Effects of athletic performance and marketable lifestyle on consumers' engagement with sport celebrity's social media and their endorsements
International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship
ISSN: 1464-6668
Article publication date: 4 October 2021
Issue publication date: 5 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, we empirically analyse the effects of sports celebrities' image on consumers' engagement with them via social media and with their endorsed brand. In particular, we focus on the sport celebrity's athletic performance and marketable lifestyle image dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
An online consumer survey was conducted regarding sports celebrities' endorsement campaigns and consumers' ad recall. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Moderation and mediation effects were examined, and a multigroup analysis was used to test the existence of significant differences between groups.
Findings
The motivation to engage with sports celebrities' social media platforms transcends athletic performance and is positively related with the marketable lifestyle. Sports celebrities who highly engage consumers through social media can promote stronger engagement with the endorsed brand, and this effect is positively moderated by the perceived level of congruence between the sport celebrity and the endorsed brand. The effect of the sport celebrity's marketable lifestyle on the endorsed brand is partially mediated by their social media engagement with consumers. Moreover, a multigroup analysis shows no statistically significant differences among gender and age groups.
Originality/value
This study's contribution is a better understanding of the effect of sport celebrities' image dimensions on consumers' engagement with the celebrities' social media platforms. The marketable lifestyles of celebrities are an important asset that promotes engagement with their social media platforms by consumers that in turn, raises their marketing value in terms of endorsement contracts.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper is financed by National Funds of the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project UIDB/04928/2020.
Citation
Ferreira, A.G., Crespo, C.F. and Mendes, C. (2022), "Effects of athletic performance and marketable lifestyle on consumers' engagement with sport celebrity's social media and their endorsements", International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 259-277. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-12-2020-0211
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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