The Psychological Influence of Fashion and Style Icons on Consumer Buying Behavior
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35560/jcofarts1849Keywords:
Social media influencers; Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI); personality traits; consumer buying behavior; fashion and apparel; influencer marketingAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the role of social media influencers as a source of information about fashion and apparel products, examine the impact of their personality traits on consumers' buying behavior, investigate the psychological influence of influencer advertising, and explore the factors affecting consumers' purchase decisions as well as the role of influencers in marketing and advertising. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach. The sample consisted of 13 social media influencers and 420 Saudi female consumers in Jeddah aged between 15 and 50 years. The research instruments included a questionnaire for analyzing influencers' personalities based on the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) and a questionnaire designed to measure the impact of influencer advertising on consumers' buying behavior.
The findings revealed that the most influential social media influencers were characterized predominantly by analytical (objective) and executive personality traits, with a relatively limited presence of emotional traits, according to the Herrmann personality analysis. This indicates that personality profiles combining logical thinking with strong organizational and execution abilities are the most persuasive in fashion and apparel marketing. The results also showed that advertisements featuring social media influencers exert a greater influence on consumer buying behavior than advertisements without influencers. Furthermore, influencer credibility was identified as a key factor in building consumer trust and enhancing purchase intention, while higher levels of consumer awareness contributed to regulating consumers' responsiveness to advertising messages. The study recommends employing personality assessment tools, particularly the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument, when selecting influencers for marketing campaigns to ensure better alignment between influencers' personality traits, brand identity, and target audiences, thereby improving the effectiveness of advertising communications
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