The Impact of Gaming Influencers on Brand Trust Among Gen Z Gamers

The current study aims to investigate the impact of gaming influencers on brand trust among Gen Z gamers in India. With the rise of the gaming industry and influencer marketing, the importance of understanding the impact of gaming influencers on consumer perception has become critical to marketers who want to reach the younger generation of consumers in India. This study attempts to bridge the knowledge gap on whether influencer marketing can actually build brand trust or merely create temporary consumer engagement. Primary research was carried out among 207 Gen Z gamers in India using a structured questionnaire created on Google Forms. The study revealed that gaming influencers play an important role in building brand trust and increasing purchase intention and brand loyalty among Gen Z gamers in India. Among the variables studied in this research, influencer credibility was revealed to have the maximum predictive power in building brand trust among Gen Z gamers in India. YouTube was revealed to be the most popular gaming platform among gamers in India (76%), and mobile games were revealed to be the most common form of gaming in India (68%). This study reiterates that 71% of people trust a brand endorsed by an influencer, 58% have purchased products based on influencer recommendations, and 73% of people are open to trying new brands endorsed by influencers they trust. Transparency in sponsored content (81% find it important) and product usage (78%) are important to maintain brand trust among consumers.