Influencer Marketing to Youth : the Impact of Instagram Influencer on Healthy Food Choices among Youth

Chang, Kar Kei (2022) Influencer Marketing to Youth : the Impact of Instagram Influencer on Healthy Food Choices among Youth. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

Healthy food choices have become a trend among youth as they are more concerned about their health. The increasing role of social media in affecting the behavioural change of today's society can be seen as social media has become an integral part of most people in the world. The rise of influencer marketing on social media platforms are affecting the consumer’s eating behaviour. However, previous studies have shown contradictory results regarding the impact of influencers in influencing youth’s healthy eating behaviour. Scholars suggest that Instagram has a definitive effect in encouraging healthy eating behaviour among youth but there is a lack of research that mainly focuses on Instagram’s influencer marketing and its impact on eating behaviour. This study aims to focus on the roles of influencer marketing on Instagram towards youth’s healthy eating behaviour. The Healthy Food Promotion Model is reviewed to explain the underlying mechanism of healthy food promotion. Intensive interviews were conducted on 6 Instagram users in Malaysia via Zoom Meeting due to the outbreak of Covid-19. The study concludes that Instagram influencer marketing plays a vital role in influencing healthy eating behaviour of youth. Future researchers are suggested to conduct longitudinal study on this research to be adapted to the continuous evolution of social media platforms. It is also to explore other possibilities of social media influencer marketing in influencing youth’s healthy eating behaviour.