Introduction
Over the past decade, social media influencers—personalities who command large followings on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—have quickly moved from niche internet celebrities to major powerhouses driving cultural trends. These influencers have redefined how young people interact with brands, aspirations, and one another. Celebrity culture is hardly new, but the close and direct engagement that influencers have with their audiences, combined with the mass distribution afforded by social media platforms, intensifies their impact on youth behavior and consumer choices. No longer confined to mere product endorsements, influencers promote lifestyles, standards of beauty, and notions of success that deeply shape how young consumers see themselves and the world around them.
This research project asks the central question: How do social media influencers reshape youth culture and consumerism in an era when online presence supersedes traditional media? The thesis driving this inquiry posits that influencers wield unprecedented power to influence young people’s identities and buying habits, forging a new template for marketing strategies and social norms. From Kylie Jenner’s billion-dollar cosmetics empire to Charli D’Amelio’s brand collaborations, we see examples of how an individual’s curated online image can translate to massive economic and cultural sway.
In examining this phenomenon, the essay will explore three core reasons that underpin the argument: (1) influencers’ unique power to shape trends and behavior, (2) their symbiotic relationship with brand marketing and mass distribution, and (3) the psychological impact they have on youth identity and self-image. By delving into academic research, real-world examples, and feedback from the broader discourse on influencer culture, this project highlights both the possibilities and the potential risks of allowing these online tastemakers to direct consumer choices on a massive scale.
