Who Do Consumers Trust More, the Athlete or the Influencer? The Impact of Disclosure and Credibility on Brand Attitudes

While social media use has increased over time, social media influencers and sponsored content have become a common form of advertising. This has started to raise questions about how the disclosure of these paid partnerships influences consumers' perceptions of brands. Prior research suggests that advertising disclosure is able to influence consumer attitudes and trust. Furthermore, the presenter's credibility may also influence how persuasive messages are received. This interaction between advertising disclosure and presenter credibility has not been fully explored. In this study, 145 participants were recruited through an online platform and randomly assigned to view one of four Instagram-style posts promoting an athletic sneaker brand. The posts varied by presenter type (professional athlete vs. lifestyle influencer) and whether a paid partnership disclosure was present or absent. Participants then completed a survey measuring brand attitude, perceived authenticity, and perceived trustworthiness of the presenter. The results indicated that the posts featuring a professional athlete produced more positive brand attitudes than posts featuring a lifestyle influencer. However, the presence or absence of a paid partnership did not have a significant effect on brand attitudes. The findings of this study suggest that presenter credibility may play an important role in shaping how consumers respond to sponsored social media content more than advertising disclosure does.