A person who is widely recognised and famous, often because of their exploits in fields such as entertainment, sports, or politics, is called a celebrity. In marketing terms, an endorsement is an action by a person, mostly a celebrity, who publicly approves and promotes a product as being of high quality or desirable (McCracken, 1989). CE combines these elements, utilising a famous individual's public approval to enhance a product's image and appeal to consumers. Bergkvist & Zhou (2016) defined celebrity endorsement as the engagement of an individual with public recognition to promote an entity (a brand or a social cause). CE involves a mutually beneficial relationship, where celebrities earn by lending their image and boost the brand attractiveness of products and services (Al Mamun et al., 2023; Silva et al., 2015).
For a long time, marketing practitioners have been effectively using the star power of celebrities to shape consumer behaviour and brand perception as a powerful marketing tool. This approach of Celebrity Endorsement (CE) hinges on the perceived characteristics of the endorser, such as trustworthiness and attractiveness. Early psychological studies identified the concept of CE as crucial for effective mass communication (Hsu & McDonald, 2002). In today's digital era, celebrities' public recognition and power have grown manifold from years past. Some studies indicate that CE has had a significant impact on brands, particularly with the rise of social media (Aw & Labrecque, 2020).
A person who is widely recognised and famous, often because of their exploits in fields such as entertainment, sports, or politics, is called a celebrity. In marketing terms, an endorsement is an action by a person, mostly a celebrity, who publicly approves and promotes a product as being of high quality or desirable (McCracken, 1989). CE combines these elements, utilising a famous individual's public approval to enhance a product's image and appeal to consumers. Bergkvist & Zhou (2016) defined celebrity endorsement as the engagement of an individual with public recognition to promote an entity (a brand or a social cause). CE involves a mutually beneficial relationship, where celebrities earn by lending their image and boost the brand attractiveness of products and services (Al Mamun et al., 2023; Silva et al., 2015).
CEs exert a substantial impact on brands, which has grown since the advent of social media (Keel & Nataraajan, 2012; Kramer, 2010; Lu & Seah, 2018). To increase brand recognition, marketers allocate a significant portion of their promotional budget to celebrities. Significant past research also highlights that CE trends differ among nations and brands (Winterich et al., 2018). Celebrity endorsement is not just a marketing strategy but a complex interplay of psychological and social factors that affect consumer behaviour. It offers a deeper insight into how CE affects customers' behaviour and their purchase intention (Liu et al., 2007; Osei-Frimpong et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2022). The heightened use of celebrity and associated complexity in recent years has led to increased interest in academic research on CE.
Objective of the Study
This study employs a bibliometric analysis of 1139 articles from the Scopus database retrieved for the keywords “Celebrity”, “celebrities”, “endorsement”, and “endorsements". Simsek & Kalipci (2023) defined bibliometric analysis as a quantitative evaluation of publications and citations used across various disciplines. Despite the broad interest in CE, there is limited comprehensive research addressing the evolution of the concept, the role of the consumer, and the nuanced impacts of endorsement on both consumers and celebrities. However, it is also observed that limited research has sought to synthesise the results of the plethora of publications on celebrity endorsements into a unified model that resolves the seeming inconsistencies (Knoll & Matthes, 2017). This study aims to fill these gaps by offering an analytical review of the celebrity endorsement literature.
The aim of this study is to analyse research on celebrity endorsement, tracing its evolution, identifying core themes, and evaluating influential publications, citations, and prolific authors. The review will assess geographical and institutional contributions and explore collaborative networks. Additionally, it will highlight research gaps and suggest future directions for research. The analysis uses VOSviewer software to construct and visualise bibliometric networks, identify key themes, co-citations, and occurrences within the field (Tamala et al., 2022). We also felt the need to facilitate a unified understanding of the current stage of knowledge concerning marketing in CE, as well as the promising avenues for future research in this domain (Beliaeva et al., 2022). This analysis will enable a comprehensive understanding of the scholarly landscape of celebrity endorsement, offering valuable insights for academics and practitioners. Using VOSviewer and bibliometric analysis, connections were developed to investigate the existing intellectual structure of CE and highlight the interrelated themes valuable to academicians and practitioners (Koo & Lin, 2023; Laengle et al., 2018).
The foundation of research on CE lies in the foundational comparisons by Kahle & Homer (1985) and Kaikati (1987). Since then, the body of research on the subject has grown significantly. Despite its widespread use of CE in enhancing marketing effectiveness, the Internet era has introduced new complexities. Meng et al. (2020) and Shen et al. (2022) highlight the influence of celebrities and social media on consumer behaviour, forming virtual parasocial relationships that impact purchase intentions. Studies show diverse applications, such as comparison of local and international celebrities in destination marketing (Li et al., 2022), pro-green behaviours (Ho et al., 2022), health awareness (Lahooti et al., 2023), marketing communication (Jun et al., 2023), live-streaming e-commerce (Meng et al., 2021), and traditional e-commerce (Jin & Ryu, 2020). Yu and Hu (2020) emphasised the effect of CE in luxury brand marketing due to its influence on psychological distance and cultural background (Huo et al., 2022; Vo, 2024), as well as ethnicity (Chatzopoulou & Navazhylava, 2022), which was found to significantly influence endorsement outcomes. Yang (2018) investigated the evolution of celebrity endorsement in non-marketing fields. Carrillat and Ilicic (2019) presented a framework related to the theory on celebrity endorsement evolution, while Bergkvist and Zhou (2016) provided a literature review of celebrity endorsement.
However, comprehensive reviews remain limited, despite meta-analyses by Amos et al. (2008) and Knoll & Matthes (2016) on the effectiveness and credibility dimensions of endorsement. Bergkvist & Zhou (2016) and Erdogan (1999) reviewed the financial impacts, but their reviews lacked depth in evolving concepts and consumer roles. Hennayake (2017) reviewed the empirical and theoretical research to understand the effectiveness and mechanisms of celebrity endorsement. Emmadi (2017) emphasised the strategic selection and use of celebrities in advertising. Nelson (2017) discussed the compelling nature of celebrity endorsements compared to non-celebrity advertisements. Ambroise (2019) critically examines the models of celebrity endorsement, and Halder et al. (2021) employed bibliometric analysis to explore the credibility of a celebrity endorser using the Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methodology (TCCM) framework. Sun (2021) emphasises the importance of rational consumption of celebrity-endorsed products among teenagers. The literature demonstrates the utility of theories, such as the stimulus-organism-response theory (Al Mamun et al., 2023; Tan et al., 2018; Tan & Segson, 2018; Tan & Lu, 2023). Bogollu et al. (2021) synthesise developments in celebrity endorsement research, proposing future research avenues based on theoretical roots and research trajectories.
Theoretical Development
McGuire's (1985) Source Attractiveness Model (SAM) identifies attractiveness as a key trait of a credible communication source, significantly shaping consumer perceptions and behaviour. Attractiveness encompasses physical appeal and attributes such as resemblance, familiarity, and likability (McGuire, 1985). Research has established that celebrity attractiveness is an essential aspect of marketing strategies as it significantly impacts consumer attitudes and purchase intentions (Friedman & Friedman, 1979; Singer, 1983; Zwilling & Fruchter, 2013). Studies by Langmeyer & Walker (1991) and Walker et al. (1992) confirmed that celebrity qualities could enhance consumers’ perception of product quality. It was observed that the consumers responded positively to attractive communicators, thus improving brand perceptions and advertising success (Joseph, 1982; Kahle & Homer, 1985; Kamins, 1990). Lynch & Schuler (1994) found that celebrity attributes integrate more easily with brand schemas when matched by marketers and consumers. This led to the development of the Matchup Hypothesis. A strong fit between celebrity credibility and product characteristics increases the advertisement and brand evaluation (Kamins, 1990). The Matchup Model (MUM) suggests that endorsement effectiveness depends on the congruence between the endorser's image and the product, integrating attractiveness with other factors to shape consumer perceptions (Hsu & McDonald, 2002). Research by Miller & Allen (2012) supports propositional learning as the best match for this transfer process. Parallel to this, the Meaning Transfer Model (MTM) emphasised transmitting the endorser's meaning to the product (McCracken, 1989). Most of the research of that time supported the notion of attractiveness, as it strengthened consumer intent and further emphasised credibility as a key aspect in endorsements (Zwilling & Fruchter, 2013; Winterich et al., 2018).
Hovland & Weiss (1951) emphasise trustworthiness and expertise as critical dimensions of a communicator's credibility, further developed by McGinnies & Ward (1980), giving shape to the Source Credibility Model (SCM). Ohanian (1990) developed a three-dimensional scale for celebrity credibility, including trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness. Trustworthiness pertains to perceived honesty and reliability, while expertise refers to skills and competence relevant to the communication topic (Goldsmith et al., 2000). The concept has been widely used in conjunction to assess the impact of SCM on advertisement evaluations, brand perceptions, and purchase behaviour (Wang & Scheinbaum, 2018); however, its relative significance varies with the target audience (Priester & Petty, 2003; Siemens et al., 2008). Fleck et al. (2012) suggested that trustworthiness or congruity alone is insufficient; instead, they emphasised that both trustworthiness and expertise are equally crucial and must be combined (Winterich et al., 2018).
Despite criticisms, the MUM remains influential in understanding the role of celebrity-brand fit in effective endorsements. It is argued that the hypothesis helps fill gaps left by the SCM, although significant concerns about the efficient use of CE persist (Erdogan, 1999; Carroll, 2009; Fleck et al., 2012). SAM was found to offer explanations but was criticised for lacking multidimensionality, whereas SCM was deemed to be most explanatory (Carroll, 2009; Fleck et al., 2012).
McCracken (1986, 1989) proposed the Meaning Transfer Model (MTM), which posits that the symbolic meanings associated with celebrities are transferred to consumer goods through advertising and subsequently into consumers' minds. This three-stage process involves celebrities acquiring symbolic properties from their media appearances, transferring these properties to products via advertisements, and ultimately leading consumers to associate these meanings with the endorsed products. At the same time, Petty & Cacioppo (1986) proposed the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), which states that consumers process information through two routes: the central route, which involves logical and rational evaluation, and the peripheral route, which relies on simple cues such as an endorser's credibility. The choice of route depends on the individual's level of involvement and cognitive capacity (Petty et al., 1983; Peter et al., 1999). When involvement is low, consumers are more influenced by peripheral cues, such as celebrity attractiveness (Agrawal & Kamakura, 1995; Callcott & Phillips, 1996; Choi et al., 2005). Conversely, for highly engaged consumers or a high-involvement product, the consumers process information centrally.
According to the ELM concept, effective advertising strategies should align with consumers' cognitive processes and utilise peripheral cues under low-involvement conditions, and provide detailed information when engagement is high. A match between the product and celebrity characteristics enhances credibility and influences consumer decision-making (Kahle & Homer, 1985; Amos et al., 2008). Additional studies by Byrne et al. (2003), Peetz et al. (2004), and Batra & Homer (2004) explored various aspects of the model, emphasising the bidirectional flow of meanings between celebrities and brands (Halonen‐Knight & Hurmerinta, 2010; Campbell & Warren, 2012; Roy & Moorthi, 2012; Escalas & Bettman, 2015). Celebrity endorsement remains a potent marketing strategy, leveraging the symbolic and persuasive power of well-known personalities.
Theories such as the Source Credibility Model (SCM) (Hovland & Weiss, 1951; Hovland et al., 1953), the Meaning Transfer Model (MTM) (McCracken, 1989), the Match-up hypothesis (MUM) (Kamins, 1990), and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986; McCarty et al., 2013) provide valuable insights into CE and its effectiveness. These models emphasise the importance of trustworthiness, expertise, and congruence between celebrity and product characteristics (Kelman, 2017; Zwilling & Fruchter, 2013). To enhance the marketing strategies, future research should integrate interdisciplinary theories, explore ethical considerations, and assess the long-term impact of endorsements (Arora, Stoner, & Arora, 2006; Winterich et al., 2018). The list of prior research on the specific models from the last 15 years is presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1: LIST OF RESEARCH FOR THE SPECIFIC MODELS.
1 |
SCM |
Hwang et al., 2018; Kim et al., 2017; O’Reilly et al., 2016; Mishra et al., 2015; Dwivedi et al., 2014; Roy et al., 2012; Inoue & Kent, 2012; Spry et al., 2011 |
2 |
SAM |
Wang & Scheinbaum, 2018; Gong & Li, 2017; Tzoumaka et al., 2016; Lee & Koo, 2015; Suki, 2014; Martín-Santana & Beerli-Palacio, 2013; Patra & Datta, 2012 |
3 |
MUM |
Gong & Li, 2017; Yoon & Kim, 2016; Dwivedi et al., 2015; Ilicic & Baxter, 2014; Kim & Choi, 2017; Guido et al., 2011 |
4 |
MTM |
Russell & Rasolofoarison, 2017; Dwivedi et al., 2016; Mishra et al., 2015; Kim et al., 2014; Roy et al., 2012; Patra & Datta, 2012 |
5 |
ELM |
Park & Cho, 2015; Kim et al., 2022; Hur et al., 2017; Beneke et al., 2016; Rahayu Hijrah Hati & Idris, 2014; Nan, 2013; Bhutada et al., 2012; Wu & Wang, 2011 |
This study employs a combination of structured and bibliometric review methodologies to develop a comprehensive research agenda. A structured review organises widely applied theories, processes, and concepts in the field, often presented through tables and figures (Paul & Criado, 2020; Simsek & Kalipci, 2023). Bibliometric-based citation analysis tools provide a network visualisation to identify key knowledge flows in various substantive research domains (Van Eck & Waltman, 2014). It produces a systematic and reproducible analysis after determining the relationship between co-occurring words (Dzikowski, 2018).
Data Collection
The Scopus database was utilised to collect the relevant articles for the study. A broad set of four keywords related to “celebrity", "celebrities”, “endorsement”, and “endorsements” was used for the initial search, excluding book chapters, dissertations, conference proceedings, in-progress papers, and editorials to maintain homogeneity (Ferreira et al., 2016; Vallaster et al., 2019). This choice was not random, but rather made to encompass literature that researched CE, even when the study used the plural form of the keywords (Martínez-López et al., 2018). The quotation marks were also employed because most articles did not address the required subject matter when searched separately. This search yielded a filtered list of 1139 publications covering the span from 1976 to 2024.
Data Analysis Tools
The bibliometric review, using VOSviewer, offers a visual and analytical examination of the literature, mapping out dominant and analogous articles based on citation counts and strength of relations (Donthu et al., 2020; Paul & Criado, 2020), which helps in understanding the development of key concepts and the intellectual foundation of the research domain. It provides an elaborate overview of the celebrity endorsement research landscape by identifying the central sources, articles, authors, subjects, and their intra-relations from a set of documents. This method identifies relationships between frequently co-occurring words, offering a systematic, transparent, and reproducible analysis (Tamala et al., 2022; Dzikowski, 2018)
Growth of Publications Over the Years
Research on celebrity endorsement has experienced significant growth over the past two decades, indicating an increasing interest in the field. Studies show that celebrity endorsement is a widely used marketing strategy, with around 25% to 30% of advertisements worldwide featuring celebrities. (Kim & McMillan, 2008; Vallaster et al., 2019). Through a structured review, it is evident that there has been a notable surge in the number of articles published between 1976 and 2024, with certain years, like 2006 and 2014, standing out as pivotal for the literature on celebrity endorsement.
According to Scopus, the first article on the subject was published in 1976, and the number of articles grew to a modest five per year by 2001. However, there has been a consistent increase since then, reaching 48 articles in 2014, 112 in 2020, and peaking at 116 publications in 2023, marking it as the year with the highest number of publications on celebrity marketing. The growth of publications over the years is given in Figure 1. The significance of celebrity endorsement in shaping people’s perceptions of products, particularly in the realm of non-durable goods such as fashion, perfumes, and cosmetics, is underscored by this rising trend (Donthu, Kumar, & Pattnaik, 2020; Paul & Criado, 2020).
FIGURE 1: GROWTH OF RESEARCH OVER THE YEARS
Diverse Subject Area Studied
The bibliographic analysis unveils diverse subject areas in CE research, with a significant contribution of 669 articles from Business, Management, and Accounting, highlighting the extensive use of celebrity endorsements in marketing strategies and brand management. The social sciences contributed 357 articles, examining the societal and cultural impacts of celebrity endorsements. The effect on financial implications and market dynamics is described in 180 articles on Economics, Econometrics, and Finance. The field of Computer Science contributed 96 articles, exploring technological advancements and data analytics in assessing the effectiveness of endorsements. Psychology contributed 94 articles, delving into consumer behaviour and the psychological mechanisms behind celebrity influence. The 88 Medicine-related articles emphasised endorsements in public health campaigns and awareness initiatives. The Art and Humanities department offered 75 articles, providing historical and cultural perspectives on the influence of celebrities. Engineering contributed 55 articles, often related to product endorsements in technical fields. Lastly, Decision Sciences added 44 articles, focusing on decision-making processes in selecting and utilising celebrity endorsements. The impacts and applications of celebrity endorsements in various fields have improved due to this multidisciplinary approach. The fields in which CE is limited include pharmaceuticals, B2B industrial products, financial services (such as insurance underwriting and audit forms), legal services, academic and scientific equipment, agricultural inputs, and defence and aerospace. The diverse subject area studied is given in Figure 2.
FIGURE 2: DIVERSE AREA STUDIED
KEY AUTHORS
Subhadip Roy (18 articles) is the most prolific author in celebrity endorsement research, whose publications significantly advance the academic conversation in this field. Other notable researchers in the field are Chan K., Um N.H., Arora N., Jain V., Jin S.V., Ilicic J., Agnihotri A., Bergkvist L., and Bhattacharya S., whose works have been instrumental in shaping the discourse around celebrity endorsements. The contributions of these authors are often cited and emphasise the diversity, depth of perspectives, and form the foundation for ongoing research. Figure 3 depicts the contribution of these key authors.
FIGURE 3: KEY AUTHORS
Most Cited Authors
The authors with the most publications are not necessarily the ones with the most citations. Djafarova & Rushworth have 767 citations, underscoring their substantial impact despite potentially fewer publications. Schouten et al. follow closely with 681 citations, highlighting their pivotal research in the field. Other highly cited authors include Grana and Ling, with 426 citations; Chung and Cho, with 406 citations; Choi and Rifon, with 401 citations; Jin, Muqaddam, and Ryu, with 387 citations; Knoll and Matthes, with 333 citations; Park and Lin, with 323 citations; and Silvera and Austad, with 306 citations.
In comparison, the most prolific authors, based on the number of documents published, do not contribute to the list of most cited authors. The high citation counts highlight the influence and foundational nature of fewer but highly impactful works by researchers. This contrast underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of the field, driven by both prolific publication efforts and the profound influence of key highly cited works, collectively shaping the theoretical and empirical foundations of celebrity endorsement research.
Co-citation Analysis
Co-citation analysis reveals the intellectual structure and key influential works in the field of celebrity endorsement research by identifying the frequency of two documents being cited together. In the 1139 documents, 232 authors who had more than 50 co-citations were selected, and a co-citation map was prepared. Among them, Till B.D. Emerges as a central figure with 597 co-citations, followed closely by Kamins' M.A. with 530 co-citations. Ohanian, R., and McCracken, G. are also highly cited, with 570 and 526 co-citations, respectively. Erdogan B.Z. and Choi S.M. contribute significantly to the intellectual discourse with 430 and 335 co-citations, respectively. Other notable authors include Busler, M., Petty, R.E., Goldsmith, and Homer, P.M., each with substantial co-citation counts ranging from 288 to 325. This analysis elucidates the key works and thought leaders shaping the landscape of celebrity endorsement research, providing valuable insights into the field's intellectual structure and development over time. (Donthu, Kumar, & Pattnaik, 2020; Paul & Criado, 2020).
Figure 4: Co-Citation Mapping
Journal Distribution and Funding
In the marketing domain, the interest in celebrity endorsement has skyrocketed, and this intensity is mirrored in the leading journals of the field. Journals like Developments In Academy of Marketing Science (35), Psychology and Marketing (28), International Journal Of Advertising (23), Journal of Promotion Management (23), Journal of Business Research (19), Journal of Advertising (14), Journal of Advertising Research (14), European Journal of Marketing (13), and International Journal Of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship (13), stand out as hotspots where researchers regularly share their insights and discoveries about celebrity endorsement strategies. These journals ensure that only the most valuable and relevant articles are published by upholding rigorous standards through meticulous peer-review processes. They are invaluable resources for both academics and industry professionals, providing them with the latest updates on celebrity marketing trends and advancements. Given their significant influence, the articles featured in these journals often drive discussions and shape the direction of marketing and advertising practices.
Geographical Distribution of Publication
A bibliometric review of celebrity endorsement research from 1976 to 2024 highlights the prominent contributions from several countries. Leading the scholarly output is the United States with 332 articles, reflecting its substantial influence on the discourse. India follows with 165 articles, indicating its active engagement in exploring celebrity marketing strategies. The United Kingdom, with 123 articles, also emerges as a significant contributor. China and Australia contribute 93 and 83 articles, respectively, showcasing their growing academic presence in the field. South Korea (53 articles), Taiwan (43 articles), and Hong Kong (39 articles) further illustrate the expanding interest in celebrity endorsement within Asia. Malaysia and Canada, each with 39 and 25 articles, respectively, round out the top ten, demonstrating the global reach and diverse perspectives that drive research in this domain. These contributions underscore the international scope and evolving nature of scholarly inquiry into celebrity endorsements. The VOSviewer map is in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Geographical Distribution of Publication
University Affiliation
A bibliometric analysis of university affiliations in published articles on celebrity endorsement reveals a diverse landscape. Hong Kong Baptist University, with 18 papers, is the leading contributor, followed closely by the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Florida, and Michigan State University, each with 12 papers. Notable mentions include Bina Nusantara, the University of North Texas, the University of Sydney, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, each with 11 papers. The University of Hong Kong, along with Hong Kong Polytechnic University, contributes 10 papers each. Also, the University of Queensland, IIM Udaipur, Monash University, and MICA each publish nine papers, collectively enriching scholarly discourse on celebrity endorsement strategies. University affiliation of academic contributions is given in Figure 6.
Figure 6: University Affiliation of Academic Contributions
Keyword Analysis
A bibliometric review of keywords in celebrity endorsement research reveals significant trends and themes within the literature, highlighting their profound impact on consumer behaviour and purchase decisions (Kim & McMillan, 2008; Vallaster et al., 2019). An examination of keyword frequency within celebrity endorsement literature identifies prevalent themes including "celebrity endorsement," "advertising," "social media," "celebrity endorsements," "human," "marketing," "celebrity," "purchase intention," and "public figure." These themes underscore the diverse and interconnected areas of research focus, reflecting the multifaceted nature of celebrity endorsement studies and their impact on consumer behaviour and marketing strategies. These keywords highlight the key areas in the field, demonstrating the positive impact of celebrity endorsements on purchase intention and brand image (Paul & Benito, 2017; Kumar et al., 2019). This keyword analysis maps the research landscape, identifying emerging trends and gaps in the literature.
Co-occurrence of keywords
Co-occurrence analysis of keywords in bibliographic research reveals the conceptual evolution of a research topic, mapping key themes and trends (Donthu, Kumar, & Pattnaik, 2020; Paul & Criado, 2020). In celebrity endorsement literature, analysing 230 keywords with a threshold of five recurrences identified the 50 most commonly co-occurring terms. Central terms included “endorsement” (n=57, strength link=98), “celebrity” (n=78, strength link=115), “celebrities” (n=49, strength link=81), and “celebrity endorsement” (n=109, strength link=190), forming the conceptual backbone of the field (Amos et al., 2008). Keywords like “purchase intention” (n=73, strength link=127), “human” (n=99, strength link=842), “advertising” (n=122, strength link=452), and “social media” (n=119, strength link=354) also emerged as pivotal. This simultaneous occurrence highlights the crucial role of celebrity endorsement in brand advertisements. Recent research highlights the increasing influence of electronic word-of-mouth (Gunawan & Huarng, 2015) and social media contexts (Yuan et al., 2016), reflecting a shift toward digital influencers and the credibility of media. This trend suggests an increasing academic focus on the impact of digital platforms on consumer behaviour and brand promotion, which emerges from the map quite clearly. Other major clusters are of “humans” and “healthcare”, and “adolescents/ children” and “food items”. A comprehensive search strategy using primary keywords and Boolean operators ensured the retrieval of relevant studies, underscoring the importance of source credibility in contemporary advertising. Co-occurrence of Keywords is given in Figure 7.
Figure 7: Co-occurrence of Keywords
The bibliometric analysis, conducted using VOS Viewer, provides a comprehensive review of celebrity endorsement research, highlighting key trends, leading authors, and foundational theories. The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory is central to understanding how celebrity endorsements influence consumer cognition and emotions, ultimately leading to increased purchase intention (Al Mamun et al., 2023; Tan et al., 2018; Tan & Segson, 2018). Parasocial interaction theory further explains the impact of virtual relationships between consumers and celebrities on purchasing decisions (Jin & Ryu, 2020). The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) highlights the role of attitudes in shaping behavioural intentions, with bibliometric maps indicating a strong correlation between attitudes and purchase intentions. Key contributors, such as Jin, Ryu, and Al Mamun, have advanced the understanding of celebrity endorsements within these theoretical frameworks. The literature has evolved from examining the general impact of celebrity endorsements to exploring psychological mechanisms and the integration of digital media. Geographically, research is concentrated in the United States, Europe, and Asia, reflecting the global influence of celebrity culture. Emerging trends include the role of social media influencers, cultural differences, and ethical considerations. Overall, the research on Celebrity Endorsements (CE) has revealed their positive influence on sales, indicating that persuasion is heightened when celebrities possess high levels of competence and attractiveness.
Additionally, celebrities transfer non-evaluative traits, and any transgressions by celebrities can negatively impact the evaluations of the brands they endorse. The five major Celebrity Endorsement theories have made diverse contributions to proving the effectiveness of CE and advertising effectiveness. The SCM highlights the importance of choosing credible and trustworthy celebrities to promote products. The SAM emphasises that an endorser's physical attractiveness also plays a crucial role in capturing consumer attention. The product MUM further expands on this concept, asserting that the proper alignment between the celebrity and the product is vital for a successful endorsement. The MTM (Meaning Transfer Model ) adds another dimension, demonstrating that the meaning associated with the celebrity can be transferred to the endorsed product, making it a critical factor to consider. Finally, the ELM theory introduces two channels, peripheral and central routes, each influencing consumer behaviour differently.
Consumer behaviour research should examine the psychological complexities of how consumers and celebrities interact, with particular focus on how celebrities' personality traits influence consumers' thinking and actions. Empirical studies should utilise data to measure the impact of different celebrity traits on advertising effectiveness, considering both moderating and mediating factors. Academics can make decision models to help marketers choose the right celebrities for their products. These models can include aspects such as cultural fit, credibility, and risk assessment. Psychologists and marketing experts should collaborate to investigate the emotional and mental processes that underpin consumer-celebrity relationships. Cross-cultural studies are crucial for understanding how cultural values shape individuals' responses to endorsements. These studies help marketers determine how to change their strategies for different situations. With the evolving landscape of influencers in social media marketing, it is crucial to examine engagement strategies and their impact on people's thought processes and decision-making. There are ethical aspects of celebrity endorsements that should be considered, such as how consumers perceive the ethics of endorsement and the impact on a brand's image when a celebrity breaks the rules. An integrative framework should bring together different theories about celebrity endorsement, giving marketing professionals helpful advice. Longitudinal studies that examine the impact of a brand after an endorsement can reveal how long the effect persists. Lastly, educational programmes need to include research findings on celebrity endorsements to equip marketers with the necessary skills to succeed in this ever-changing market. These research directions will enable scholars and marketing professionals to gain a deeper understanding of how celebrity endorsements function.
The prevailing consensus among researchers identifies the SCM, SAM, and MUM as the leading theories to explain effective celebrity endorsements (CEs). However, each of these theories can only account for certain aspects of such endorsements, leaving a considerable portion unexplained. The discussions and examples presented in the literature illustrate the diversity and variability of celebrity endorsement categories, highlighting that none of the five grand theories can provide a holistic explanation for all types of endorsements. While attractiveness, congruence, and credibility have been acknowledged as essential factors in research, in practice, the value proposition of the brand also plays a vital role. The value proposition can explain why a celebrity may be effective in endorsing some products or services but not in others. Despite the progress made in studying celebrity endorsements, our understanding of their effectiveness remains relatively limited. This complexity stems from the multitude of factors that can either boost or hinder the success of such advertising techniques. Various personal traits of endorsers, including expertise, trustworthiness, and resemblance, have been found to influence consumer perceptions, brand awareness, recognition, image, and purchase intention. However, these correlations are contingent upon brand/product categories, consumer involvement, and the level of risk associated with the endorsement. For marketing practitioners, blending existing source models with psychological perspectives can help determine celebrity personality traits that align well with consumer attributes, leading to stronger consumer-celebrity interactions. Minimising psychological distance is essential to avoid failures in both national and international marketing endorsements. As online social media endorsements gain popularity, marketers should consider leveraging both ordinary consumers and celebrities as promotional agents, while also understanding how these individuals build relationships with their specific audiences. The academic community has dedicated significant efforts to comprehending the fundamental aspects of CE strategy. Nevertheless, there is a need for much more research to comprehensively explore all potential combinations of endorser and brand/product characteristics. Only with further investigation can we gain a more complete understanding of the mechanisms that drive successful celebrity endorsements in diverse advertising contexts. Limitations include a focus on published literature, potential regional bias, and reliance on a single database, suggesting the need for broader theoretical and methodological approaches.
Bibliometric analysis using VOSViewer reveals the intellectual structure of celebrity endorsement literature, highlighting key theories, influential authors, and emerging research trends. This study combines structured and bibliometric review methodologies to provide a comprehensive overview, revealing the evolution of concepts and the active role of consumers in the endorsement process. The current bibliometric data were obtained from the “Scopus” database using the terms "celebrity/s/es, endorsement/s/s”; thus, they are not comprehensively representative. Further research can be conducted utilising other databases, such as “Web of Science,” to explain the mechanisms through which celebrity endorsements influence consumer behaviour and the contextual factors that modulate their effectiveness. This approach provides valuable insights for both future research and practical marketing applications. Understanding these dynamics remains a critical area of inquiry, guiding the development of more effective endorsement strategies in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.