The role of influencers in the communication of cruelty-free products on instagram: an exploratory study on the impact of sustainability in the beauty industry

The growing concern about animal welfare has caused consumers to increase interest in sustainable products. Consequently, the beauty industry is increasingly committed to cruelty-free products. The rise of social media and influencers has driven this shift towards ethical and responsible consumption. Platforms such as Instagram have played a relevant role in disseminating messages related to sustainability through these opinion leaders. The research conducted a methodological triangulation to understand how beauty influencers communicate cruelty-free content and how these messages influence their followers. The methodological design includes a content analysis, a survey and in-depth interviews. The study's findings indicate that beauty influencers' communicative efforts are limited and do not significantly impact the prescription of cruelty-free products. The conclusions recommend expanding communication strategies in other digital media to increase awareness in the public sphere for sustainable social change.