Mega or macro social media influencers: Who endorses brands better?

[Display omitted] •Online survey on the antecedents and consequences of endorsers in marketing.•Brand and endorser credibility determine customer brand engagement and brand equity.•Endorser credibility impacted brand equity in the case of mega-influencers.•Smaller influencers engage customers better than celebrities. Endorsers are highly effective in promoting customer–brand engagement. New endorsers are emerging owing to the digital explosion. Who promotes brands better - mega or macro-influencers? Traditional celebrities can represent both types of endorsers (mega and macro) with a strong online presence but varying numbers of followers. This study conducted an online survey to determine the antecedents and consequences of endorsers' participation in marketing and communication strategies. The results of path analysis showed that brand and endorser credibility played a significant role in determining customer brand engagement and brand equity. Endorser credibility impacted brand equity only in the case of mega-influencers. Smaller influencers exhibited higher prowess than celebrities to engage customers, thus suggesting that “less is more.”