The Effects of Celebrity Characteristics on Purchase Intentions: A Focus on Consumer Concern of Environmental Issues

Abstract

Consumer awareness about environmental problems is important in guiding their purchasing decisions. The aim of this research is to validate the moderating effect of environmental concern in two relationships: between celebrity–brand congruity and attitudes toward the brand and, between celebrity–brand congruity and purchase intentions, specifically when consumers are exposed to green advertising including a celebrity endorser. The data were collected via an online survey with young North American and Chilean people. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses in both samples. The results show that the only endorser characteristic relevant to the model is celebrity–brand congruity and its relationship with environmental concern (β = 0.23 for North Americans and β = 0.35 for Chileans with p < 0.05). In conclusion, the consumers evaluate congruence between celebrity and brand based on their concern about environment, then consider brand ethicality, and later brand credibility, which generates an attitude toward the brand and purchase intention. Therefore, identifying the consumers environmental concern is key to developing an effective advertisement with an appropriate celebrity. This research helps to understand the green-marketing literature in a more detailed way, due to this moderating variable capable of enhancing purchase intentions of consumers.

Green Marketing Practices Related to Key Variables of Consumer Purchasing Behavior

“…Other practices registered in this classification are those oriented to spirituality and ethics [26,89], which indicate that messages with moral meaning have a positive impact on purchasing behavior [109]. Finally, studies that measure the impact of advertising from influential personalities show a positive response when they have pro-environmental content and that the attitude and purchasing intention is related to the type of influencer with whom they interact [35,107].…”

“…The second approach is focused on market development and involves carrying out business exchanges with ecological responsibility and with a minimum negative impact on the natural environment [25,27]. The third approach is oriented toward satisfying the needs of two groups of customers: (a) those consumers who have environmentally responsible purchasing behavior; and (b) those consumers who need to develop ecological awareness in their consumption behavior [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. A final conceptual approach focuses on green communication, which involves advertising strategies to improve consumer attitudes toward a green brand and influence their purchasing behavior toward green products [26].…”

“…Promotion through the influence of celebrities committed to the environment [35] Generates positive attitude toward the brand, green satisfaction, product recommendations, social influence, and intention and decision to buy green products. Develops environmental awareness and self-image with green purchasing behavior.…”

“…In this way, the promotion of products and services is sought through the influence of celebrities committed to the environment, advertising focused on spirituality and ethics, green advertising, green advertising design, use of rewards (monetary, donations), and motivation of green consumption through attention by the opposite sex. Regarding the relationship between these GM practices and the key variables of purchasing behavior, the studies analyzed show the following results: (a) increase in the intention to purchase green products; (b) green satisfaction; (c) social influence through the recommendation of green products or services; (d) active environmental concern; (e) development of a self-image committed to ecology; and (f) positive environmental attitudes [26,30,35,[89][90][91]. Finally, these practices based on advertising do not always seek a real concern for environmental care, but rather, some companies use it as a means to take advantage of the trend of consumers seeking eco-friendly products and services, even presenting false advertising that ultimately has negative consequences on the image of the company, especially by customers informed about greenwashing [11].…”

Influencer Marketing Affect Consumer Purchase Decisions On Cimory Product

“…This fact allows brands to approach consumers through influencers, as brands prefer to pay influencers over celebrities. An influencer is a representation of the brand, consumers evaluate congruence between influencer and brand based on their concern about brand ethicality and brand credibility, which generates an attitude toward the brand and purchase intention (Cespedes-Dominguez et al, 2021). Influencers are more trusted by consumers than online reviews given by other consumers, this happen due to the trust factor because consumers feel they know influencers better than other people they don't know (Dwidienawati et al, 2020).…”