Internet Celebrity Self-Brand Attitudes and Purchase Intentions among Malaysian Gen Y Consumers: The Moderating Effect of Willingness to Pay Premium Price

HRMARS - Purpose: This research investigates the antecedents of consumer attitudes and purchase intentions for internet celebrity self-brands, grounded in Cognitive Consistency Theory. It examines the impact of congruence, authenticity, and involvement, and assesses the moderating role of willingness to pay premium price (WTPPP) in the relationship between brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach: Data were screened and prepared using IBM SPSS 27. The proposed conceptual model was then tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4, chosen for its suitability in exploratory studies and complex models. Findings: The expected outcome of this research is to identify factors that facilitate consumers’ attitudes towards internet celebrity self-brands to predict purchase intentions, while moderating effect of willingness to pay premium price on the relationship between brand attitudes and purchase intention. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited by the fast-changing social media landscape and varying effects across product categories. Practical implications: This research offers actionable insights for internet celebrities developing self-brands by elucidating the attitudes, purchase intentions, and price sensitivities of Malaysian Gen Y consumers. The findings guide the creation of authentic brands and strategic pricing models, such as tiered product structures that align with millennial values and financial thresholds, ensuring market viability. Originality/value: To the authors' knowledge, empirical research examining willingness to pay premium price as a moderator in the context of internet celebrity self-brands remains limited. This study addresses this gap by being one of the first to empirically validate this mechanism specifically among Malaysian Generation Y consumers. By repositioning WTPPP from a traditional dependent variable to a critical economic boundary condition, this research challenges prior literature that views it solely as a behavioural outcome. This theoretical shift clarifies how financial valuation functions as a filter, determining when positive attitudes successfully crystallize into purchase intentions.