THE IMPACT OF CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT ON THE PURCHASE INTENTION OF MALAYSIAN CONSUMERS

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, the media industry has grown rapidly. Several organizations throughout the globe have used celebrity endorsement as a key marketing tactic to induce consumers’ purchase decisions. This study explores the influence of celebrity endorsement on consumers’ purchase intention in Malaysia. The research constructs a model of the impacts of celebrity characteristics (i.e., attractiveness, familiarity, trustworthiness, and negative publicity) on Malaysian consumers’ purchase intention. Primary data are collected through an online questionnaire from Malaysian consumers. Particularly, 258 survey responses. Findings indicate that celebrity characteristics have a positive influence on the purchase intention of Malaysian consumers. Hence, it confirms that Malaysian consumers perceived the attractiveness of celebrities as a significant component in making a purchase decision. Furthermore, the results reveal that Malaysian consumers exhibited a positive attitude towards the firm’s products and services endorsed by the celebrity they are familiar with. The findings also highlight that the consumers viewed the company’s public image positively when a trustworthy celebrity supported the firm’s products and services. Similarly, negative publicity of celebrities dramatically influenced consumers’ purchase intention in Malaysia. Therefore, it suggests that practitioners can utilize celebrity endorsement to encourage consumer purchases.