The dynamics of social media influencer-driven CSR advertising: The role of sponsorship disclosure and perceived similarity

Drawing upon the Persuasion Knowledge Model, this study investigates the boundary conditions and psychological mechanisms aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) advertising when conveyed by social media influencers (SMI) targeting Generation Z consumers. To this end, two experiments were conducted to examine the interaction impacts of disclosure prominence (implicit vs. explicit), endorsement type (brand vs. CSR), and perceived similarity on online behavioral intentions, mediated by perceptions of manipulativeness. The findings of Study 1 revealed that implicit disclosure played a more significant role in eliciting positive behavioral intentions to SMI-CSR advertising, while the opposite results were found for SMI-brand advertising. The results of Study 2 demonstrated that explicit disclosure was less likely to generate perceived manipulativeness toward SMI-CSR ads endorsed by SMIs with low similarity. However, the level of perceived manipulativeness was similar for SMI-CSR ads by SMIs with high similarity regardless of disclosure prominence. Notably, perceived manipulativeness emerged as a significant mediator underlying these interactions in both studies. The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.