The Impact of Celebrity Endorsements on Purchase Decisions on Branded Apparel of Saudi Women

by

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION2

Background of the Study2

Problem Statement2

Aims and Objectives3

Research Questions3

Significance of the Study3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW5

Brand Knowledge5

Brand Image5

Types of Brand Associations6

Brand Personality / Celebrity Endorsement7

Celebrity Credibility9

Celebrity Likeability9

Theories on Effectiveness of Endorsers9

Perceptions of Celebrity Advertising10

Factors Influencing Celebrity Endorsement11

Physical Attractiveness12

Credibility of the Endorser12

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY15

Questionnaire Survey15

Reliability15

Research Validity16

Ethical Considerations17

REFERENCES18

APPENDIX23

Questionnaire23

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Across all major media and advertising outlets (television, print. and radio), celebrity endorsements for sports are commonplace. It has been estimated that one quarter of all advertisements employ the use of a celebrity spokesperson to endorse a consumer service or product. Celebrities are those individuals known to the public for accomplishments in areas either related or unrelated to the product class being endorsed. Celebrities may be sports figures, actors or actresses, musicians, comedians, or any other type of entertainer. Fictional created characters for the purposes of promotion are also considered celebrities.

This category can include human and nonhuman spokespersons. The umbrella of celebrity endorsements has branched out to include professional experts, CEOs, and other high ranking company officials who act as spokespersons for their products. Many companies also endorse their CEOs for their products. The professional experts are also used to endorse products and then consumers associate these experts opinion to the quality of the products. Hence, endorsement plays a vital role in creating a strong business image. This dissertation will focus on the impact of celebrity endorsements on purchase decisions on branded apparel of Saudi women

Problem Statement

The key in brand image research is to identify or develop the most powerful images. Brand image can be power, wealth, sophistication, and most importantly identification and association with other users of the brand. Brand equity can be increased by creating a strong brand image. A positive brand image is formed by generating strong, favourable and unique associations to the brand in the memory. In my own words, brand image is the image or a picture of a good or service which is formed in the customer's mind.

Aims and Objectives

The dissertation will investigate what are the most important factors of establishing global brand image and the impact of celebrity endorsements on purchase decisions on branded apparel of Saudi women. In Saudi market, celebrities have proven to be effective endorsers. However, recently, celebrities are considered not only as vehicles for product endorsement, but as cultural products that can be sold as “brands”.

Research Questions

The researcher will address the following question

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in creating a brand image for apparel in Saudi Arab?

What are the basic factors considered for making purchase decisions through celebrity endorsements?

What are the strategies used for creating global brand image?

Significance of the Study

This research is very important contribution to the literature. The researcher studied the factors which affect the brand image of apparel marketing. The existing literature is based on the celebrity endorsement of all apparel goods in the Saudi Arabian market. In this age of globalization, consumers have become very much ...