When abs do not sell: The impact of male influencers conspicuously displaying a muscular body on female followers

Based on evolutionary theory and costly signaling theory, this research explored how flaunting a muscular body, especially male influencers showcasing muscle as a symbolic bodily marker, can shape the effectiveness of influencer marketing. Two experiments employing different manipulations (i.e., pictures taken by others and selfies) were performed to examine the effects of conspicuously displaying male influencers' muscles on consumers' intentions to purchase endorsed products. In Experiment 1, we found that conspicuous (vs. inconspicuous) display of muscles reduced perceived trustworthiness among women, leading to lower purchase intentions around a gender-neutral product. Experiment 2 corroborated this finding and further demonstrated that the effects of a muscular body were not domain-specific. Both experiments presented evidence opposing the common belief that conspicuously displaying one's muscles is appealing: female consumers exhibited less trust toward the muscle-flaunting male influencer, resulting in lower intentions to purchase endorsed products. Results contribute to a better understanding of the application of evolutionary theory and signaling theory in digital marketing and advance our knowledge of gender differences in a social media consumption context. The findings are also of direct relevance to brands attempting to enhance the persuasiveness of product promotions via influencers' physical appearance.