Investigating the Impact of Emotional Attachment to Celebrity Endorser on Endorsed Product Purchase Intention Among Celebrity Fans: The Mediating Role of Brand Attractiveness and Quality
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47747/fmiic.v1i1.2204Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether brand attractiveness or product quality mediate the impact of celebrity attachment on fans’ purchase intention. An online survey was conducted involving 248 consumers who identified themselves as members of BTS; a K-Pop popular South Korean singing group; but haven’t purchased the investigated brand endorsed by the celebrity. Attachment to celebrity was found not to directly affect intention to purchase advertised product. The impact of celebrity attachment on purchase intention was also fully mediated by brand attractiveness and product quality. Interestingly, brand attractiveness has a stronger impact on purchase intention than product quality does. Marketers should consider the use of popular celebrities with a strong connection with their fans when advertising their brands; as emotional bonding with the celebrity helps brands to be considered as attractive and high quality; which in turn can lead to purchase intention.
References
Ambroise, L., Pantin-Sohier, G., Valette-Florence, P., & Albert, N. (2014). From endorsement to celebrity co-branding: Personality transfer. Journal of Brand Management, 21(4), 273-285.
Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 411.
Baek, T. H., Kim, J., & Yu, J. H. (2010). The differential roles of brand credibility and brand prestige in consumer brand choice. Psychology & Marketing, 27(7), 662-678.
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173.
Bennett, D. H., Anaza, N. A., & Andonova, Y. (2021). Big names and small price tags: an analysis of celebrity endorsement on consumers’ perceptions of price, quality, and intent to purchase. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 1-17.
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment, Attachment and Loss: Vol. 1. Loss. New York: Basic Books.
Bhattacharya, C. B., & Sen, S. (2003). Consumer–company identification: A framework for understanding consumers’ relationships with companies. Journal of Marketing, 67(2), 76-88.
Bian, Q., & Forsythe, S. (2012). Purchase intention for luxury brands: A cross cultural comparison. Journal of Business Research, 65(10), 1443-1451.
BrandWagon Online, (2021). Celebrity ad volume grows by 23% in H1 compared to pre-Covid period. Financial Express, July 27. Available at Celebrity ad volume grows by 23% in H1 compared to pre-Covid period - The Financial Express (accessed on 15 October 2021).
Centeno, D., & Wang, J. J. (2017). Celebrities as human brands: An inquiry on stakeholder-actor co-creation of brand identities. Journal of Business Research, 74, 133-138.
Currás-Pérez, R., Bigné-Alcañiz, E., & Alvarado-Herrera, A. (2009). The role of self-definitional principles in consumer identification with a socially responsible company. Journal of Business Ethics, 89(4), 547-564.
Donvito, R., Aiello, G., Grazzini, L., Godey, B., Pederzoli, D., Wiedmann, K. P., ... & Siu, N. Y. M. (2020). Does personality congruence explain luxury brand attachment? The results of an international research study. Journal of Business Research, 120, 462-472.
Dwivedi, A., & Johnson, L. W. (2013). Trust–commitment as a mediator of the celebrity endorser–brand equity relationship in a service context. Australasian Marketing Journal, 21(1), 36-42.
Elbedweihy, A. M., Jayawardhena, C., Elsharnouby, M. H., & Elsharnouby, T. H. (2016). Customer relationship building: The role of brand attractiveness and consumer–brand identification. Journal of Business Research, 69(8), 2901-2910.
Erdogan, B. Z. (1999). Celebrity endorsement: A literature review. Journal of Marketing Management, 15(4), 291-314.
Fornell, C. & Larkner, D.F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error, Journal of Marketing Research, 18 (35), 39-50.
Fedorikhin, A., Park, C. W., & Thomson, M. (2008). Beyond fit and attitude: The effect of emotional attachment on consumer responses to brand extensions. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 18(4), 281-291.
Förderer, S., & Unkelbach, C. (2014). The moderating role of attribute accessibility in conditioning multiple specific attributes. European Journal of Social Psychology, 44(1), 69-81.
Gök, O., Ersoy, P., & Börühan, G. (2019). The effect of user manual quality on customer satisfaction: the mediating effect of perceived product quality. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 28(4), 475-488.
Guru, R. R. D., & Paulssen, M. (2020). Customers’ experienced product quality: scale development and validation. European Journal of Marketing, 54(4), 645-670.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. (2006). Multivariate Data Analysis. Uppersaddle River.
Halder, D., Pradhan, D., & Chaudhuri, H. R. (2021). Forty-five years of celebrity credibility and endorsement literature: Review and learnings. Journal of Business Research, 125, 397-415.
Halonen‐Knight, E., & Hurmerinta, L. (2010). Who endorses whom? Meanings transfer in celebrity endorsement. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 19 (6), 452-460.
Harrington, K. (2014). Save your money: Celebrity endorsements not worth the cost. Forbes, January 31. Available at Save Your Money: Celebrity Endorsements Not Worth The Cost (forbes.com) (accessed on 5 October 2021).
Huang, Y. A., Lin, C., & Phau, I. (2015). Idol attachment and human brand loyalty. European Journal of Marketing, 49(7/8), 1234-1255.
Ilicic, J., Baxter, S. M., & Kulczynski, A. (2016). The impact of age on consumer attachment to celebrities and endorsed brand attachment. Journal of Brand Management, 23(3), 273-288.
Ilicic, J., & Webster, C. M. (2011). Effects of multiple endorsements and consumer–celebrity attachment on attitude and purchase intention. Australasian Marketing Journal, 19(4), 230-237.
Jibiki, K. & Hosokawa, K. (2021). K-pop boom in Indonesia gives South Korean companies an edge. Nikkei Asia, March 23, available online at K-pop boom in Indonesia gives South Korean companies an edge - Nikkei Asia (accessed on 12 August, 2021).
Khan, M. M., Memon, Z., & Kumar, S. (2019). Celebrity endorsement and purchase intentions: The role of perceived quality and brand loyalty. Market Forces, 14(2).
Knoll, J., Matthes, J., Münch, A., & Ostermann, M. (2017). How long does celebrity meaning transfer last? Delayed effects and the moderating roles of brand experience, celebrity liking, and age. International Journal of Advertising, 36(4), 588-612.
Kowalczyk, C. M., & Pounders, K. R. (2016). Transforming celebrities through social media: the role of authenticity and emotional attachment. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 25(4), 345-356.
McCracken, G. (1989). Who is the celebrity endorser? Cultural foundations of the endorsement process. Journal of Consumer Research, 16(3), 310-321.
Miller, F. M., & Allen, C. T. (2012). How does celebrity meaning-transfer? Investigating the process of meaning transfer with celebrity affiliates and mature brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(3), 443-452.
Miller, S. (2021). McDonald’s taps BTS for its next big celebrity-inspired meal. Adweek. April 19. Available at McDonald's Taps BTS for Its Next Big Celebrity-Inspired Meal (adweek.com) (accessed on 5 October 2021).
Roy, S. (2018). Meaning transfer in celebrity endorsements: an explanation using metaphors. Journal of Marketing Communications, 24(8), 843-862.
So, K. K. F., King, C., Hudson, S., & Meng, F. (2017). The missing link in building customer brand identification: The role of brand attractiveness. Tourism Management, 59, 640-651.
Steyn, P., Ewing, M. T., Van Heerden, G., Pitt, L. F., & Windisch, L. (2011). From whence it came: Understanding source effects in consumer-generated advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 30(1), 133-160.
Sureshchandar, G. S., Rajendran, C., & Anantharaman, R. N. (2002). The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction–a factor specific approach. Journal of Services Marketing, 16(4), 363-379.
Thomson, M., MacInnis, D. J., & Park, C. W. (2005). The ties that bind: Measuring the strength of consumers’ emotional attachments to brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(1), 77-91.
Vera, J. (2015). Perceived brand quality as a way to superior customer perceived value crossing by moderating effects. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 24 (2), pp. 147-156.
Yen, H. J. R., & Gwinner, K. P. (2003). Internet retail customer loyalty: the mediating role of relational benefits. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 14(5), 485-500.
Zamudio, C. (2016). Matching with the stars: How brand personality determines celebrity endorsement contract formation. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 33(2), 409-427.
