Research: Quantifying Influencer-Marketing ROI and Authenticity Signalling Among Gen-Z ...

Research question: How does perceived authenticity of influencers affect the ROI of marketing campaigns targeting Gen-Z segments?

Background & Motivation: Influencer marketing has rapidly become a dominant channel for engaging Gen-Z consumers, whose purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped by social media personalities. Brands invest significant resources in influencer partnerships, yet the actual return on investment (ROI) and the role of authenticity in driving campaign effectiveness remain debated.

Research Gap: Existing literature explores influencer marketing and authenticity separately, but lacks quantitative evidence linking authenticity signalling—such as transparency, relatability, and trustworthiness—to measurable ROI in Gen-Z segments. This project seeks to bridge this gap by empirically examining how authenticity perceptions impact campaign outcomes and sales performance.

Approach & Contribution: The study will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining survey-based measurement of authenticity perceptions with analysis of campaign performance data (engagement metrics, conversion rates, sales uplift) from real influencer campaigns. Statistical models will isolate the effect of authenticity signalling on ROI, controlling for campaign size, influencer tier, and content type.

Importance: Findings will inform marketers on optimizing influencer selection and messaging for Gen-Z, enhancing both effectiveness and efficiency of spend. This research advances understanding of digital attribution and consumer behaviour, with practical implications for brand strategy and sales performance in the evolving social media landscape.