Effects of Celebrity Credibility on Country’s Reputation: A Comparison of an Olympic Star and a Political Leader

Abstract

Celebrities used in advertising have an effect not only on the product sold but also on country’s reputation. In terms of the factors through which celebrities exert an influence, a number of studies have cited the category of “credibility,” which encompasses attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise. Of these, attractiveness and expertise are the traits chiefly discussed with regard to effects on products. This study sought to examine what effects Olympic star athlete Michael Phelps and political leader Barack Obama have on country’s reputation as celebrities, which specific aspects of credibility are responsible for that effect, and what differences arise due to differing fields of prominence. The findings showed trustworthiness to be the credibility factor with the highest correlation to country’s reputation for the athlete and the political leader alike. No statistically significant difference was found in the country’s reputation effects of the athlete and political leader, suggesting that sports stars have an international influence on par with national political leaders. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.