INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER MARKETING ON PURCHASE INTENTION OF GEN Z FASHION CONSUMERS IN CHENNAI

Abstract

The growth of social networking platforms has changed the way young consumers discover fashion products, assess alternatives and form purchase decisions. For Gen Z consumers, influencer-generated content has become an important source of product information because it combines entertainment, personal recommendations and visible consumer reactions. This study examines the role of social media influencer marketing in shaping the purchase intention of Gen Z fashion consumers in Chennai. An exploratory and descriptive research design was followed. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 150 Gen Z consumers aged 18–27 years who follow fashion influencers, selected by convenience sampling. The data were analysed using percentage analysis, mean, standard deviation, independent-samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Purchase intention showed a positive and statistically significant relationship with each of the four influencer-marketing dimensions examined: Influencer Credibility, Content Quality, Relatability and Social Proof. The four dimensions jointly explained 53.3 per cent of the variation in purchase intention (adjusted R² = 0.520). Influencer Credibility recorded the strongest correlation (r = 0.549) and the largest standardised regression coefficient (β = 0.384), whereas Social Proof recorded the weakest on both measures. The study recommends that fashion brands attend to influencer credibility, useful content, authentic communication, transparent disclosure of paid partnerships and locally relevant messaging when designing campaigns for Gen Z consumers in Chennai.