THE INFLUENCE OF KID INFLUENCERS’, CONTENT APPEAL AND INFLUENCER POPULARITY ON PARENTS PURCHASING DECISIONS AMONG INDONESIAN PARENTS

Abstract

In Indonesia, the emergence of child influencers has changed digital marketing tactics, especially in the food and beverage (F&B) industry. Using Abe Cekut as a case study for the Ultra Mimi Kids brand on TikTok and Instagram, this study investigates how parents purchasing decisions are impacted by the influence of kid influencers' popularity and appealing content. This study uses a causal-comparative research design to examine the ways in which various aspects of content appeal—such as emotional appeal, visual appeal, authenticity, and variety—affect parents' opinions and choices. It also looks into how influencer popularity affects brand engagement and consumer trust. This study employed a quantitative research approach using an online survey aimed at 180 Indonesian parents aged 25-45-year-old, who use Instagram and TikTok, and have seen marketing content of ‘Abe Cekut’ as the Brand Ambassador of Ultra Mimi Kids was used to gather data for this study. Respondents were selected through purposive sampling to ensure relevance to the research objectives. The results show that parents purchasing decisions are highly influenced by influencer popularity and content appeal. Consumer trust is strengthened by the influencer's perceived popularity and credibility, while engagement is increased by authentic and eye-catching content. These revelations advance our knowledge of how young influencers propel brand success and offer useful advice for digital marketing tactics used in the food and beverage sector. This study emphasizes how social media influencers are increasingly influencing consumer behavior, especially among parents. Future research could examine other elements like brand partnerships and parental perspectives on child influencer marketing.