Perceived authenticity of green influencers: An experiment on components and determinants

This research examines how the authenticity components affect consumer perceptions of green influencers' sponsored and non-sponsored communications and their influence on sustainable behavioral intentions. In an experimental study involving 486 participants, we assess the impact of the six authenticity components—accuracy, connectedness, integrity, legitimacy, originality, and proficiency, as identified by Nunes, Ordanini, and Giambastiani (2021)—on consumers' intentions within the realm of green influencers. In addition, an exploratory cluster analysis identifies distinct consumer segments based on their evaluation of these components in judging the effectiveness of green influencers' communication. Our results illuminate the diverse ways consumers perceive authenticity, showing that authenticity judgments not only differ based on the consumption context but also vary individually, as consumers attribute different levels of importance to these components.