Influencer marketing - native and narrative advertising

Abstract

This paper examines influencer marketing as a contemporary form of native and narrative advertising, arguing that its persuasive effectiveness relies on the interplay among storytelling, credibility, authenticity, and platform-specific communication strategies. The study aims to explore how influencer marketing operates at the intersection of advertising, digital communication, social influence and ethical responsibility, while highlighting the mechanisms that transform promotional messages into engaging personal narratives. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative research design that combines a review of the relevant literature with illustrative case-study analyses of Romanian and international influencer campaigns on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and AI-generated social media platforms. The analysis focuses on the distinction between influencers and traditional endorsers; the role of native advertising and storytelling; the importance of credibility and audience engagement; the influence of platform specific communication practices; the emergence of AI-generated influencers; and the ethical
challenges associated with advertising disclosure and transparency. The findings indicate that influencer marketing derives its persuasive effectiveness from the combined use of native advertising, storytelling, authenticity and audience engagement, while platform-specific communication strategies further shape consumers' perceptions of credibility and trust. The analysis also demonstrates that the emergence of AI-generated influencers introduces new
challenges regarding authenticity, transparency and ethical communication. The paper concludes
that the long-term success of influencer marketing depends on maintaining a balance between
persuasive effectiveness and ethical responsibility, with transparency, credibility, and
compatibility among influencers, brands, and audiences remaining essential to sustaining
consumer trust.