: 10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I6P108
Iqlima Az-Zahra Ciersya, Nur Afifah, Erna Listiana. "Thai Celebrities as Brand Ambassadors and Parasocial Relationships, and Their Impact on Gen Z Fans' Purchase Decisions in Southeast Asia" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 5, No. 6, pp. 89-97, 2026. Crossref. http://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I6P108
This study investigates the influence of Thai celebrities as brand ambassadors and parasocial relationships on the purchase decisions of Gen Z fans in Southeast Asia, with fan loyalty incorporated as a mediating variable. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected via an online questionnaire administered to 278 respondents and analyzed using SEM-AMOS. The findings reveal that both brand ambassadors and parasocial relationships positively and significantly influence fan loyalty and purchase decisions. Furthermore, fan loyalty positively and significantly affects purchase decisions and successfully mediates the relationship between brand ambassadors and purchase decisions. However, fan loyalty does not mediate the relationship between parasocial relationships and purchase decisions. These findings underscore the strategic potential of Thai celebrities as influential marketing instruments in cultivating fan loyalty and stimulating purchase decisions among Gen Z consumers in Southeast Asia.
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Brand Ambassador, Fan Loyalty, Parasocial Relationships, Purchase Decision.