Marketing de influência nas mídias digitais: uma análise teórica sobre o pertencimento e a intenção de compra da geração Z

Abstract

The rise of digital media has profoundly transformed consumption dynamics, establishing influencer marketing as a core strategic tool for brands. In this context, this study aimed to analyze how scientific literature describes the role of content creators in Generation Z's purchase intentions within the lifestyle product segment (fashion and beauty), based on a scoping review of empirical literature published between 2020 and 2025. To this end, the study was conducted as descriptive, qualitative research, operationalized through a scoping review guided by the PRISMA-ScR protocol. The analysis corpus consisted of 11 empirical scientific articles published between 2020 and 2025, retrieved from the Scopus, Web of Science, and SPELL databases. Content analysis revealed that, for Generation Z, the purchasing decision transcends transactional practicality, constituting an act of identity validation. The results indicate that sales conversion is strongly driven by psychological and relational constructs, notably content perception and homophily (source similarity). These pillars overcome young consumers' skepticism and foster parasocial relationships, generating a strong sense of belonging to online communities. The study concludes that purchase intention is closely linked to the social validation processes described in the reviewed literature, suggesting that consumption can serve as a symbolic mechanism for gaining entry into and acceptance by reference groups. From a managerial perspective, the review suggests that brands should prioritize value congruence, influencer modernity, and the building of trustworthy communities in their communication strategies.