Marketing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Celebrity endorser attractiveness, visual attention, and implications for ad attitudes and brand evaluations: A replication and extension

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-7-2014

Abstract

Previous research on celebrity endorsement demonstrates that attractive celebrity endorsers can lead to better attitudes toward the ad and brand evaluations. However, this study suggests that an analysis of celebrity endorsement remains incomplete without considering an important initial stage of information processing, visual attention directed toward the endorser. Measurements from eye-tracking technology combined with a survey show that consumers’ visual attention (viewing time) of the endorser is positively related to the endorser’s attractiveness and attitude toward the ad. Further, mediation analysis and partial least square-based structural equation modeling shows that attitude toward the ad fully mediates the relationship between endorser attractiveness and brand attitudes. Being the first study in investigating how visual attention is related to perceptions of celebrity endorser attractiveness, attitude toward the ad and brand evaluations, this article adds to the existing body of knowledge on endorser attractiveness and suggests implications for marketing academics and practitioners that may be used to guide future research.

Publication Title

Journal of Brand Management

DOI

10.1057/bm.2014.24

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS