Abstract:

A relationship is establised between the media persona and the audience, and this relationship is called parasocial communication or in other words, parasocial interaction. This virtual relationship is one-sided. The viewers, that is the consumers of the media content, establish a close relationship with the media persona. Through their one-sided interaction, viewers tend to bond with the media persona as if they are in the same social circle, and gather information about them. This bond, increases their interest in the media persona and their desire to consume the relevant media content. The parasocial interaction has dimensions of face-to-face communication, guidance, intimacy, and familiarity. Although the theory of parasocial interaction is developed over traditional media and its audience, it is seen that a similar interaction takes place in social media. In this context, parasocial interaction is established between social media influencers, as they are the media personas of social media, and their followers. In social media, individuals can reach large audiences by attracting the attention of other content producers with their content and can have the ability to influence their followers. Social media influencers become important advertising agents by attracting the attention of brand communication specialists because of their ability to reach large audiences and their potential influence. Individuals tend to consider the suggestions of people who are similar to them and have higher trust in ordinary people like themselves, rather than the brand generated content. The intimacy and familiarity established with the parasocial interaction between social media influencers and their followers ensures the followers trust in the products that are recommended by social media influencers. And the trust causes purchase intention. Followers tend to experience a recommended product or brand through their interaction with the influencer and become a part of the experience. This study aims to examine the thoughts and orientations of individuals, towards luxury brand content produced by the social media influencers. In accordance with this study’s aim, qualitative data was collected by in-dept interview technique. Five research questions were determined according to the aim of the study. In-dept interview questions were formed by the research questions and literature review. Interview questions were grouped as demographic questions, parasocial relationship with social media influencers, characteristics of the relationship between influencers and followers, attitude towards luxury brand, and attitude towards social media influencers’ luxury consumption. There were 17 questions in the interview form. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 participants between Dec 20, 2021 and Jan 6, 2022. The research population consists of university students between 18-29, who live in Turkey, use social media and follow social media influencers. Participants who follow social media influencers were chosen by purposive sampling method and in-depth intreviews were conducted. According to research findings the effects of mutual interests, sincerity, creative and original content, humor and entertainment, number of followers are emphasized by the participants in the initiation and maintenance of parasocial interaction. Similarity is an important element for participants. When it comes to termination of the parasocial interaction there are two main reasons: the influencer is no longer helpful and interesting, brand collaborations and affiliate links are way too many. Participants don’t want to initiate face-to-face communication but they do feel intimacy. While following influencers who have mutual interests the participants use their suggestions as a resource. As a result of the research, it is determined that the products shared by the social media influencers do not directly affect purchasing behavior, but do affect the evaluation process. The love and trust in the social media influencer, that is, the parasocial relationship, plays an important role. Participants can understand the difference between brand collaborations and influencers’ own suggestions and they feel uncomfortable with unlabelled brand collaborations. They state that the luxury consumption of the influencers does not increase their status and if the influencer is incompatible with the luxury brand, they develop a negative attitude towards the brand

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