Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Lauren Perez, I am a graduating senior and Dual Degree Honors student at Florida State University studying Marketing and English: Editing, Writing and Media with a minor in International Affairs. I developed a passion for Marketing Research this past summer while taking a class with Dr. Colleen Harmeling, my research mentor. Since then, working on this project has allowed me to continue to develop my analytical skills and cement my interest and dedication to the field of Consumer Insights and Data. This upcoming summer, I will begin the Master of Marketing Research program at the University of Georgia, where I will continue to fuel my knowledge and passion.

The Effect of Negative Endorser Behaviors on Firm Performance

Abstract

With the rise of social media, there has been an observed trend of social media influencers as brand endorsers. Influencers’ characteristics of relatability and pop culture relevancy are seen as valuable to the brands they endorse, yet their unpredictable behaviors and wide range of personalities may lend to certain risk regarding negative effects on endorser brands. Using an events study methodology, we investigate how negative events associated with an endorser can affect the sponsoring firm’s stock performance. At this stage of the research process, we have been gathering data on various social media influencers, their transgressions, and the brands that endorsed them at the time of the transgression. Additionally, we are building and launching a survey to find what characteristics a population sample associates with said influencers. After this stage, we will be running statistical analyses to find what trends lie in the data. The end goal is to develop an understanding of how influencers’ behaviors and consumer perceptions affect the brands they endorse.

Keywords: Data Analytics, Marketing, Brands, Influencers, Endorsers, Behaviors