Trusting the Creator: How Influencer Credibility Shapes Brand Relationships in the Digital Era

This study investigates how consumer co-creation influences purchase intention within India’s rapidly growing digital creator economy by developing an integrated framework that explains the mediating roles of intrinsic motivation and brand trust in influencer-driven contexts. Using survey data collected from 343 digitally active young consumers in India, the study examines the relationships among consumer co-creation, intrinsic motivation, brand trust, influencer credibility, and purchase intention. The findings indicate that consumer co-creation positively enhances purchase intention through the sequential effects of intrinsic motivation and brand trust. While influencer credibility directly strengthens consumers’ purchase intention, it does not significantly moderate the relationship between co-creation and purchase intention. The study contributes to the literature by offering a comprehensive framework tailored to the Indian creator economy and provides practical insights for brands and influencers seeking to cultivate authentic consumer engagement, strengthen trust, and improve marketing effectiveness through co-creation initiatives.