curator of the Global Shapers Hanoi Hub (a constituent of the World Economic Forum), and his team at Hub Network for their assistance in collecting the survey data; Prof. Regina Connolly –Editor of the Journal of Internet Commerce, and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and encouragement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).