In today’s digital age, the influence wielded by social media personalities extends far beyond casual entertainment, shaping the very fabric of consumer behavior among youth. Recent research conducted among university students in the Bannu district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province illuminates how the convergence of attitude homophily, social attractiveness, and physical allure converge to reframe traditional marketing paradigms. These factors coalesce to empower a psychological mechanism termed self-expansion, driving how consumers develop brand perceptions and purchase intentions in profoundly nuanced ways.
Attitude homophily—a tendency for individuals to connect with others who share similar beliefs and values—emerges as a potent catalyst for self-expansion in consumers. This psychological phenomenon fosters a deep resonance between social media influencers (SMIs) and their followers, where shared worldviews validate and reinforce personal identities. Such alignment stimulates an expansion of self-concept, where the consumer incorporates aspects of the influencer’s identity and values into their own, thereby enriching their personality and sense of belonging.
Intriguingly, the role of physical attractiveness in this complex interplay deviates from widely held assumptions. Rather than consistently boosting consumer engagement, physical attractiveness in the studied context reflects an inverse relationship with self-expansion. This counterintuitive discovery underscores the culturally contingent nature of attractiveness, especially within societies where traditional values prioritize character, integrity, and shared beliefs over superficial visual appeal. In such settings, physical beauty is sometimes perceived as superficial or even detracting from deeper emotional connections, highlighting the critical importance of context in shaping psychological responses.
Parallel to the ambivalent role of physical allure, social attractiveness—comprising attributes like social status and popularity—emerges as a substantial driver of consumer self-expansion. Particularly within the dynamic microcosm of social media, influencers who exude social charm and relatability generate emotional bonds that transcend mere superficial engagement. This phenomenon parallels “brand love,” a concept that captures emotional attachment and loyalty toward brands facilitated through influencer-follower relationships, effectively bridging psychological connection and marketing efficacy.
The study further elucidates how the halo effect contributes to consumer perceptions by attributing positive traits to physically attractive individuals that extend to the brands they endorse. However, within culturally specific frameworks—such as that of Bannu—traditional values limit the sway of physical attractiveness, favoring authenticity and shared values instead. This reinforces the primacy of homophily and social attractiveness in forging meaningful consumer-influencer bonds that drive brand affinity.
Authenticity stands out as a foundational element within social media influencer marketing. The perception of genuineness profoundly shapes brand attitudes by fostering trust and enhancing the emotional relevance of the influencer’s persona. The Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) model corroborates this linkage, revealing how perceived authenticity and homophily jointly propel consumers toward self-expansion and favorable brand evaluations. This dynamic resonates deeply with trends favoring authenticity over polished personas in digital marketing landscapes.
Beyond theoretical contributions, the findings bear rich implications for modern marketing practice. Meme marketing surfaces as a potent, cutting-edge strategy that leverages humor and cultural relevance to capture youth attention. By aligning influencer attributes—homophily, social attractiveness, and even physical attractiveness—with meme content, brands can stimulate self-actualization among consumers, fostering loyalty and positioning customers as active participants in the brand narrative instead of passive recipients.
This evolving marketing ecosystem necessitates a strategic focus on selecting influencers whose attributes resonate authentically with target demographics. For youth consumers in higher education, particularly in male-majority samples such as the University of Science and Technology (UST), Bannu, the preference for homophily and social attractiveness underscores the value of authentic relational cues over mere visual appeal. Influencers who reflect shared values and social relevance can generate parasocial relationships (PSRs) that translate into meaningful brand engagement and purchasing behaviors.
The insight that physical attractiveness exerts limited influence in this cultural context challenges widespread marketing assumptions. Brands targeting similar demographics should recalibrate their emphasis, recognizing that psychological congruence and social resonance hold greater sway. This nuanced understanding accommodates the layered cultural fabric influencing consumer psychology, thereby enriching contextual marketing models.
The study further frames these phenomena within established theoretical frameworks. Persuasion theory lays the groundwork for understanding how the social attributes of influencers facilitate emotional and cognitive engagement, effectively persuading followers through perceived similarity and social validation. The VAB model complements this by linking values and attitudes to observable behavior, with self-expansion theory highlighting the transformational process where consumers adopt aspects of influencers’ identities, leading to enriched self-concept and brand loyalty.
Uniquely, this research synthesizes these theoretical lenses into an integrated model that captures the dynamic interplay of influencer characteristics, consumer psychology, and meme marketing strategy. This cohesive framework not only advances academic understanding but also offers a pragmatic blueprint for marketers aiming to harness influencer dynamics effectively in culturally complex environments.
However, the study acknowledges inherent limitations, notably its reliance on a single university’s male student population, which constrains the generalizability of its conclusions. Future research should incorporate diverse gender and institutional contexts to validate and extend these findings. Longitudinal studies are also recommended to mitigate issues related to temporal data limitations and common method variance.
Moreover, expanding the conceptual model to include mediating variables like brand love, anthropomorphism, and demographic factors could deepen insight into the nuanced pathways linking social media influencer attributes with consumer behaviors. Such advances will sharpen predictive precision and inform tailored marketing interventions.
In an era where digital landscapes are rapidly evolving, this study spotlights the emergent role of memes and social media personalities as corridors to consumer motivation and behavior. It elucidates how digital narratives foster self-expansion—a core psychological mechanism—and how marketers can strategically harness this to cultivate deep, authentic connections with youth audiences. As technology mediates more of our social and consumer interactions, the importance of cultural context and psychological congruence becomes paramount, reshaping the contours of influence and persuasion for the next generation.
The intricate balance between authenticity, shared attitudes, and social charm elucidated here offers a compelling lens through which to view the future of influencer marketing. By transcending superficial metrics and engaging the deeper self-concept of consumers, brands and influencers can catalyze transformative experiences, ushering in a new era of meaningful digital relationships. This research serves as a clarion call for marketers to embrace psychological complexity, cultural sensitivity, and innovative content strategies to unlock the full potential of social media influence in shaping youth consumption trajectories.
Subject of Research:
The study investigates how social media influencers’ attributes—attitude homophily, social attractiveness, and physical attractiveness—impact youth consumer self-expansion, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions within meme marketing contexts.
Article Title:
From memes to motivation: understanding how social media influencers drive youth consumption
Article References:
Ali, S., Yawar, R.B., Ali, S. et al. From memes to motivation: understanding how social media influencers drive youth consumption. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1907 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06166-z
Image Credits: AI Generated
