Exploring the Influence of Celebrity Endorsements on Consumer Purchasing Behavior in Fashion and Apparel Realm

Abstract

Celebrity endorsement of different activities is a common practice dating back to the nineteenth century and its impact on purchasing behavior has increased significantly especially in the fashion and apparel industry. In a competitive market brands increasingly rely on celebrity endorsements to boost market share and brand power. This paper will seek to investigate how celebrity endorsements affect the consumer purchasing behavior in the fashion and clothing sector. The quantitative research approach was used which incorporated respondents who were sampled in three top universities in Faisalabad. The study also involves the reactions of the visitors to the fashion and clothing brands in Faisalabad that make the information richer. Structured questionnaires are used to collect the data and analyze using SPSS through descriptive statistics and reliability analysis (Cronbach’s alpha) to ensure internal consistency of the scales. Pearson correlation and regression analysis were applied to test the relationships between celebrity endorser attributes, brand perception and consumer purchasing behavior. The results show that consumers have a high likelihood of being persuaded by celebrity-endorsed advertising than non-endorsed advertising. There was a positive correlation between the purchasing behavior, brand perception and the attributes of the celebrity endorser. The present study is applicable in informing the current understanding of the importance of celebrity endorsement in influencing consumer behavior in the competitive environment of the Faisalabad fashion industry.