Professor and Students Co-Author Article on Micro-Influencer Marketing

“Micro-Influencer Marketing: The Impact of Teen Viewers’ Skepticism on Brand Attitudes and Purchase Intentions” was published in the Journal of Global Marketing in December. Sweta Thota researched and wrote it with Soumya Pandey and Amulya Thota.

This article is the end of a three-year journey, Thota said.

“It started when my daughter, Amulya, was 15. She was browsing Instagram and she said, ‘Mom, I keep seeing this particular skincare brand. Influencers my age are raving about it, claiming that their acne disappears within three weeks.’ So she ordered it. The product was free but the shipping was $30 — and the product didn’t work.”

Amulya Thota wondered aloud if other young consumers were persuaded by young micro-influencers. Her question led to the research study, which uncovered that micro-influencer brand testimonials are indeed persuasive, even when audiences know that the influencers are paid for their endorsements.

Sweta Thota invited Soumya Pandey MS ’25, a graduate student in marketing intelligence, to revise the article per feedback from the Journal of Global Marketing.

“Soumya did such an amazing job on research, on analysis, and on writing the front and back end of the article because she’s been an influencer herself,” Thota said.

“When I was in my late teens, I had about 30,000 followers on Instagram, so I know what it’s like to be approached by brands, to be invited to do paid promotions,” Pandey said.

“This publication proves that it’s possible for professors to publish with students,” Thota said. “Students are bright, they’re capable, and they deserve authorship. I think more professors should collaborate with their students.”