Impact of Influencer Marketing on Gen Z Consumer Purchasing Patterns in Emerging Economies

Abstract

This paper investigates how social media influencer marketing alters the buying behavior of Generation Z (born 1997–2012) within emerging economies. Grounded in Source Credibility Theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this study analyzes how influencer traits like perceived authenticity, expertise, and trustworthiness translate into digital peer pressure and conversion. Emerging economies exhibit high mobile internet penetration paired with distinct socioeconomic dynamics, making them unique ecosystems for social commerce. By examining consumer trends across markets like India, Indonesia, and Nigeria, this paper shows that Gen Z rejects traditional top-down corporate advertisements. Instead, they rely on micro- and nano-influencers who operate as proxy peers. The findings reveal that trust acts as the primary link between content exposure and purchase execution, while regional challenges such as digital infrastructure variance and localized platform algorithms heavily shape marketing outcomes.