DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF CELEBRITY AND EXPERT ENDORSEMENTS ON CONSUMER RISK PERCEPTIONS, THE

The part of Consumer Knowledge, Perceived Congruency and production Technology Orientation

ABSTRACT:

This paper examines the differential events of celebrity and expert endorsements upon consumer risk perceptions via three studies. Using source archetype theories, it is hypothesized that for high technology-oriented cropss there will be stronger issues of expert endorsers than celebrity endorsers in reducing consumer risk perceptions. In addition, for high technology-oriented harvests there is likely to be an interaction event between endorser type and consumer knowledge upon respondents' risk perceptions. Such an interaction issue is likely to be absent for produces with a low technology orientation. These hypotheses are supported by dint of the first two studies. The third investigation examines the underlying theoretical processe of internalization versus identification and exhibits that the stronger effects of dexterous (versus celebrity) endorsers for high technology-oriented returnss is somewhat neutralized for certain marks of perceived risks when there is high congruency between the celebrity endorser and the harvest

Celebrity endorsements are widely prevalent in advertisements. According to a certain number of estimates, almost 20% of all television advertisements in the United States feature a famous someone as an endorser (Agrawal and Kamakura 1995) more [i]or[/i] less of the benefits accrued from using celebrity endorsers lie in making the advertisement more effective in certain instances (Kamins et al. 1989) enhancing message recall (Friedman and Friedman 1979) and aiding in the recognition of brand names (Petty Cacioppo, and Schumann 1983) Although perhaps not as not seldom used as celebrity endorsements, there has also been a steady rise in dexterous endorsements in advertisements in new times. Expert endorsements are usually manipulated by the agency of focusing on the credentials or qualifications of the endorser. For example, a doctor recommending Zantac' is a form of quick endorsement. Similarly, exercise equipment endorsed by means of fitness experts (as is belonging to all in intomercials) is a form of skilful endorsement. According to extant literature, clever endorsements enhance the believability of an advertisement primarily to be paid to increased source credibility (Maddux and Roger 1980) In novel times, there has been an increased interest upon the part of the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to monitor adroit endorsements. In fact, for certain produce categories with potentially serious health impacts, the FTC has strict guidelines for any form of skilful endorsement (www.ftc.gov/bcp/ guides/endorse, htm).

While many studies have examined celebrity as well as apt endorsements, a few interesting ultimate parts are lacking from prior literature. For example, not many direct comparisons for the differential events of celebrity and expert endorsements have been made within a single close attention (with Freiden 1984 being a notable exception). We stretch out prior work in this area in several ways. First, we attempt to present to view how the differential effects of celebrity versus quick endorsements are likely to be contingent upon the product type. second, Freiden (1984) focused upon respondents' attitudes (e.g., trustworthiness, likability, believability, etc) toward the endorser. We focus upon the respondents' judgments in boundarys of their risk perceptions toward the fruits rather than toward the endorser. Also, true little research has examined the moderating consequences of consumer product knowledge upon the endorsement outcomes; the not absent research attempts to take an important pace in that direction. Finally, a significant contribution of this research involves empirical examination of the underlying processe for the differential events of celebrity versus expert endorsements. Although a hardly any prior studies (e.g., Kamins and Gupta 1994; Kelman 1961) have assumed identification and internalization as explanations for the differential results of celebrity versus expert endorsements, ours is the first attempt to empirically examine this phenomenon.1

In substance this paper attempts to examine the differential consequences of celebrity and expert endorsements upon consumer risk perceptions for high versus depressed technology-oriented products, and the moderating character of consumer product knowledge upon the endorsement outcomes. This paper also empirically examines when and in what manner there might be differential consequences between celebrity and expert endorsements. It is hypothesized that able (versus celebrity) endorsements are more effective in reducing consumer risk perceptions for high technology-oriented products2 with the consequence being magnified for more (versus less) knowledgeable consumer No like main or interaction effects are propos for depressed technology-oriented products. That is, for depressed technology-oriented products, expert endorsements are not likely to be stronger than celebrity endorsements for reducing perceived risks, and this event pattern remains the same regardless of consumer knowledge. The potential part of celebrity endorser-product congruency upon the endorsement outcomes is also examined, and an insight into the underlying processe for the differential events of celebrity versus expert endorsements is provided.