Athletes and Their Impacts on Endorsement of Sportswear - Literature review Example

? Athletes and their Impacts on Endorsement of Sportswear Athletes and their Impacts on Endorsement of Sportswear People who enjoy recognition by a large share of others are regarded as celebrities. There are many parameters that go into the decision of whether a person is deserving of the celebrity status. Attractiveness, special skills or an extraordinary lifestyle are some of the common characteristics of people whose lives deviate from the social norm and also seem to command awareness in the eyes of many people. Actors, models, sports athletes, entertainers, and pop stars are some of the people who are regarded as celebrities. Others include prominent businessmen and politicians. Apart from their careers and appearances in events, celebrities act as spokesmen for different brands in their promotion (Kambitsis et al. 2002, p. 160). This paper will analyze the effect of celebrity (athlete) endorsements in sportswear marketing on the consumer's perception of the product and overall purchasing decision. “A celebrity endorser is a person who is known by the public for his or her achievements in areas other than that of the product class he or she is endorsing” (Friedman & Friedman 1979, p. 63). This is one of the forms of celebrities that are use by companies in order to promote their products. The reason for use of celebrities is engrained in the influence that they command be it on a national or international stage. Sportsmen and women in particular have been utilized for promotion of a wide range of products most of which include sportswear and energy drinks. Athletes compared to ordinary people have a higher chance of commanding attention. Solomon (2002, p. 50) asserts that the perception that consumers get from brands being endorsed by celebrities is that they are interesting. This is also accompanied by a feeling of connection and positivity with the brands. There is a guarantee that the use of celebrities in promotional ventures will elicit a positive attitude towards the brands and in turn will affect the intentions to purchase. The main reason why people advertise is to persuade customers to buy their products. The whole purpose is pegged on the capability of the producers to alter the attitudes of the consumers. As persuasion is the pillar of this process, credibility in advertisements must be projected for the brand to receive the necessary attention. Athletes especially project trustworthiness, persuasiveness, expertise and objectiveness when used in advertisements (Till & Shimp 1998, p. 72). The customers are also attracted to the brands due to the attractiveness of the personality who is its spokesperson. The attractiveness is classified according to the person?s physical appearance, the relation that can be drawn with the consumer, likeability and the personality. Although the use of athletes is reliant on their skills, some of them are utilized because of their physical appearance that is not so much on the physical attractiveness but on the physique. Ohanian (1991, p. 52) asserts that the use of attractive celebrities as spokespeople is more effective than the use of others who are not as attractive. A halo effect is assumed where the excellence of a person in one direction is associated with excellence in another. An example is that the physical attractiveness of a person being related to coolness or happiness. There is an interaction between the brand and the spokesperson endorsing it. Friedman and Friedman (1979, p. 60) assert that “a famous relative to a ‘normal’ spokesperson is more effective for products high in psychological or social risk, involving such elements as good taste, self-image, and opinion of others.” There are numerous studies that have been done with the aim of examining the effectiveness that celebrities have as brand spokespeople. Martin (1996, p. 32) conducted such a study that there are those endorsements that performed exemplarily whereas others miserably failed. Michael Jordan’s endorsement of WorldCom was a failure while his endorsement of Nike was a success. The reasons for failure range from identification to overexposure and to what Till and Busler (1998, p. 580) referred to as the “match-up hypothesis” where the spokesperson and the brand should fit. In supporting the congruency theory, empirical works suggest that the endorser?s physical attractiveness is the focal point. Attractiveness is more effective where attitude change is desired in brands where ones attractiveness is emphasized. If a person is endorsing shoes, the endorser?s attractiveness in those shoes is the main point of influence. Ohanian (1991, p. 47) concedes that while it is possible for an athlete to create initial awareness and interest for a brand, a change in consumers? attitude may not follow. The author concludes that the athlete must possess pertinent knowledge of the brand, must have firsthand experience with it and must be qualified to be able to articulate the strengths of the brand. Kambitsis et al. (2002, p. 160) support the notion that consumers usually associate endorsers with certain meaning which are then transferred into the brands. The authors studied athletes and noted that their personalities were crucial in influencing very specific groups of consumers who could easily identify and admire such personalities. The transfer model has three stages. The initial stage entails the movement of the meaning attached to the endorser moving from him to the brand. The second stage is the association of the endorser?s meaning with the brand. The final stage entails the acquisition of the attached meaning from the brand by the consumer during consumption and is important in depicting the role played by the consumer in terms of the endorsement of brands with celebrities in general and athletes in particular. Celebrities do not exemplify a single meaning but rather have a variety of meanings that they project. Some athletes have the image of sternness while others may represent perfect gentlemen stances. Martin (1996, p.29) suggests that the use of celebrities for marketing is because they exemplify a set of characteristics rather that a single characteristic. The meaning that celebrities bring to brands is that of extra depth and power that is complemented by their personalities and everyday lifestyles. The process of choosing an athlete to act as a sportswear brand spokesperson is one that begins with the determination of consumer needs and proceeds with the identification of the athlete who best exemplifies the characteristics that are fundamental to spreading the appropriate meanings. Therefore, the process must look at the person who will elicit the most favorable reaction in prospective customers. In recent times, the case of Tiger Woods the former world number one in golf rankings is an example of the meanings that brands get from the affiliate athletes. Nike, Rolex and American Express all companies that relied on the athlete as their spokesman distanced themselves from him once he was accused of infidelity. The companies could no longer depend on him to carry their message. References Friedman, H. & Friedman, L. 1979. “Endorser Effectiveness by Product Type.” Journal of Advertising Research 19 (5), 63-71. Kambitsis, C. et al 2002. “Sports Advertising in Print Media: The Case of 2000 Olympic Games.” Corporate Communications: An International Journal 7 (3), 155-161. Martin, J. 1996. “Is the Athlete’s Sport Important when Picking an Athlete to Endorse a Nonsport Product?” Journal of Consumer Marketing 13 (6), 28-43. Ohanian, R. 1991. “The Impact of Celebrity Spokespersons’ Perceived Image on Consumers’ Intention to Purchase.” Journal of Advertising Research 31 (1), 46-53. Solomon, M. 2002. Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being, 5th ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey Till, B. & Busler, M. 1998. “Matching Products with Endorsers: Attractiveness versus Expertise.” Journal of Consumer Marketing 15 (6), 576-586. Till, B. & Shimp, T. 1998. “Endorsers in Advertising: The Case of Negative Celebrity Information.” Journal of Advertising 27 (1), 67-82. Read More