Social media influencer marketing and economic performance in the Spanish wine industry: unravelling the role of corporate social legitimacy

Purpose This research focuses firstly on the impact of Social Media Influencer Marketing (SMIM) on the Economic Performance (EP) of Spanish wineries, and secondly on the mediating effect of Corporate Social Legitimacy (CSL) on this main relationship (SMIM-EP). Age, size and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) membership are used to increase the precision of the cause-effect relationships examined. Design/methodology/approach The study proposes a conceptual model based on previous studies, which is tested using structural equations (PLS-SEM) with data collected from 196 Spanish wineries between September 2022 and January 2023. Findings The results reveal a positive and significant relationship between the development of SMIM and the EP of Spanish wineries, as well as the partial mediation of CSL in the SMIM-EP relationship. Originality/value The uniqueness of this study can be attributed to several factors. First, it enhances the understanding and knowledge of the benefits associated with SMIM development in the winemaking context. Second, no previous research has conducted an empirical study on the development of SMIM as a catalyst for EP in the context of Spanish wineries. Third, to the authors' knowledge, no previous study has examined the mediating role of CSL in the SMIM-EP relationship, thus representing an opportunity to advance scientific knowledge related to SMIM.