Published Paper Details:

: In the contemporary digital marketplace, influencer marketing has become a cornerstone of brand strategy, yet it introduces significant vulnerabilities when influencers are involved in public controversies. This research analyzes the impact of such controversies on brand endorsement decision-making, consumer perception, and the efficacy of subsequent brand-led crisis response strategies. Using a quantitative, quasi-experimental, scenario-based survey design, the study employs descriptive statistics, Chi-Square tests, T-Tests, ANOVA, and regression analysis to compare consumer attitudes across experimental groups. It is hypothesized that influencer controversies (H??) will have a significant negative impact on consumer trust and brand perception, and further, that the strategic response adopted by a brand post-controversy (H??) will have a significant effect on mitigating this damage and recovering consumer loyalty. While much research focuses on influencer authenticity, this paper's originality lies in its structured analysis of the post-controversy phase from a brand's crisis management perspective, offering empirically-driven insights for managing the inherent vulnerabilities of influencer endorsements.