Key opinion leaders effect on brand equity: the online C2C market in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

Nowadays, with the strong development of information technology in general and social networks in particular, building a brand and marketing activities more dynamic on online media. Since then, the form of direct sales between customers and customers (C2C) has also become more attractive, especially for sellers who are wellknown and influential people referred to as Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). Not only that, consumers have more and more choices before making their purchasing decisions and remember a brand because direct interaction helps them get closer to famous sellers. However, many previous studies abroad have explored the factors of a KOLs affecting the purchase decision or brand equity or just one component of brand equity, however, in Vietnam, there are still very few research studies on this relationship is through the effectiveness of a KOL for a brand especially in emerging markets - the online C2C market. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how KOLs effect on brand equity in the online C2C market in Ho Chi Minh City. Quantitative study with nearly 400 survey qualified samples to discover the KOLs Effectiveness is the most strongly affected by Expertise, the next is Familiarity, Attractive, and the final is Trustworthiness and the KOLs Effectiveness has the strongest influence on Brand associations, and the final is Perceived quality.