Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Ma.C. Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
2 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
The present study was conducted to identify the key components and develop a theory of action regarding the impact of sports influencers’ endorsement advertising methods on the behavior of consumers of sports products and services on social media. In terms of approach, this study was qualitative; in terms of purpose, it was applied-developmental; and it was grounded in an interpretive-constructivist paradigm. The research strategy was grounded theory based on Glaser’s classic approach, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 experts and key informants, including faculty members, marketing and advertising specialists, sports influencers, sports journalists, and content production experts. Sampling was conducted theoretically, and data were analyzed using the constant comparative method through open, selective, and theoretical coding. The trustworthiness of the findings was ensured through the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. The findings revealed 60 final concepts, 10 subcomponents, and 4 main categories, including sports influencer characteristics as the message source, advertising content and presentation style, interaction and social network, and consumer behavioral outcomes. In addition, the core category of the study was conceptualized as “trust-based persuasion in the context of social interaction.” This finding indicates that the effectiveness of sports influencers’ advertising methods is multilayered and processual, extending beyond the simple introduction of a product and operating through a chain of source trust, message quality and congruence, social interaction, and enduring behavioral outcomes for consumers.
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