The Causes and Their Influencers in the Age of Digital Business

Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of Instrammers' recommendations pro and against the consumption of animal foods, on the attitude towards the animals' welfare, in light of respondents' involvement with the so-called healthy eating. The research uses a sample of 144 respondents, whose data were analyzed by structural equation modeling performed with the Smart-PLS-2.0. The sample was collected through online questionnaires, containing videos of four different influencers in favor and against the consumption of animal foods, to which the respondents were randomly assigned to. The result pointed out that influencer credibility, in this case, is best organized as a second-order construct, which in addition to the three factors suggested by Ohanian also incorporates the influencer's interactivity with the consumer. The result confirmed that both the involvement with the healthy eating cause, and the Instagrammers' credibility contribute directly or indirectly to the quality of information posted and to the attitude towards animal welfare.