This thesis explores the relationship between fashion brands’ social media
marketing and the potential impacts of it on women’s self-perception, body image, and
emotional responses. The quantitative research conducted followed a 2 x 2 experimental
design aiming to study the impact of Type of influencer (human vs. virtual) and Type of body
(normative vs. non-normative) on women’s consumer behaviors such as self-perception &
body image, emotional responses, feelings toward the ad, brand evaluation, purchase
intentions, and willingness to share. Through an online questionnaire developed into 4
versions (manipulations of the conditions), we gathered insights from 109 valid respondents.
Some of the main findings revealed that fashion ads featuring non-normative body types
generated more positive emotional reactions and self-perceptions (vs. normative body types).
Virtual influencers were also shown to increase the memorability of the ad in the eyes of
consumers (vs. human influencers). The results and insights highlight the importance of the
role played by fashion brands when it comes to inclusive social media marketing campaigns
and the representation of diverse body types to their audience, proving to be beneficial for
both the consumers and the brands themselves.
