The Visibility of Saudi Celebrities in Media Advertisements: A Content Analysis of Celebrity Endorsements in Traditional and New Media Advertisements

Abstract

Given the scant literature on the use of celebrity endorsements in advertisements targeting Middle East markets such as Saudi Arabia, this study is aimed at contributing knowledge through investigating the extent to which advertising agencies use this strategy to attract Saudi consumers. A qualitative content analysis of advertisements appearing in traditional print and visual media and on YouTube is conducted. Interestingly, the results show that none of the advertisements in traditional printed media utilize endorsements from Saudi celebrities. While a few Saudi celebrity endorsers appear in television and YouTube commercials, none is portrayed as an expert in the products advertised. In contrast, many embedded endorsements appear in YouTube shows targeting Saudi youths, and the celebrities in these shows are often YouTubers themselves. All three types of endorsements (explicit, implicit, and co-present) are used by these YouTubers, and they are all one-sided endorsements.