Adolescents and Influencer Advertising on Body and Diet: A Sociocultural Comparison of Peru and Spain

Influencer advertising has captured the interest of brands as a powerful persuasive tool. It has also attracted the attention of academics who research its impacts on adolescents. Using a comparative approach, this article examines the impact of influencer advertising on the body image and dietary habits of adolescents aged 11–17 in Peru and Spain, two countries that share a common language and high mobile phone and social media access, yet differ socioculturally. Representative surveys were conducted with 1,020 adolescents in Peru and 1,070 in Spain. The results show that this group is frequently exposed to influencer advertising, mainly via social media. Exposure to ads for somewhat healthy and unhealthy food, and content in the categories of “Fashion,” “Fitness and Gyms,” and “Cosmetics, Beauty, and Makeup” was common in both countries. Girls and participants aged 16 and 17 experienced significantly greater impact. Bivariate analysis revealed differences between countries in the relationship between exposure and impact on adolescents.