Celebrity Advertising, Brand Awareness and Brand Recognition: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Abstract

This research aims at ascertaining the effect of celebrity advertising on brand awareness of the endorsed brand with the key dimensions used in measuring celebrity advertising been celebrity credibility and endorser-brand fit. Using a causal research design, the conceptual framework was tested. Data was collected using a self administered questionnaire on consumers in Enugu metropolis. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling in partial least square (PLS-SEM) software. Our results suggest that endorser credibility and endorser-brand fit has a direct impact on brand awareness. With celebrity attractiveness been the highest influence followed by expertise, endorser-brand fit and the weakest been celebrity trustworthiness. While supporting some past findings, this study shows that alongside celebrity credibility conceptualised as attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness, the endorser-brand fit is also a critical factor for consideration in using celebrity endorsers. This present study is one of the first attempts to empirically test and confirm the impact of celebrity advertising on brand awareness by simultaneously testing endorser credibility and endorser-brand fit influence on brand awareness.

Keywords: Celebrity Advertising, Endorser Credibility, Endorser-brand fit, Structural Equation Model (SEM), Brand Awareness, Brand Recognition