From influencer culture to consumer resistance: Defining de-influencing and its potential role in sustainable consumption
Published 2026-03-25
Keywords
- Dijital Pazarlama, Sosyal Medya, Influencer Pazarlama, De-influencing, Sürdürülebilir Tüketim
- Digital Marketing, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, De-influencing, Sustainable Consumption
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Copyright (c) 2026 Selman Temiz

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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Abstract
Emerging in early 2023, de-influencing quickly gained significant popularity as a movement that challenged the consumer culture created by influencer marketing and criticised the sharing of manipulative content. In this context, de-influencing has the potential to accelerate the spread of sustainable consumption and to become a strategic partner that strengthens brands' green positioning. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand all aspects of the concept, particularly its network of relationships in the context of consumer behaviour. However, as the concept is still new, the literature provides limited information. Within the scope of the study, the emergence dynamics of de-influencing are examined, the concept is distinguished from related approaches such as greenfluencing, de-marketing, and consumer boycotts, and its potential relationship with the sustainable consumption literature is addressed. In doing so, this study provides a comprehensive conceptual framework for the relatively under-theorised phenomenon of de-influencing and lays the foundation for future research. The results reveal that de-influencing leads to attitudinal restructuring, particularly within the frameworks of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Consumer Resistance. In this context, it is evaluated that de-influencing not only strengthens sustainable consumption intentions but also has the potential to be a significant partner for businesses in creating green values.
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