The effect of social media influencers’ brand positioning in the digital era: a case of Kay Yarms’s Instagram page

Abstract

The study is situated in the wider transformation of marketing communication brought about by social media, particularly in the beauty industry, where digital content, peer-like endorsement, and influencer credibility frequently substitute for or outperform traditional advertising. The authors argue that influencer marketing has become an increasingly dominant component of marketing budgets, noting a rise in business investment in influencer marketing and emphasizing that audiences often perceive influencer recommendations as more relatable and trustworthy than corporate messaging (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2024; Berger & the Keller Fay Group, 2016; Vrontis et al., 2021). The research uses a qualitative case study approach, employing reflective (reflexive) thematic analysis on a sample of Instagram content from Kay Yarms. Specifically, the study analyses follower comments on five selected posts promoting facial beauty products. It aims to clarify which communication strategies Kay Yarms uses to position products, how these strategies affect followers, and how Kay Yarms’s influencer performance compares to traditional marketing approaches. The study positions itself as contributing to academic literature on influencer marketing and brand positioning in the South African beauty context, while also offering applied value for beauty entrepreneurs and brands exploring influencer partnerships in emerging markets.