Understanding consumer engagement with celebrity-endorsed E-Cigarette advertising on instagram

Abstract

Considering that e-cigarette use is often glamorized on social media through celebrity endorsements, this study examined the effects of product-celebrity image congruence, consumer-celebrity risk-oriented image congruence, and parasocial identification on consumer engagement with celebrity-endorsed e-cigarette advertising on Instagram. Results indicated that high product-celebrity image congruence, and high consumer-celebrity risk-seeking image congruence, led to significantly more positive ad attitude and greater intention to spread eWOM and use e-cigarettes. Consumer-celebrity risk-averse image congruency, meanwhile, led to significantly less favorable ad attitude and lower intention to spread eWOM and use e-cigarettes. Post-hoc analyses further suggested that smoking status and gender (match vs. mismatch between consumer and celebrity) had a significant influence on processing of, and consumer engagement with, e-cigarette Instagram ads. Additionally, parasocial identification moderated the effects of celebrity-product image congruence, and consumer-celebrity risk-oriented image congruence, on key engagement measures. Theoretical and managerial implications for researchers, marketers, and policy makers are discussed.