From Influence to Integrity

This thesis explores the role of employee brand representatives in building trust-based consumer relationships within the digital marketing and advertising industry. The main goal of this research was to understand how Generation Z consumers perceive employee-generated content in comparison to influencer-generated content, particularly regarding perceived authenticity, trust, and long-term brand engagement. The study explores Gen Z consumers' view of employee brand representatives on brand's official social media channels and how this view contrasts with their view on traditional influencers and their collaborations with brands. The main theoretical concepts that were employed to support research question include the Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM), brand community theory, the concept of parasocial relationships, and authenticity in digital communication. The central research question "How do employee brand ambassadors contribute to building long-term, trust- based connections between brands and consumers, compared to the short-term, transactional relationships fostered by traditional influencers in the digital marketing and advertising sector?" is addressed through a qualitative approach, using thematic analysis. Twelve semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with Gen Z due to this generation being known for their high persuasion awareness and value for authentic social media content, as well as their scepticism towards traditional advertising techniques. The findings suggest that employee brand representatives are seen as more trustworthy, credible, and relatable representatives, as they establish a deeper connection with brand communities. In contrast, influencer collaborations with brands are seen as more promotional. However, while employee-led brand content fostered a deeper sense of community and authenticity, influencer-led brand content was still recognised and valued for their expertise and individual relatedness, with results highlighting that influencer brand content can shape consumers' purchase intentions, while employee content strengthens the sense of brand community. Furthermore, the research also identified ethical concerns related to engaging employees in brand content, such as the importance of consent, financial compensations, and clear boundaries between work and personal life, additionally suggesting how brands can ethically and effectively position employees within modern social media branding strategies. These findings contribute to existing literature on influencer marketing, employee brand ambassadorship, and employee advocacy, yet placing employee brand representatives as hybrid content creators, being neither external influencers nor passive internal communicators, but authentic brand voices with internal expertise and external appeal. Additionally, the study suggests to research user-generated content (UGC) as the next step of brand-consumer relationships as the future research step, where consumers become effective brand advocates, providing valuable insights into the growing importance of peer influence, particularly for reaching Gen Z audiences.