14 Celebrity Endorsement

Based on Power Distance Theory, power distance beliefs moderates the positive effect of celebrity endorsers on evaluations of advertising (Winterich, Gangwar, and Grewal 2018)

McCracken (1989)

• Source credibility and source attractiveness model are criticized

• Meaning transfer model is then proposed to explain the effectiveness of celebrities as endorsers can be traced to cultural meaning (meaning from celebrity to product to consumer)

• celebrity endorsers are “individuals who enjoy public recognition and use this recognition on behalf of a consumer good by appearing with it in an advertisement.” (p.310)

• Mode of endorsement:

  • explicit mode

  • implicit mode

  • imperative mode

  • copresent mode

• Original model contends expertness and trustworthiness affect message effectiveness

  • Expertness = “perceived ability of the source to make valid assertions”

  • Trustworthiness = “perceived willingness of the source to make valid assertions.”

• Source attractiveness model contends familiarity, likability, similarity of the source affect message effectiveness.

  • Familiarity = “knowledge of the source through exposure”

  • Likability = “affection for the source as a result of the source’s physical appearance and behavior.”

  • Similarity = “a supposed resemblance between the source and receiver of the message.”

• Cultural meaning and celebrity endorser:

  • Variety of the meanings: status, class, gender, age, personality, and lifestyles

  • Meaning transfer:

    • Under culturally constituted world, meaning from consumer goods to consumers. Advertising is the vehicle to facilitate this transfer.

(p. 315)

McCracken (1986)

• Cultural meaning moves from culturally constituted world to goods to consumers

• Instruments that facilitates this movement are:

  • Advertising

  • The fashion system

  • Four consumption rituals

    • Possession ritual

    • Exchange ritual

    • Grooming ritual

    • Divestment ritual