Advertisers engage celebrities to endorse their products. This chapter hinges on the meaning transfer theory of McCracken that says that celebrity image can be transferred to items that users buy. Using the survey method, this work examined if celebrity endorsements affect buying. Copies of the questionnaire were administered on 1,516 residents drawn from urban, suburban, and rural areas of Lagos and Ogun States, Nigeria. The Pearson correlation found positive relationships between celebrity endorsements and buyers' decisions. The tests show that celebrity endorsements influence the purchase decisions of the residents, and these buyers' avoidance of a product is more clearly influenced by celebrity endorsements. People buy products because of the celebrities that endorsed them. However, some respondents, especially those in the rural areas, were not as influenced into buying these products as are those from the urban and sub-urban areas. It is advised that advertisers pursue other avenues to draw patronage from this area.
TopBackground Of Study
Most celebrities are seen as famous, well known and successful individuals. Their glamour, fame, fortune, social network and lifestyles usually attract media attention. Piyush (2012) and Ranjbarian, Shekarchizade and Momeni (2010) say that the media make millions of people to constantly see their faces, hear their voices and read their names. Some scholars like Driessens (2013), Khatri (2006), Okorie and Agbaleke (2017) agree that celebrities shape their followers’ opinions concerning anything through inspirational speeches, expression of talents, expertise, humanitarian advocacies and socially acceptable actions. Ranjbarian, Shekarchizade and Momeni (2010) write that people can become celebrities by ascription, achievement or attribution. Ascribed celebrities inherit family fame, royal flame and business names whilst other superstars achieve elevated status on account of their individual skills, winning of high laurels and accolades. Attributed celebrities achieve prominence by affiliation with famous personalities through regular co-appearances, consanguinity and professional personality management.
Most celebrities are associated with fame. Celebrity advertisements increase awareness and patronage of products. Evidence abounds that advertisers frequently use celebrities as credible sources to influence consumers' attitudes towards their brands and enhance their intention to purchase. McCracken (1989, p. 310) writes that a celebrity endorser is any individual who enjoys public recognition and who uses this recognition to market a consumer good by appearing with it in an advertisement. Atkin and Block (1983) note that these celebrities attract attention to the advertisement. Generally, they are individuals with attractive and likeable qualities and these are expected to be transferred to the products or services that they endorse. Much as celebrity advertisements promote brand awareness, strengthen brand image and help consumers’ decision making, problems are aroused when the celebrity loses status due to moral, legal and controversial issues. As Sneha (2012, p.10) mentions, “when negative information is publicized about a celebrity, it not only influences the consumer’s view of the celebrity but also the endorsed product.”
Celebrity advertisements and endorsements have been studied by various scholars. Omenugha, Uzuegbunam and Ndolo’s (2016) survey of some Nigerian youths show that these young people are exposed to celebrities in the media, love reading about, and watching them. Importantly, these celebrities influence their purchasing habits. Oyeniyi’s (2014) study suggests that celebrity advertising affects sales of processed foods and soft drinks. Dumbili (2017) studied celebrity effect on alcohol and drinking behaviours of Nigerian youths. Uzuegbunam (2017) and Itiri (2015) looked at celebrity influence of youths’ participation in the Nigerian general election. Nyarko, Asimah, Agbemava and Tsetse (2015) studied the influence of celebrity endorsement of Fan Milk on the buying behaviour of Ghanaian youths They find sales for this product increased. However, the endorsement could not compel everybody to buy Fan Milk.