How Celebrities Influence Consumer Choice
A celebrity is a person who has achieved fame and status as a result of their public actions. Often, this is the case with a famous person in entertainment such as someone who acts in movies or sings songs, but a politician or other high profile official could also be considered a celebrity if their public actions make them well known to most people in a particular region. Celebrities are often the subject of interest for fans who want to try and connect with them. A common way to do this is through social media or online platforms that allow people to contact celebrities. If you are interested in getting a celebrity to endorse your product or speak at an event, the best way to go about this is by contacting their representative directly. Generally, this is an agent or manager who can help you out with the details of booking a celebrity appearance for your event. Many of these agents and managers will have their contact information listed on their website or social media pages, but if you are not having any luck finding it, there are online databases of celebrity contacts that can be used for a fee. Whether it's Cindy Crawford guzzling Pepsi or Shaquille O'Neal hawking Icy Hot, a lot of money is spent on celebrity endorsements. Yet, it's always been a bit of a mystery as to how and why celebrities influence consumer choice. A new study by Wharton experts aims to settle these questions. The research will focus on both quantitative and qualitative analyses, including meta-regression analysis of the data. It will also identify underlying and contextual factors that may impact the effect of celebrity endorsements. While the academic analysis of this phenomenon has long been rooted in Frankfurt School theories (Horkheimer and Adorno, in particular), the Wharton researchers will also seek to examine individual and contextual characteristics that might render some groups of consumers more or less susceptible to celebrity influence. For example, some individuals might be more likely to buy a product that has been endorsed by a celebrity because of their personal connection to the star. Others, however, might be more influenced by a celebrity's reputation for quality or brand loyalty. The research will also include a qualitative component, in which participants will be asked to talk about their own experiences with celebrity endorsements and other types of influence. This will provide valuable insights into how celebrity and non-celebrity influences are created.