Construct Validation for Measuring Influencer Authenticity in Sponsored Sustainability Campaigns

• Abey Litty

  Texas University

  Author

The proliferation of sponsored sustainability campaigns on social media has intensified scholarly interest in influencer authenticity, yet the field lacks a rigorously validated instrument for measuring this multidimensional construct. Existing scales conflate authenticity with general source credibility and fail to account for the unique tensions inherent in commercially sponsored environmental advocacy. This study develops and validates the Influencer Sustainability Authenticity Scale (ISAS), a six-dimensional instrument comprising accuracy, integrity, proficiency, connectedness, originality, and legitimacy. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, we generated an initial item pool from systematic literature review and expert consultation, refined it through two pilot studies (n = 120; n = 240), and validated the final 24-item scale with a stratified sample of 300 participants. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated excellent model fit (CFI = .956, RMSEA = .048, SRMR = .052), and the scale achieved 89.4% classification accuracy in distinguishing high- versus low-authenticity influencer campaigns. The ISAS provides researchers and practitioners with a psychometrically sound tool for measuring authenticity in sponsored sustainability contexts, addressing a critical gap in influencer marketing measurement. The instrument advances theory by operationalizing authenticity as a multidimensional construct responsive to sponsorship disclosure conditions.

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