Abstract

In contemporary global markets social media influencers offer brands new targeting opportunities and increased awareness and consumer engagement. Migrant consumers as consumers in mobility that are constantly engaged in reterritorialization dynamics in different countries may find in social media platforms and in influencers effective ways to relocate in transition. The aim of this paper is to understand how influencers and technomediated sociality shape the construction of migrant consumers’ identity by relocating it between country of origin and country of destination. We conducted a focused netnographic study of selected influencers’ profiles followed by first- and second-generation migrant consumers. Findings reveal that influencers play a cultural mediator role for migrant consumers that facilitates their acculturation process to the new country. Thanks to technomediated platforms, influencers represent accessible sources that can trigger mimicry and doppelgänging effects. Additionally, our findings show the engagement of influencers in queerbaiting efforts: while showing ethics, social responsibility and civic engagement as ways of identity construction, selfexpression and social aggregation they also achieve reterritorialization with their new country. This study offers theoretical contributions to consumer culture literature as related to migrant consumers’ acculturation processes. It also advances our understanding of how influence dynamics in social media platforms shape the process of identity construction during transitions and relocations.