The main aims of this study were to identify the primary reasons why consumers like celebrity endorsers, and whether or not the two genders express differences in their perceptions of celebrity endorsers.
The chosen celebrity was Heidi Klum. A large number of specialist literature sources suggested six outstanding likeability factors, namely: a celebrity’s luxury lifestyle, personal life, personality, attractiveness, successful career and credibility.
These likeability factors were investigated by means of 60 electronic questionnaires targeting Heidi Klum’s online social networking groups.
The results of this study largely conform with the previously published findings. Some minor variations in perceptions between men and women have been identified as part of the research investigation.
The study has revealed that all the above-mentioned factors are important in terms of liking a celebrity endorser.
Among them, “attractiveness” has been classed as the main reason why both women and men like a celebrity endorser.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Definition of Celebrity Endorser
1.2 Background of Celebrity Endorsement
1.3 Q-Score
1.4 Heidi Klum
1.4.1 Heidi Klum’s Career
1.5 Outline
2 SOURCE LIKEABILITY
2.1 Luxury Lifestyle
2.2 Personal Life
2.3 Personality
2.4 Attractiveness
2.5 Successful Career
2.6 Credibility
3 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
3.1 Perception Process
3.2 Self-Concept
4 METHODOLOGY
4.1 Research Question and Objectives
4.2 Research Philosophy
4.3 Research Approach
4.4 Research Strategy
4.4.1 Time Horizon
4.4.2 Research Method
4.4.3 Data Collection Techniques
4.4.4 Questionnaire Design
4.4.5 Piloting
4.5 Sampling Definition
4.5.1 Sampling Techniques
4.5.2 Sampling Selection
4.6 Ethics, Non-Response and Response Bias
4.7 Research Limitations
5 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
5.1 Perception of HK’s Luxury Lifestyle
5.2 Perception of HK’s Personal Life
5.3 Perception of HK’s Personality
5.4 Perception of HK’s Attractiveness
5.5 Perception of HK’s Successful Career
5.6 Perception of HK’s Credibility
6 CONCLUSION
7 APPENDICES
7.1 Questionnaire
7.2 Overall Ranking of Likeability Factors
8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Objectives and Core Topics
The primary aim of this study is to identify the underlying reasons why consumers develop a liking for celebrity endorsers, using Heidi Klum as a central case study to examine differences in perception between male and female consumers.
- Theoretical exploration of likeability factors (luxury lifestyle, personal life, personality, attractiveness, successful career, and credibility).
- Empirical analysis of consumer perceptions via electronic surveys.
- Comparative gender study on what drives consumer preference for celebrity endorsers.
- Examination of self-concept and identification processes in consumer-endorser relationships.
Excerpt from the Book
2.4 Attractiveness
“Beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introduction” (Aristotle cited in Kahle and Homer, 1985, p. 960). It can be said that a great philosopher such as Aristotle has given evidence of positive perception and impressions of attractive people. Further investigations of physical attractiveness were revealed in many fields and have likewise been applied to the likeability of celebrity endorsers.
Whether in the labour market (Mobius and Rosenblat, 2006), in the range of politics (Surawski and Ossoff, 2006) or even subliminal when meeting new people or looking for friends, the attractiveness of a person is vitally important. Mobius and Rosenblat (2006, p. 222) for instance, found that very attractive employees (“above-average”) earn up to 15% more than, less attractive or “below-average beauty”. Similarly the study of Surawski and Ossoff (2006), in which it was illustrated that physically attractive politicians are more liked and hence elected by the public, than unattractive candidates. Other journal articles dealing with celebrities in particular have covered the source attractiveness model with reference to advertising effectiveness (Ohanian, 1990; Belch and Belch, 2001; Patzer cited in Lusch and Dawson, 1986). “The source attractiveness model has its origins in the social psychological research” and is part of the McGuire’s “source valence” model (Ohanian, 1990, p.41).
Referring to the information stated above, Baker’s and Churchill’s (1977, cited in Erdogan, 1999) research results have pointed out that “physically attractive communicators are more successful and effective (…) than their unattractive counterparts,” since consumers are more likely to identify with attractive celebrities and thus with the endorsed brand. Aronson (1972, cited in Reingen and Kernan, 1993; p. 25) confirms this statement by adding that it is human nature that “we like beautiful and handsome people better than homely people” and as a consequence of the likeability of, e.g. a certain celebrity endorser, consumers “attribute all kinds of good characteristics to” him or her.
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: Defines celebrity endorsement and provides background on the market, introducing Heidi Klum as the focal point for the study.
2 SOURCE LIKEABILITY: Reviews literature on six core factors: luxury lifestyle, personal life, personality, attractiveness, successful career, and credibility.
3 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR: Explores the psychological processes of perception and the self-concept in the context of celebrity identification.
4 METHODOLOGY: Details the exploratory research approach, including quantitative survey design, sampling strategies among Heidi Klum’s audience, and research limitations.
5 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: Presents the statistical data gathered from 60 respondents, broken down by individual likeability factors and gender comparisons.
6 CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the empirical findings, confirming the primary importance of physical attractiveness and providing recommendations for future cross-cultural research.
Keywords
Celebrity Endorsement, Likeability, Consumer Perception, Heidi Klum, Luxury Lifestyle, Personal Life, Personality, Attractiveness, Successful Career, Credibility, Consumer Behaviour, Self-Concept, Quantitative Research, Marketing, Gender Differences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research project?
The project investigates the specific factors that influence why consumers like celebrity endorsers, using the model of Heidi Klum to understand consumer attitudes and perceptions.
What are the primary themes analyzed in this study?
The research focuses on six key likeability drivers: luxury lifestyle, personal life, personality, physical attractiveness, career success, and source credibility.
What is the main objective of the thesis?
The objective is to identify which factors are most significant in generating consumer affinity and whether there are notable differences in these perceptions between men and women.
Which scientific methodology was utilized?
The study employs a quantitative research method, utilizing an exploratory survey design to collect numerical data for statistical analysis.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers an extensive literature review on source likeability theories, followed by an analysis of primary data collected from 60 survey respondents who follow Heidi Klum.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Celebrity Endorsement, Likeability, Consumer Perception, Attractiveness, and Consumer Self-Concept.
Why was Heidi Klum selected as the subject?
She was chosen due to her internationally acclaimed status, strong brand association, and her diverse career roles, which provided a comprehensive dataset for testing multiple likeability theories.
What role does the "halo effect" play in this study?
The study explores how positive attributes, such as attractiveness, can create a "halo effect" where consumers attribute other good characteristics to the celebrity, ultimately influencing brand association.
How do gender differences influence the results?
The findings indicate that women are more likely to identify with the celebrity's self-enhancement factors (like beauty and lifestyle), whereas men tend to focus more on material status and career connections.
What is the most significant finding regarding credibility?
Contrary to initial expectations from the literature, credibility was found to be the least significant likeability factor among the study's respondents, suggesting it may play a more vital role in purchase decisions than in pure "liking."
- Quote paper
- BA Marketing Katrin Neubauer (Author), 2008, Celebrity Endorsement. Why do consumers like celebrity endorsers?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/120481
