New Directions in Influencer Research
Introduction
Special issue of the Journal of Advertising Research; Deadline 12 Oct 2026
INTEREST CATEGORY: MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
POSTING TYPE: Calls: Journals
Posted by: Veronica Thomas, Kendra Fowler
Special Issue Call for Papers
Journal of Advertising Research
New Directions in Influencer Research
Influencer marketing is entering a new phase. Once viewed primarily as a social media endorsement tactic, influencers now operate as entrepreneurs, media producers, brand owners, and algorithmic actors within complex platform ecosystems. At the same time, advances in generative AI, the rise of synthetic and virtual influencers, evolving governance structures, and the professionalization of the creator economy are reshaping how influence is exercised, measured, and monetized. These shifts raise fundamental questions about whether prevailing theories, typologies, and empirical regularities continue to hold under rapidly changing technological and cultural conditions.
The Journal of Advertising Research invites submissions for a Special Issue on New Directions in Influencer Advertising, guest edited by:
- Veronica L. Thomas, Old Dominion University
- Kendra Fowler, Youngstown State University
This special issue seeks research that advances theory and practice by rethinking how influence operates in contemporary advertising environments. We encourage contributions that move beyond incremental extensions to revisit foundational assumptions, introduce new conceptual lenses, and address emerging managerial challenges in influencer ecosystems. Conceptual and empirical submissions are welcome across methods, including experiments, field studies, modeling, qualitative research, and mixed approaches.
Manuscript deadline: 12 October 2026.
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Join the Guest Editors for a Webinar
Prospective authors are encouraged to attend an informal, practical webinar with the guest editorial team of the special issue. The live Zoom session will take place on February 27, 2026, at 9:00 AM Pacific/12:00PM Eastern and will include time for open discussion and Q&A. .
During the webinar, the editors will walk through the big ideas motivating the special issue, some ideas of topics and issues potentially worth exploring, and what they are looking for in stronger submissions. Attendance is optional but strongly recommended, and a recording will be made available afterward on the JAR YouTube channel.