The Role of Influencer Marketing on Gen Z’s Consumer Brand Perception: A Case of Instagram’s Effectiveness in Peshawar

Abstract

This study investigates how Generation Z Instagram users in Peshawar, Pakistan, perceive brands in relation to influencer marketing. Knowing how Gen Z reacts to influencer-driven content is essential for brand success as digital platforms increasingly influence contemporary marketing strategies. Using a quantitative research design, 127 respondents between the ages of 18 and 26 provided information via an online structured survey. The study examined the relationship between brand perception components such as trust, loyalty, and overall brand image and the core influencer attributes of trustworthiness, relatability, and engagement. Influencer marketing and customer brand perception were found to be significantly and favorably correlated using statistical methods such as correlation and linear regression analysis. According to the regression model, more than 72% of the variation in brand perception could be explained by influencer marketing. These results highlight how Gen Z's brand attitudes can be shaped by genuine and interesting influencer content. With its empirical insights from a culturally specific, under-researched context, this study adds to the expanding body of literature. It also offers strategic recommendations for marketers working in developing digital economies like Pakistan.