Abstract:

This research aims to explore Influence marketing usage in services banking communication. It attempts to identify the factors affecting influence marketing effectiveness on Gen Z. 313 people participated in the experiment aged between 18 and 25. Four versions of the same advertisement were designed with 4 different celebrities. To test the hypotheses, we used the structural equation model. The results support that brand credibility, ideal self-image congruence, brand-influencer congruence and influencer trustworthiness contribute significantly to enhance the Zs attitude towards Ad. In contrast, over-endorsement impacts negatively endorsement effectiveness. This study enhances existing literature on endorsement and services in banking communication and helps banking institutions communicate more effectively with Zs. Indeed, it is one of the few attempts to extend the influence of marketing to a financial services context. It also focuses on Gen Z, an understudied population.

Keywords: Service banking communication, Influence marketing, Celebrity endorsement, Gen Z