<p>Abstract</p><p>The use of celebrity endorsement strategy is nowadays more frequently used by marketers in order to increase their sales and thereby extend their market shares. Many celebrities are used in various marketing campaigns and in most cases; the use of celebrities as endorsers is seen from mainly positive aspects. This made the authors curious whether the negative aspects, that also exists when using celebrities as endorsers, affects consumers in their purchasing decisions when a celebrity gets associated with negative publicity. Another cause of interest is which factors of a certain celebrity are most important and crucial in consumers’ perceptions, in the case of negative publicity.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study which factors consumers find important for a company to consider when a celebrity gets negative publicity, to maintain successful brand recognition.</p><p>Literature review: The use of previous studies within the field of celebrity endorsement clarifies many important aspects when it comes to celebrity endorsement and this chapter is elaborated from 4 different perspectives; Company, Celebrity, Brand and Consumer. Based on previous studies, the authors identified 6 crucial attributes when using celebrities as endorsers and this can also be seen as a pre-study that the research process has been based upon. Furthermore, the 6 attributes are chosen from the three first mentioned perspectives in order to be able to fulfil the purpose. Hence, this thesis is conducted from a consumer’s point of view.</p><p>Method: A quantitative method is used in this thesis since the authors want to base the results on collected data that is expressed in numbers and also to generate a general apprehension in this phenomenon. Moreover, the combinations containing the 6 attributes are used in the conjoint experiment.</p><p>Conclusions: It was proven in this study that consumers do get affected by celebrities as endorser, when the attributes from the literature review are in a combination. But, the consumers’ perception of the attributes differs in different cases. However, the main finding was that there are two crucial attributes, trustworthiness and expertise that companies should take into account when using celebrities in their advertising campaign.</p>

This study focuses on the importance of clothing brands on the purchasing decisions of Generation Y individuals. The research concentrates specifically on university students aged between 17 to 26 years, located in the Vaal Triangle Area. This study aims to determine if this group of Generation Y members are brand conscious in their choices of clothing brands and what influences or motivates them to buy clothing brands. The findings suggest that Generation Y students are brand conscious, in that the right choice of clothing helps them create an image and identity for themselves. Peer and family influences play a crucial role in their choice of brands as it aids in their socialisation process. In addition, advertising is an important variable in communicating brand values and establishing an image for the brand. Celebrities also have an impact on branded clothing as they promote certain attributes such as image, quality and status. However, the results of this study are limited given that the study was only conducted amongst students in the Vaal Triangle area. Furthermore, the research does not follow the individuals over time to see how their brand choices might have changed. In order to maintain Generation Y students’ loyalty, it is recommended that brand managers focus on building an emotional attachment to make their brands special and bring a lasting competitive advantage. In addition, advertising should be used not only to create awareness but also to influence brand image and preference. Generation Y individuals establish their brand preferences at an early age especially during their years of study and, therefore, targeting this consumer group may be rewarding because with careful promotions, marketers can create a group of brand loyal customers for the future. / MCom (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

This Practice-Based Ph.D. thesis is in two sections, the written element presented as a sequence of eight Fascicles, and the practical element presented as an inter-related set of nine Artist’s Books and Multiples. This thesis presents a series of Artist’s Books and Multiples of graphic expressions of anxiety, each informed by a comparative study presented as a sequence of Fascicles of the visual strategies used to advertise cigarettes in America in mass-circulation magazines between 1945 and 1964. The thesis is presented as a boxed object containing the eight Fascicles (each containing a Gatefold Image) and the nine Artist’s Books and Multiples. The thesis identifies specific design and illustration solutions in cigarette advertising such as considerations of artwork, photography, layout, typography, characterisation, and diagrammatic representation of process. The conclusions are then used as the basis for 9 books and multiples in which I explore, within my own artwork, the dynamics of visual instruction, and the devices for reassuring the anxious consumer using irony and humour throughout. Each Fascicle has a Gatefold visual montage with juxtaposed imagery central to the theme. The thesis combines visual analysis and the making of imagery in equal measure. The vast proportion of original visual examples used in the Fascicles are reproduced for the first time in colour from a wide range of contemporary magazines. Particular emphasis is placed on the professional manuals generated by the advertising profession itself. A brief study of the cigarette market in the pre-1945 period identifies early anxieties about the product and how the tobacco industry and the advertising industry sought to address them. The thesis identifies the industries’ invention of the 'Safe Cigarette' and then explores the anxieties implicit in that concept, presenting visual means by which anxiety is depicted. Visual strategies of reassurance in the form of personifiers are compared - ranging from people in socially esteemed professions through to the use of animals (dogs) and visual fictions (Santa Claus). Two factors in particular have been identified to distract consumers from the gathering sense of unease in the safety of the product that culminated in the report of the American Surgeon General in 1964 - the appeal to the consumption of the cigarette in the outdoors and the corresponding success of menthol cigarettes, and the appeal to the reassurance that technology can impart - in the success of the Filter-Tip market. The twin polarities are reflected in the Artist’s books, 'Which Filter Works?' and 'Menthol Daze'. In the last Fascicle the techniques of persuasion after 1945 are compared with those used by the American Huckster of the early twentieth century and the thesis concludes with an assertion of the role that visual humour can play in exposing fallacious marketing.

The purpose of this study was to explore how a consumer's brand loyalty will be affected by a celebrity he/she adores, as the celebrity begins to cooperate with a competitive brand. The methods of this research have been done through qualitative research, and the interviews were conducted in a semi-structured way. The results showed that in a scenario where the respondents' favourite celebrity endorses competitive brands, some consumers will overlook marketing activities from the celebrity that advises them to purchase substitute (competitive) brands. The results showed that some respondents would purchase substitute (competitive) brands and that some would not. However, in most cases the respondent would not last over time as they would go back to the original brand, while others would only stay for as long as the celebrities are in collaboration with the competitive brand. Lastly, in terms of brand loyalty, unexpected findings were found of the research, that the respondent’s loyalty can be negatively influenced if a celebrity’s expertise and its product category are incompatible.

Background: Podcasts are an emerging medium with a steadily growing audience, which is particularly popular among younger generations. This makes them a promising advertising tool that companies can use to reach potential target groups. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how to successfully reach the audience through podcast advertising. Specifically, the listener’s perception of the advertisement and the design of the advertisement are relevant factors. The current market situation with its strong competition calls for special measures, such as celebrity endorsements. People often imitate celebrities and rely on their recommendations. This study applies the concept of celebrity endorsement to podcast advertising as a relationship develops between the listener and the podcast hosts. The host becomes a trusted and valued person to their audience during podcast consumption, which can have a significant impact on the listenership. Purpose: Only a limited number of prior studies did research on the podcast listener’s perception of podcast advertising. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding about the specific design elements of podcast advertising that lead to positive outcomes. Furthermore, there is a gap in academic literature when it comes to exploring the host-listener relationship within the context of podcast advertising. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to investigate how individuals perceive podcast advertising, identify the key design elements that contribute to positive podcast advertising effects, and comprehend the role and influence of podcast hosts in podcast advertising. Method: To achieve this purpose, qualitative research methods are employed. Individual interviews and a focus group are conducted with 20 participants who belong to the younger generations, namely Generation Y and Generation Z, and listen to podcasts at least once a week. Thematic analysis is used to structure the data, which involves coding, analyzing, and interpreting the data. Conclusion: The study concludes with the conceptual framework “Podcast Advertising Evoking Positive Effect”, which is based on the concept of celebrity endorsement, specifically the meaning transfer model. This framework highlights the various aspects that lead to positive advertising effects. These include the attributes of podcast hosts as well as the perceived relationship between the audience and the podcast host. Furthermore, the framework clarifies listeners advertising demands and how commercial messages within podcasts should be presented to achieve favorable advertising outcomes such as a positive change in attitude, purchasing behavior, brand recall, and acceptance of the advertisement.

The purpose of this study was to explore the emotional intelligence scores of students in educational administration endorsement programs. The relationship between the length of time in an educational endorsement program and emotional intelligence scores was examined. Relationships with other factors were also examined. The respondents were students in educational administration endorsement at three east Tennessee universities. A total of 85 students participated in the study. Basic frequency based analyses were calculated to identify any relationships between variables. A literature review gave an explanation of emotional intelligence and examined the historical development of emotional intelligence. The existing literature concerning the evolvement of emotion as an intelligence and its connection to leadership was also reviewed. The study's investigation of the relationship between students' emotional intelligence scores and their amount of time in an administration endorsement program could assist instructors to design programs to address weaknesses evident at a certain level. Specifically, universities with administrative endorsement programs could measure their students' initial levels of emotional intelligence at the beginning of their studies, seek to address areas identified as low in relation to others, and measure again at the conclusion of the program. This would enable them to gauge the extent to which the students' emotional intelligence had been enhanced. Although there were no statistically significant findings, the following observations were made. The study found that the students who had been enrolled the longest in an administrative endorsement program had the majority of their scores in the "low" category of the emotional intelligence aggregate and several cluster scores. Older students had a greater percentage of scores in the medium and high categories for social skills and aggregate emotional intelligence when compared with younger students. A greater percentage of males scored in the "low" category for aggregate emotional intelligence than females. Finally, students with 1 or more years of administrative experience had a greater number of their scores in the "medium" category of self-awareness, while students with no years of administrative experience had a majority of scores in the "low" category.

The literacy mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) swiftly and directly have an impact on reading teachers. The literacy directives of the act constitute a paradigm shift in reading reform, especially at the secondary level. Literacy directives require state and district level administrator's to focus on secondary reading teacher pre and in service training. Effecive secondary reading teachers must be well versed in the foundation sof Scientifically Based Reading Research. Florida is among the first states to implement six comptencies of professional development that leads to endorsement in the teaching of reading. Florida teachers of secondary reading are required to earn a reading endorsement. Professional development founded in Scientifically Based Reading Research is a knowledge-driven process. The process requires teachers to be actively engaged in action research that links theory to practice. School districts are to train teachers to implement recommended strategic teaching tools in their classrooms. learning the teaching strategies of reading requires educators to commit time and mental energy to complete a robust professional development track With concern for the success of reading teachers, this qualitative study utilized case studies and the interpretive approach to investigate the question: Will secondary reading teachers implement Scientifically Based Reading Research in the classroom? The research examined the attitudes, reactions, and classroom practices of eight teachers who were assigned to teach secondary reading. data gathering spanned two semesters and an intervening summer in an urban Southwest Florida school district. The results of this dissertation are encouraging but mixed. The researcher discovered that secondary teachers of reading who experienced at least one class of reading professional development were discovering a climate of collaboration, a body of research, and inconstant implementation success. The research also uncovered teacher perspectives of the negative factors of mandated professional development: time pressures, curriculum frustrations, needs for follow-up collaborations and assumptions about administrator neglect.

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Food and beverage marketing influences the preferences and diet quality of adolescents. In 2009, about one third (23.8 million US dollars) of the 77 million US dollars spent on celebrity marketing targeted to American adolescents promoted sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Research is limited on how celebrity endorsement influences adolescents' SSB choices and intake. This M.S. thesis describes a study with three research objectives conducted among 28 adolescents in Virginia to explore their beverage intake and views about celebrity endorsement of beverage products. Participants completed four activities including: BEVQ-15 to determine the type and amount of beverages consumed; a familiarity survey with 48 celebrities and their endorsements for six beverage product categories; Q methodology study that used 48 celebrity images depicting beverage brand and product endorsements where participants sorted the images on a normal distribution (+4 to -4) based on perceived celebrity credibility (i.e., expertise, attractiveness and trust); and a post Q sort questionnaire. The BEVQ-15 revealed that 96.3% of participants did not adhere to healthy beverage guidelines. A majority of participants recognized between 51% and 75% of the celebrities, but only 4.9% accurately identified celebrities and their associated beverage endorsement category. The Q methodology study used factor analysis to identify three unique viewpoints: (1) entertainment image emulators; (2) inspirational celebrities for perceived healthier beverages; and (3) multi-cultural celebrity appreciators. Study results may inform future policies and actions to ensure that celebrity endorsement encourages adolescents to buy and consume healthy beverages that align with guidelines. / Master of Science

Titel: Celebrity endorsement är väl ingen sport – En studie om hur sportmodevarumärken använder celebriteter i varumärkesbyggande syfte Författare: Erik Hagberg &amp; Niklas Radhammar Handledare: Thomas Helgesson Nivå: Kandidatuppsats, Marknadsföring 15 hp, VT 2012 Nyckelord: Varumärke, varumärkeskapital, celebrity endorsement, celebrity endorser, sportmodevarumärke, varumärkesbyggande Problemformulering: Hur arbetar sportmodevarumärken på den svenska marknaden med celebriteter i sina varumärkesbyggande processer? Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att med utgångspunkt i den teoretiska referensramen och en abduktiv fallstudie av fem varumärken, kartlägga hur sportmodevarumärken arbetar med celebriteter i varumärkesbyggande ändamål på den svenska marknaden. Vi vill även analysera positiva effekter och risker vid användning av celebriteter i varumärkesstrategier. Metod: En kvalitativ ansats med ett abduktivt angreppssätt har använts, där beslutsfattare från fem varumärken har intervjuats inom uppsatsens ämne. De fem företagen är adidas, Craft, Tenson, Peak Performance samt Unihoc. Alla dessa arbetar aktivt med celebrity endorsement som strategi i varumärkesbyggande och marknadskommunikation. Teoretiskt perspektiv: Avsnittet inleds med en grundläggande beskrivning av varumärkeskapital samt hur celebriteter kan addera ytterligare värde till kapitalet. Därefter behandlas fenomenet celebrity endorsement samt processen vid urval av celebritet inom samma ämne. Teoriavsnittet berör även de positiva effekter samt risker som kan uppstå vid användningen av celebrity endorsement. Avslutningsvis behandlas även return on investment gällande celebrity endorsement. Empiriskt perspektiv: I det empiriska kapitlet presenteras de intervjuer vi utfört med ansvarig för respektive varumärke. Empirin speglar deras användning av celebrity endorsement. Slutsats: Studien visar att celebrity endorsement kan användas på olika sätt för att bygga varumärkeskapital, men även för att stärka varumärket i sin helhet. Vi anser att celebrity endorsement är en långsiktig strategi och inte som många teorier hävdar, en kortsiktig. Vi kan även dra slutsatsen att den risk som tas upp i samband med de teorier som präglar uppsatsen inte överensstämmer med våra fallföretags upplevda risk. De anser att risken är liten vid användning av celebrity endorsers.