Date of Award

5-2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

School

Communication

Committee Chair

Dr. Fei Xue

Committee Chair School

Communication

Committee Member 2

Dr. Christopher Campbell

Committee Member 2 School

Communication

Committee Member 3

Dr. David R. Davies

Committee Member 3 School

Communication

Committee Member 4

Dr. Lindsey Maxwell

Committee Member 4 School

Communication

Committee Member 5

Dr. Jae-Hwa Shin

Committee Member 5 School

Communication

Abstract

This study explored the influence of Snapchat celebrities on the purchase decisions of young women in Saudi Arabia. Uses and Gratifications theory and Source Credibility theory were used to investigate motivations for and factors that affect engagement with Snapchat celebrities. An online survey was conducted among 467 social media users. It was found that most Saudi women (62.9%) were motivated to engage with Snapchat celebrities to seek information.They would likely to purchase products endorsed by celebrities who were deemed trustworthy, attractive, and experts in the field. They also responded more favorably to celebrities who they believe are a fit for the sponsored the products and who they have emotional connections with. Gender differences were identified between male and female celebrities. The findings provided valuable insights for digital advertisers and social media scholars. Overall, the findings confirm the theories presented in the literature review. However, the results concerning attractiveness and tie strength offered a contrary perspective to the influence of those factors on the purchase intention of Saudi women. These findings present an opportunity for future investigations focusing on the two factors to determine the cause of difference between the theories explored in literature review and the findings.

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1391-7195

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