Local and international celebrity endorsers’ credibility and consumer purchase intentions

Abstract

Orientation: Marketers are under increasing pressure to improve their brand equity, product sales and market share. Celebrity endorsement has been shown to impact all of these positively and is a highly effective tool for influencing consumer behaviour.

Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare how the credibility of local and international celebrities influences female generation Y and Z consumers to purchase the cosmetic products they endorse.

Motivation for the study: Marketing managers allocate large portions of their budget towards celebrity endorsement, without fully understanding how local and international celebrities’ credibility might differ in terms of their influence on consumer behaviour.

Research design, approach and method: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to generation Y and Z female consumers using the non-probability convenience sampling method and the final sample contained 237 usable questionnaires. Multiple regression was conducted using SPSS version 24 in order to test the hypotheses.

Main finding: Results showed that it was the attractiveness and trustworthiness of local celebrities that had a significant effect on generation Y and Z consumers’ purchase intentions, while it was the expertise of international celebrities that significantly influenced purchase intentions.

Practical/managerial implications: Marketing executives should consider using local and international celebrities for different purposes in their brand advertising.

Contribution/value-add: The study suggests that the celebrity’s nationality may be a moderating variable in terms of how they influence consumer behaviour.