Celebrity Spokesperson Research Articles

Spokesperson effectiveness in B2B advertising: spokesperson characteristics and posture using eye-tracking

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the nuances of celebrity spokesperson effectiveness in business-to-business (B2B) advertising. Specifically, the study addresses the question of endorser effectiveness in the presence of product complexity (high vs low) and how this effect is moderated by endorser gender. In addition, the study also explores whether the way an endorser is placed in the advertisement (product-facing vs audience-facing) would have differential effects on the buyer.Design/methodology/approachThe present study uses experimental design to fulfil the study objectives. Two experiments are conducted (total n = 201) on employees in a purchasing role in organisations, with the dependent variable being dwell time (captured using an eye-tracking device).FindingsMajor findings indicate that celebrity gender has a moderating effect depending on the product complexity. Results also indicate a significant effect of how the celebrity is placed in the advertisement on the buyer.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings emphasise the role of the spokesperson in B2B advertising using neuro-behavioural data. It also contributes to the theoretical nuances of spokesperson gender in B2B advertising and the role of kinesics in advertising using spokespersons.Practical implicationsThe study provides guidelines on the choice of the spokesperson and their physical posture in the advertisement for B2B advertisers that may lead to communication effectiveness.Originality/valueThe present study is in a domain that is scarcely researched in B2B and adds novelty as it uses physiological data instead of self-reported measures.

Gender Selection Dilemma in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Advertising: Insights from Eye- Tracking Research.

Selecting the gender of a celebrity for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) advertising presents a strategic challenge. Previous research has predominantly concentrated on comparing celebrity spokespersons with non-celebrities, frequently neglecting the intricate distinctions in the effectiveness of male versus female endorsers. This study addresses this research gap by employing both traditional and neuromarketing methodologies. By integrating eye-tracking technology via RealEye and questionnaire-based surveys, the results indicate that female celebrities are more effective in capturing visual attention, whereas male celebrities are more effective in enhancing perceived trustworthiness. These findings are pivotal for both academic research and commercial strategy, as they elucidate the optimal selection of celebrity gender for maximizing FMCG advertising efficacy.

Consumer Preference for Virtual Reality Advertisements with Human-Scene Interaction: An Intermediary Based on Psychological Needs.

Consumption is undergoing a digital revolution brought about by virtual technology, and the emergence of virtual spokespersons has changed the pattern of advertising endorsement sales. Are virtual character spokespersons better than real celebrity spokespersons? This article aims to explore the relationships between different types of advertising spokespersons, different types of advertising scenarios, and consumers' purchase intentions. The results of 2 pilot experiments and 4 formal experiments show that compared with spokespersons by real people, virtual character spokespersons have a greater positive impact on consumers' purchase intentions, which is achieved through the mediating role of psychological need satisfaction. In addition, different advertising scenarios provided by virtual technology have a moderating effect on this process. This empirical study investigates the possible positive effects of virtual character spokesperson compared with real character spokesperson and expands the results of spokesperson category based on self-determination theory.

Research on Youth Consumer Behavior and Brand Marketing Strategy of Want Want Group

This paper studied the teenage consumer behavior and brand marketing of Want Want Group because the main consumer group of the Want Want brand is teenagers, and it is difficult for Want Want to break through the current state. The consumer population is slowly updating, although it is trying to become younger. Want Want needs a more optimized strategy to maintain the freshness it brings to consumers to attract more young people’s attention and consumers. This paper also used the survey method and comparative analysis and found that when buying snacks, most people are most concerned about the price of snacks. More than ordinary people choose paper bags or cartons as snack packaging. More than half of the people learn about Want Want products through TV advertisements. Most people think that the disadvantages of the Want Want brand are that the packaging is not exquisite enough, and the celebrity publicity is not in place. It is believed that the frequency of TV advertisements for the Want Want is low. Many people will choose to buy Want Want products because of their spokespersons. The people aged 17-18 account for the largest proportion of Want Want target consumers. Want Want needs to increase the delivery of advertisements and increase the delivery of advertisements. Want Want can choose short videos as a form of advertising and add more pictures to attract consumers. Want Want also can add celebrity spokespersons to encourage consumers to buy their products.

An Analysis of Brand Spokesperson Models

In today's market, the examples of brands using celebrity spokespersons are increasing in a huge trend. Both international luxury brands and affordable niche brands cannot escape this trend. This has much influence on brands, celebrities, and consumers, both good and bad. For example, the cases of Louis Vuitton using young idol spokespersons in China create huge effects and benefits, and it will be further analyzed in this article. As the use of spokespersons in advertising and brands are spreading out effectively, there is still very limited research on why those celebrity endorsement work. So, the aim of this article is to address the potential benefits and how to strategically solve the negative information of celebrity sources in brands and companies. The main research method is to collect case studies to make marketing comparisons between companies using young idol celebrities and those who do not. Then, analysis of the precious cases to see the extent to which consumers, brands, and celebrities benefit from the Celebrity-Brand Congruence policy. In findings, negative public voice of information on celebrities can harm brands' reputations even if the consumers have already recognized them before. However, in many perspectives, those celebrity endorsements enhanced the effectiveness of the brands' image and likability of celebrities, and indeed they all attract supporters.

Review: Green Persuasion: Advertising, Voluntarism, and America’s Public Lands, by Jeffrey K. Stine

Review: <i>Green Persuasion: Advertising, Voluntarism, and America’s Public Lands</i>, by Jeffrey K. Stine

Understanding the effect of website logos as animated spokescharacters on the advertising: A lens of parasocial interaction relationship

In light of the disadvantages of celebrity spokespersons and the prevalence of brand anthropomorphism, the branding strategy of having an animated spokescharacter (ASC) is gaining popularity. Based on social information processing theory and parasocial interaction relationship (PSR) theory, this study explored the characteristics of brand animated spoke scharacters regarding whether and how they generate advertising effects. In an empirical study involving 292 participants concerning two animated spokescharacters (“Tuniu” and “Three Squirrels”), we obtained the following findings: (1) The characteristics of ASCs (likeability, expertise, and congruence) are positively related to parasocial interaction relationships (PSRs) and advertisement effects; (2) PSRs fully mediate the relationship among likeability and ASC congruence and advertisement effects but partially mediate between ASC expertise and advertisement effects; and (3) adult playfulness moderates the effect of ASC likeability on advertisement effectiveness. This research expands the study of the effects of ASCs on advertising and enriches our understanding of the positive associations of ASCs.

The effect of spokesperson attribution on public health message sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is urgent to understand how to effectively communicate public health messages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous work has focused on how to formulate messages in terms of style and content, rather than on who should send them. In particular, little is known about the impact of spokesperson selection on message propagation during times of crisis. We report on the effectiveness of different public figures at promoting social distancing among 12,194 respondents from six countries that were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at the time of data collection. Across countries and demographic strata, immunology expert Dr. Anthony Fauci achieved the highest level of respondents’ willingness to reshare a call to social distancing, followed by a government spokesperson. Celebrity spokespersons were least effective. The likelihood of message resharing increased with age and when respondents expressed positive sentiments towards the spokesperson. These results contribute to the development of evidence-based knowledge regarding the effectiveness of prominent official and non-official public figures in communicating public health messaging in times of crisis. Our findings serve as a reminder that scientific experts and governments should not underestimate their power to inform and persuade in times of crisis and underscore the crucial importance of selecting the most effective messenger in propagating messages of lifesaving information during a pandemic.

If Childish Gambino Cares, I Care: Celebrity Endorsements and Psychological Reactance to Social Marketing Messages

Background: Increasingly, celebrities are used as spokespeople for nearly all types of marketing. Endorsements can build positive celebrity-brand associations, resulting in favorable brand, product, or issue knowledge. Focus of the Article: This project examines the impact of celebrity influence in social marketing campaigns. Source and receiver characteristics are used to explore how people react to such persuasive messages from celebrities and how those reactions influence behavior. Research Question: Do race (RQ1) and gender (RQ2) of celebrity influence perceptions of (a) credibility, (b) similarity, and (c) heuristic evaluation? How do these factors influence message evaluation (RQ3)? Perceptions of (a) source credibility and (b) similarity as well as (c) heuristic evaluations will increase positive message evaluations (H1). Such positive message evaluations will increase behavioral intentions (H4). Level of (a) perceived source credibility, (b) perceived similarity, and (c) heuristic evaluation of a message is negatively related to message reactance (H2). The level of psychological reactance to a message source is negatively related to behavioral intent related to the message topic (H3). Importance to the Social Marketing Field: The objective of this study is to better understand how characteristics of celebrities, perceptions of the celebrities, and psychological barriers impact intended behavior change attributed to a social marketing message. Because social marketing seeks behavior change as part of an exchange with the targeted audiences, this study contributes a basic understanding of how attributes of the speaker impact social marketing effectiveness. Methods: An experiment was conducted ( N = 798) comparing how persuasive messages from celebrities of different genders and races are perceived. Results: Results indicate that there are significant differences in how persuasive messages from female celebrities are received as compared to messages from male celebrities. Further, race was shown to play a role in feelings of psychological reactance in response to the persuasive messages. Recommendations for Research of Practice: Results suggests marketers should seek out celebrity spokespeople who have the ability to be well-liked by members of the targeted market. The desire to identify with the message source can be a significant enough benefit to inspire behavior change. Having a spokesperson the audience wants to align themselves with is positively correlated with behavioral intentions.

Does celebrity spokesperson signal firm performance? Evidence from a drug scandal in China

Using an event study, we investigate the impact of news regarding a drug scandal involving a celebrity spokesperson who was hired by the Dongfeng Motor Company in China on company performance. We find that celebrity spokespeople news may have significant predictive power on company stock returns and hence on firm performance, supporting the signaling hypothesis.

Restricted Visions of Multiracial Identity in Advertising

Mixed-race representations have become increasingly evident in marketing communications through the use of celebrity spokespersons like Misty Copeland and Halle Berry. This study explores the sociocultural ramifications of the ways in which marketers represent multiracial identity. Through an interdisciplinary review of pertinent literature, the authors create a theoretical framework for understanding the limitations of visual representations. A temporal model for discerning visual representations of the multiracial identity emerged by combining critical discourse analysis (CDA) techniques to investigate multiracial advertising depictions in eight popular U.S. magazines with interviews of multiracial women and advertising professionals. Findings suggest that marketers use mixed-race representations as cultural currency by mythologizing mixed-race bodies as the new beauty standard and as representing a racial bridge, physically and culturally tailored to ameliorate perceived racial divides. While visual representations in marketing communication have served to legitimatize and normalize mixed-race identity, these images generally ignore mundane consumption practices, obscure the relationships and processes that bring about multiracial bodies, and are devoid of sociopolitical context. The authors offer a framework through which scholars can systematically analyze the sociocultural significance of a wide range of identity coordinates utilized in advertisements and other forms of marketing communication.

The effect of female celebrity spokesperson in FMCG advertising: neuromarketing approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop guidelines for the selection of a female advertising spokesperson and brand position regarding the selected spokesperson in the context of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) advertising.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents findings using both neuromarketing and traditional marketing research methods.FindingsThe findings are based on the results of P300 event-related brain potentials, eye-tracking experiments and a questionnaire research. It was concluded that a famous female spokesperson indeed has a significant effect on FMCG advertising effectiveness.Practical implicationsThe selection of a female celebrity spokesperson when seeking FMCG advertising effectiveness depends on the primary determined aim of marketing communication. If the aim of the advertising campaign is to form attitude, then selecting a celebrity as the FMCG advertising spokesperson is recommended, but if the aim of the FMCG advertising campaign is to enhance brand awareness, it is recommended to select a non-celebrity spokesperson. Furthermore, the brand should be presented at the top of the advertisement’s layout, particularly when a celebrity is chosen as a spokesperson because this allows lowering the possibility of the “vampire effect” occurrence.Originality/valueAs a study on the effect of a female spokesperson on FMCG advertising effectiveness, this research will be of academic interest, integrating both marketing theory and neuroscience to analyze and evaluate consumer behavior. This research is also relevant to businesses, because it provides guidelines for the selection of female advertising spokespersons in the context of FMCG advertising.

Independent celebrity directors in closely held financial institutions

Abstract This paper addresses corporate governance issues around the use of celebrity independent directors in closely held financial institutions. In doing so we illustrate how the power of the celebrity nature of the directors encouraged deposits from members of the public who would not have normally utilised a finance company. The authors employ the failure of Lombard Finance, a closely held New Zealand finance company, to illustrate the agency conflict between directors, who were nominally independent, and outside debt holders. This approach is taken as New Zealand finance companies are unique in that they are predominantly closely held bank-like firms who sourced the bulk of their funds from retail fixed term deposits. The research highlights the conflict inherent when utilising independent celebrity directors as spokespeople for closely held finance companies in a small, loosely regulated market. As a result of the failure of companies such as Lombard, the government changed the law to prevent the use of celebrity spokespeople promoting finance companies. This research contributes to the academic discussion surrounding independent celebrity directors and their influence in the collapse of closely held finance companies at a particular time in recent history and the practical steps taken to ensure that such episodes are lessened in the future.

The Effects of Multiple Endorsements of a Celebrity Spokesperson on Advertising Evaluations

Background/Objectives: A celebrity endorser is a person with public recognition (such as a sports player, performer, business person or cartoon character) who does not necessarily have professional knowledge about the products being advertised. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The use of a celebrity endorser enhances consumers' memory of advertising messages by drawing more positive responses for the product evaluation or attitude toward advertisement. This experimental study analyzed the effects of multiple endorsements of a celebrity spokesperson on advertising attitude, brand attitude, purchase intention and attitude toward endorser. Findings: A total number of 287 college students were recruited as research participants. A total of 9 sections of the experiment were conducted, each involving at least 30 participants. The results showed that an advertisement is more effective when a celebrity endorser is appointed exclusively for that advertisement than when a celebrity endorser is appointed who makes multiple endorsements. Based on the results of the study, theoretical and practical suggestions are made regarding a celebrity spokesperson's multiple endorsements in advertising. Application/Improvements: The results of this research are expected to provide basic data, both theoretically and practically, concerning the effect of multiple endorsements of a celebrity spokesperson.

Narrative Exemplars and the Celebrity Spokesperson in Lebanese Anti-Domestic Violence Public Service Announcements

Domestic violence is a worldwide epidemic. This study examines the effects of narrative exemplars and a celebrity spokesperson in anti-domestic violence ads on Lebanese college students’ attitudes and beliefs towards domestic violence and whether these effects are impacted by personal experience. The practical significance is derived from the high prevalence of domestic violence internationally, making it important to find ways to effectively use media to address this health-related issue that has huge consequences for the individual and society. This study adds to the theoretical understanding of narrative persuasion and media effects. Results indicated that narrative exemplars in anti-domestic violence ads promoting bystander awareness and intervention were more beneficial for people without relevant experience compared to people who know someone affected by domestic violence. Anti-domestic violence ads without narrative exemplars, but that also featured an emotional self-efficacy appeal targeting bystanders, were more effective for participants who know someone who had experienced domestic violence compared to participants without relevant experience. The presence of a celebrity spokesperson elicited more positive attitudes about the ad than a noncelebrity, but failed to directly affect relevant anti-domestic violence attitudes or beliefs. These results highlight the significance of formative audience research in health communication message design.

The Roles of a Spokesperson and Brand-Message Congruity in Advertising Effectiveness of Coffeehouse Brands

This study aims to examine the impacts of spokesperson type (celebrity vs. non-celebrity) and brand-message congruity status (congruity vs. incongruity) on consumer responses. Based on the responses of 366 consumers, a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) test is conducted to determine main and interaction effects of a spokesperson type and brand-message congruity status on consumer responses, while controlling for a product involvement level. The results show that a celebrity spokesperson generates more positive ad attitudes than does a non-celebrity spokesperson. Also, an interaction effect exists between spokesperson type and brand-message congruity status on brand attitudes. The ad using a celebrity with a congruent brand-message (hedonic brand-hedonic message or utilitarian brand-utilitarian message) yields more positive brand attitudes than the ad with an incongruent one (hedonic brand-utilitarian message or utilitarian brand-hedonic message). These results provide empirical directions for marketers in the hospitality industry who must tailor advertising strategies for their targeted customers.

Celebrity appeal: reaching women to promote colorectal cancer screening.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign works with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance to develop public service announcements (PSAs) featuring celebrities. Selection of Screen for Life celebrity spokespersons is based on a variety of factors, including their general appeal and personal connection to colorectal cancer. Screen for Life PSAs featuring celebrities have been disseminated exclusively through donated media placements and have been formatted for television, radio, print, and out-of-home displays such as dioramas in airports, other transit stations, and shopping malls. A 2012 national survey with women aged 50-75 years (n=772) investigated reported exposure to Screen for Life PSAs featuring actor Terrence Howard. In total, 8.3% of women recalled exposure to the PSAs. Celebrity spokespersons can attract the attention of both target audiences and media gatekeepers who decide which PSAs will receive donated placements.

From Activist to Entrepreneur: Peace One Day and the Changing Persona of the Social Campaigner

From Activist to Entrepreneur: Peace One Day and the Changing Persona of the Social Campaigner

From endorsement to celebrity co-branding: Personality transfer

A brand’s personality is rooted in different sources, including its spokespersons, who can express individual values and visions of the self, in association with a certain type of personality. This study seeks to measure the extent to which a celebrity spokesperson’s personality transfers to the brand, as well as how this transfer influences consumers, using a co-branding framework. An empirical study of two ready-to-wear fashion brands specifies the conditions of a successful endorsement: The influence of personality transfers on consumer behavior varies with the brand’s reputation and the celebrity’s profile. Accordingly, the authors propose a new approach for selecting brand ambassadors on the basis of their personality and in the context of a form of co-branding.

How does celebrity meaning transfer? Investigating the process of meaning transfer with celebrity affiliates and mature brands

The influence of celebrity spokespersons has largely been examined using source models from the communication literature that feature explicit persuasive messages. Alternatively, theorizing by McCracken (1989) offers a more comprehensive explanation based on meaning transfer. Our research elaborates McCracken's model by investigating a cognitive process underlying meaning transfer. Evaluative conditioning procedures are used as the tool to expose this process. To assess celebrity influence as it may operate in the marketplace, well-known brands and well-known celebrities are featured. The results support, at the individual level, McCracken's theoretical axiom concerning meaning transfer from celebrity affiliate to brand.