Celebrity endorsement in the women's fragrance market and its effect on the UK consumer behaviour - Essay Example

This is the null hypothesis proposed and the findings from the study would prove whether or not it is valid. If it is not, the alternative hypothesis would prove to be true, i.e., celebrity endorsement does not influence consumer behaviour positively in favour of the products. The birth of the modern perfumery industry occurred during the colonial era, when the riches and wealth accumulated by the European countries from their colonies enabled the maintenance of the perfect economic climate for the development of perfumes using the technique of enfleurage (www.

perfume2000.com). The first perfume was produced in 1882, known as “fougere royale” using the process of enfleurage. This process uses purified fats in a process similar to maceration which produces pomades that are washed with alcohol, and it produces the finest oils possible. While the fragrance industry is a 25 billion dollar industry, it is one of the poorest performing sectors in the cosmetic industry. Although it would initially appear that the women’s fragrance market is very successful because there are so many new fragrances being launched every year, i.e., about 300 approximately, the reality is that only a few of those fragrances are well received and survive long enough to extend production into another year (Business Wire, 2007).

On the other hand, there are some perfumes which have a long standing reputation and customers are very loyal to particular brands. One significant example of this is the Chanel group of perfumes and especially Chanel no: 5, which has been popular among women for many decades. This holds good despite the fact that celebrity endorsement of perfumes can be expensive; for instance the advertisement for Chanel no: 5 using Nicole Kidman cost £18 million for use over a duration of five years (www.

fashion-era.com). There are two approaches to consumer behavior. The