THE INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISEMENT THROUGH CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT ON CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR

Abstract

The use of celebrity endorsement by various organizations in promoting brands awareness and marketing has increased overtime. It is for this reason that this study therefore considered the role celebrity endorsement plays in influencing the attitude of consumers in Nigeria with focus on Infinix mobile. This study applies the source credibility, source attractiveness and meaning transfer theories to understand and analyze the concept of celebrity endorsement and its influence on consumers. Celebrity endorsement as a concept is viewed as a channel in brand communication through which a celebrity acts as a brands spokesperson and certifies the brands claim and position by extending his/her personality and expertise in the field to the brand, while the attitude of consumers refers to their general feeling/perception of the brand. The research objectives were to find out if the celebrity endorsement of Infinix mobile creates awareness and positive appeal on the brand image and influences great adoration and regular usage of the brand among its users. The study sampled the views of four hundred (400) infinix mobile users on celebrity endorsement through the use of survey research method and random sampling technique with a population study drawn from Ikeja area of Lagos State. Lagos was chosen because it is the communication hub of telecommunication companies in Nigeria. The study encountered some constraints involving financial to cover a larger scope and also, some of the respondents were impatient in answering the questionnaire because they felt it was not going to benefit them in any way. The findings of the study reveal that celebrity endorsement has a positive influence on the attitude of consumers. The researcher recommended that the celebrity involvement should be contained in a way that the celebrity should not overshadow the product; celebrity involvement should not be elevated to the point that the celebrity becomes associated with the brand (where the celebrity has become a brand addiction); and advertisers and product marketers should avoid a situation where a celebrity is involved in multiple endorsements. This study also suggested that further study should be carried out in the role of celebrity endorsement in product marketing, effects of celebrity endorsement in consumers purchasing attitude. Celebrity endorsements are therefore something that brands today should be committed to.