THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER MARKETING TOWARDS STREET FOOD CULTURE IN PUDUCHERRY – A STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO TEENAGERS

Abstract

Purpose: The present research proposes to look at the influence of social media influencer marketing on the street food culture in Puducherry, particularly regarding the dietary patterns of adolescents. Puducherry, recognized for its varied culinary heritage, has been noted to display some of the most detrimental eating habits among teenagers attributed to the rising intake of filthy and hazardous street foods. In recent years, social media sites such as Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat have significantly influenced teenagers’ food preferences. Influencers frequently endorse street food establishments via aesthetically pleasing material, critiques, and suggestions, significantly impacting teenagers’ tastes and consumption behaviors. This tendency fosters the expansion of street food enterprises, although it simultaneously prompts apprehensions regarding health, hygiene, and nutritional understanding among teens.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopts a descriptive research design to analyze the role of social media influencer marketing in shaping teenagers’ eating behaviours, particularly in relation to street food culture in Puducherry. The focus is on understanding how influencer-driven content impacts food preferences and tastes among teenagers. A structured questionnaire was prepared and distributed to 200 teenagers using convenience sampling method.

Findings: The researcher found that 70.5 per cent of the respondents agreed for the statement “I prefer visiting food outlets promoted by influencers rather than discovering them myself”, also the study included 51 per cent of boys. And the second most used social media app being YouTube by the Teenagers with 20 per cent.