Abstract:

While consumption in modern societies is usually the product of a utilitarian attitude towards the provision of mandatory needs, it has gone beyond real needs in today's societies, where postmodernism prevails. Nowadays, symbolic needs such as Jungeting and identity building seem to be at the forefront rather than real needs. In the creation of these abstract needs, the media is in a key position. In particular, new media environments that allow the production of user-generated content manipulate consumption practices and create new needs by encouraging symbolic commodities. The role of influencers, who are a social media actor in the creation of abstract needs in new media environments, has increased too much to ignore. Based on this reality, the research conducted aims to reveal the influence of influencers on women's symbolic consumption practices. In this context, the study is a qualitative research and in-depth interview method has been adopted in the data collection process. In the light of the data processed in the Maxqda 2020 program, it has been discovered that influencers take on an intermediary role in encouraging women consumers to symbolic consumption.

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