1st Edition
Influencer The Science Behind Swaying Others
The influential are no longer only those with celebrity status – but until now there has been no authoritative resource on the theory and practice of influencer marketing. This book will educate and inspire decision makers, researchers, students, and influencers themselves.
Diving deeper than the many "how-to" books on the influencer phenomenon, this book brings in frameworks from marketing, sociology, psychology, and communication studies to redefine the influencer as a persona (related to a person, group of people, or organization) that possesses greater than average sway over others. Cornwell and Katz go on to:
- introduce the influencers, macro and nano, authentic and inauthentic, ascending and fading
- consider their relationship to brands in the marketing ecosystem, along with regulations that set limits on influencer marketing
- describe how influence is measured and evaluated and look into the future; and
- bring together the latest research on influencer marketing and organize it for the reader
The book serves both those who want to understand the science behind influencer marketing and those who want to most effectively employ influencers in brand strategy. Instructors, students, and professionals will appreciate international examples from multiple industries applying theories to the real world.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license.
Biography
T. Bettina Cornwell is Professor of Marketing and the Philip H. Knight Chair in the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. She also serves as Head of the Department of Marketing. She is known for her research in marketing communications and for her work at the intersection of marketing and public policy.
In addition to academic research, Cornwell works with companies and non-profits on branding and communication strategy. The second edition of her book, Sponsorship in Marketing: Effective Partnerships in Sports, Arts and Events was published with Routledge in 2020.
Cornwell’s Ph.D. in marketing, with a minor in cognitive psychology, is from The University of Texas, Austin, as is her MBA with an emphasis on international business. Her B.A., also in business, is from Florida State University.
Helen Katz is Senior Vice President, Global Research Lead in the Data Sciences Practice of Publicis Media. She is a trusted industry expert on research, with a particular focus on data quality and reliable measurement.
Katz has served in various strategic research capacities within Publicis Groupe. She started her industry career at DDB Needham. She has also worked in academia, beginning as an advertising professor at Michigan State University. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at DePaul University. She has published three textbooks on advertising and media, the most recent of which is The Media Handbook (7th edition, 2019).
Katz has a Ph.D. in Communications and an M.S. in Advertising from the University of Illinois, and a B.A. in English Language & Literature from the University of London.
“[The authors] offer readers a compelling deep dive into influencer marketing—stepping beyond the saturated field of ‘how-tos’…Although social media influencers and influencer marketing promote ‘unattainable lifestyles’ (p. 146), Cornwell and Katz’s text is anything but—it is approachable, engaging, and relatable; detailed and informative without becoming too granular; example-based, although not overpowering. Each chapter may appear as a laundry list of related topics; however, the style in which the coauthors present the information is representative of the ever-changing field. The pair is also cognizant of the overwhelming nature of this topic, and they are careful not to bombard the reader with content. The example-based design of the book is an astute approach—ensuring each topic, concept, model, and theory is tangible, while aiding in simplification and comprehension.” –International Journal of Communication 17(2023)
