Abstract:
In the realm of local athleisure brands within Sri Lanka, the impact of Instagram influencer endorsements on consumer purchase intention remains a relatively unexplored territory. This research aims to address this gap in knowledge by providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of influencer marketing strategies in the Sri Lankan athleisure market, shedding light on this under-researched area. Drawing upon a quantitative research design, the study employed non-probability sampling and distributed a structured questionnaire via Google Forms. The questionnaire incorporated 5-point Likert scales to capture respondents' perceptions. A robust dataset comprising 390 responses was collected from individuals aged 18 to 55 years and older. The consumers of the Western province of Sri Lanka serve as the population of interest for this research, who actively use Instagram as a social media platform and exhibit a keen interest in local athleisure brands, forming a target demographic likely to be influenced by Instagram influencer endorsements. However, due to the limited existing research on the population, reliable information regarding its size remains unavailable. The results of the study revealed that factors such as likeability, expertise, and attractiveness associated with Instagram influencer endorsements have a positive and significant impact on consumers' purchase intentions for local athleisure brands within the Sri Lankan market. However, interestingly, the credibility factor was found to have no significant impact on consumers' purchase intentions. The insights gained from this research will assist local athleisure brands in formulating effective marketing strategies to leverage the power of Instagram influencers, capitalising on factors such as likeability, expertise, and attractiveness.
