Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards internet celebrity self-brands: an integrated view of congruence, brand authenticity and internet celebrity involvement
Journal of Product & Brand Management
ISSN: 1061-0421
Article publication date: 12 January 2023
Issue publication date: 26 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Internet celebrities have become key resources for consumers making purchase decisions. An increasing number of internet celebrities have begun to exert their influence by creating self-branded products. This study aims to examine the antecedents of consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards internet celebrity self-brands by integrating cognitive consistency theory, cue utilisation theory and the literature on brand authenticity and celebrity involvement.
Design/methodology/approach
Two sub-samples of different social media brand communities were collected via online surveys of consumers with experience purchasing targeted internet celebrity self-brands. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data.
Findings
The results of the two sub-samples provide convergent evidence that brand–consumer congruence, brand authenticity and internet celebrity involvement have positive correlations with consumer attitudes towards internet celebrity self-brands, which then positively correlate with purchase intentions in both psychological (Sub-sample 1) and social (Sub-sample 2) brand communities.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to develop a comprehensive model of consumers’ attitudes towards internet celebrity self-brands, which predict purchase intentions. The model is empirically tested in different social media brand communities, and the convergent results show the power of the proposed model. Internet celebrity involvement is proposed as a key driver of brand attitudes, which has received little attention. We conceptualise internet celebrity involvement and develop a scale to measure it. Based on the findings, we propose strategies to improve the marketing effectiveness of internet celebrity self-brands.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Office of Research and Development of Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan: [grant number 9991A02 211111072811].
Citation
Tseng, T.H. and Wang, H.-Y. (2023), "Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards internet celebrity self-brands: an integrated view of congruence, brand authenticity and internet celebrity involvement", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 32 No. 6, pp. 863-877. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-03-2022-3892
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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