Purpose

This paper aims to elucidate instances whereby celebrity endorsements by social media influencers (SMIs) embedded within online consumption communities are perceived as transgressive by their fellow community members. In doing so, this study provides insights into the new challenges and considerations that such community contexts present for celebrity endorsement.

Design/methodology/approach

The research team conducted a longitudinal, netnographic study of the YouTube beauty community, involving an initial phase of netnographic immersion followed by an investigative netnography that examined community members’ response to celebrity endorsements by 12 SMIs within the community.

Findings

This study identifies five recurring celebrity endorsement transgressions, each violating an established moral responsibility within the community. The paper explores how community members attribute responsibility for transgressive endorsements and identifies consequences for both the SMI and the endorsed brand.

Research limitations/implications

This study focused on a single consumption community, developing a deep understanding of the distinct moral responsibilities that shape the reception of celebrity endorsements within this context.

Practical implications

The paper presents managerial recommendations that will aid both SMIs and brands in implementing celebrity endorsements that avoid communal perceptions of transgression.

Originality/value

The analysis extends prior study on celebrity endorsement by SMIs by explaining when and why SMI endorsements are likely to be perceived as transgressive by the community and providing new insights into community member responses to transgressive SMI endorsements. It also extends wider theories of celebrity endorsement by highlighting the influence of consumption community contexts upon endorsement reception and examining consumer responses to celebrity endorsements perceived as transgressive in and of themselves.

中文翻译：

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消费社区背景下的社交媒体影响者和过犯的名人代言

目的

本文旨在阐明实例，其中嵌入在在线消费社区中的社交媒体影响者（SMI）的名人代言被其社区成员视为违法。通过这样做，本研究提供了对此类社区背景为名人认可所带来的新挑战和考虑的见识。

设计/方法/方法

研究小组对YouTube美容社区进行了纵向的网络志研究，涉及网络志浸入的初始阶段，然后是调查网络志，研究了社区成员对社区内12位SMI对名人代言的反应。

发现

这项研究确定了五次反复的名人代言过犯，每一次都违反了社区内已确立的道德责任。本文探讨了社区成员如何将违法背书的责任归咎于社会，并确定了SMI和背书品牌的后果。

研究局限/意义

这项研究的重点是单一的消费社区，对在这种背景下塑造名人代言感的独特道德责任有了深刻的理解。

实际影响

本文提出了管理建议，这些建议将有助于SMI和品牌实施名人代言，从而避免公众对违法行为的看法。

创意/价值

该分析通过解释社区何时以及为何可能将SMI背书视为违规，并提供了新的见解来了解社区成员对过海SMI背书的反应，从而扩展了SMI对名人背书的先前研究。它还通过强调消费社区环境对代言接受的影响，并研究了消费者对被认为本身具有侵略性的代言的回应，从而扩展了更广泛的名人代言理论。