INFLUENCER MARKETING AS A PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOL OF UZBEK BRANDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Abstract
This article presents one of the first empirical studies of influencer marketing in Uzbekistan conducted from a public relations perspective. Drawing on a qualitative content analysis of 33 sponsored posts published by ten Uzbek influencers on Instagram, Telegram, and YouTube between January and July 2026, the study examines the balance between public relations and marketing components of influencer communication, disclosure practices, and the drivers of audience engagement. The findings show that a balanced integration of reputational and sales-oriented tasks is the modal pattern (45.5% of posts), with brand values communicated in three quarters of the corpus. Some form of partnership disclosure is present in 97% of posts, indicating reputational self-regulation on a weakly regulated market. The study further reveals a systematic platform differentiation: Instagram operates as a channel of image-building native integration, whereas Telegram serves as a channel of guaranteed reach and direct response. Contrary to expectations derived from the international literature, engagement is driven by the entertainment value of content rather than by personal narrative. The systematic divergence of the findings from Western evidence underscores the need to broaden the geography of influencer communication research. Practical recommendations are offered to public relations professionals for platform-differentiated planning of influencer campaigns.
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