Unboxing the Child Influencer Paradoxes: A Research Agenda

Abstract

Child toy unboxers unintentionally and intentionally participate in paradoxical practices. The child influencer industry, shaped by ideological conflicts, is a foreign topic in the marketing domain despite its popularity. Drawing upon paradox theory, this conceptual article investigates three main paradoxes of child toy unboxers by addressing the following research questions: What are the paradoxical tensions that manifest in child toy unboxing industry? What research directions will prove fruitful for advancing our understanding of these paradoxical tensions and its implications for child toy unboxing marketing? Departing from the traditional perspective that positions opposite elements as separate and exclusive worlds, the disposition of these paradoxes provides new insights into the complex world of child influencers. This paper presents new research prospects and implications that promote socially responsible child influencer marketing.