Celebrity Endorsement: Creating Cognitive Dissonance Among Consumers Celebrity Endorsement: Creating Cognitive Dissonance Among Consumers Celebrity Endorsement: Creating Cognitive Dissonance Among Consumers Celebrity Endorsement
CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT: CREATING COGNITIVE DISSONANCE AMONG CONSUMERS
ABSTRACT
This paper analyses the various effects of celebrity endorsements on consumer buying behavior through a descriptive study. With a sample size of 100, top of mind awareness of various brand endorsed by a celebrity was explored. It also analyses cognitive dissonance among consumers, various factors which influence consumer buying behavior and whether any downfall in the celebrity’s image also affects or brings down the brand’s image. The participants in the survey were indifferent to the negative controversies regarding their favourite celebrities. The experimental study revealed that product features have more impact on the consumer buying but still most people feel that celebrity endorsements are amusing. It also revealed that celebrity associated with brand for a long time becomes the face of the brand and people link the brand with celebrity and vice versa, even after celebrity changes the brand. It was also established that consumers are more likely to be loyal to the brand as compared to celebrity-brand combination. The study also analyses the importance of various parameters like Price, Quality, Brand Name, Brand Experience and Celebrity while choosing a particular product.
INTRODUCTION
In today 's dynamic and highly competitive business environment, customers are becoming more demanding. Their expectations are continuously rising, with marketers continuing their efforts to meet them. In order to influence the consumer’s brand choice behavior, Celebrity endorsements are widely prevalent in advertisements. A celebrity is a well-known personality who enjoys public recognition by a large share of a certain group of people (Schlecht, 2003). Celebrities (e.g. models, actors, television stars, artists and, sport athletes) are known to the public for their accomplishments in areas other than the product class endorsed (Friedman and Friedman, 1979). They usually enjoy high public
ABSTRACT
This paper analyses the various effects of celebrity endorsements on consumer buying behavior through a descriptive study. With a sample size of 100, top of mind awareness of various brand endorsed by a celebrity was explored. It also analyses cognitive dissonance among consumers, various factors which influence consumer buying behavior and whether any downfall in the celebrity’s image also affects or brings down the brand’s image. The participants in the survey were indifferent to the negative controversies regarding their favourite celebrities. The experimental study revealed that product features have more impact on the consumer buying but still most people feel that celebrity endorsements are amusing. It also revealed that celebrity associated with brand for a long time becomes the face of the brand and people link the brand with celebrity and vice versa, even after celebrity changes the brand. It was also established that consumers are more likely to be loyal to the brand as compared to celebrity-brand combination. The study also analyses the importance of various parameters like Price, Quality, Brand Name, Brand Experience and Celebrity while choosing a particular product.
INTRODUCTION
In today 's dynamic and highly competitive business environment, customers are becoming more demanding. Their expectations are continuously rising, with marketers continuing their efforts to meet them. In order to influence the consumer’s brand choice behavior, Celebrity endorsements are widely prevalent in advertisements. A celebrity is a well-known personality who enjoys public recognition by a large share of a certain group of people (Schlecht, 2003). Celebrities (e.g. models, actors, television stars, artists and, sport athletes) are known to the public for their accomplishments in areas other than the product class endorsed (Friedman and Friedman, 1979). They usually enjoy high public
References: The Role of Consumer Knowledge, Perceived Congruency, and Product Technology Orientation (Biswas & Das, Journal of Advertising, vol. 35, no. 2 (Summer 2006), pp. 17–31) 1996 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc. • Vol. 23 • December 1996