Celebrity endorsement of political aspirants and its effects on college students in Lagos

Abstract

Abstract This article examines two main research questions: what factors justify celebrity endorsement as an election campaign strategy given the increasing doubts associated with celebrity involvement in politics? Did celebrity endorsement of political aspirants influence young adults’ voting behaviour during the 2015 elections in Lagos? Using mixed method approaches, and supported by source credibility and celebrity endorsement debates, a survey was conducted with a sample of 375 students of the Yaba College of Technology. Three semi-structured interviews with members of successful campaign teams were also conducted. Our findings revealed that campaign managers have a huge confidence in the celebrity endorsement strategy for several reasons and would employ the approach in future. Further, the young people interrogated revealed that while two-thirds of them are fans of Nollywood stars and music icons, they were not influenced to vote on the basis of the celebrities’ say-so. These findings are somewhat consistent with extant literature, but suggest the need for further studies regarding how celebrities translate fandom to votes.