A comprehensive framework for understanding celebrity athlete endorsement

Celebrity athlete endorsement has become a prominent marketing tactic that is used by multiple corporations around the world. Sport management research has demonstrated the effectiveness of celebrity athlete endorsement strategies; however, limited studies have examined the celebrity athlete endorsement process in a holistic framework. Drawing from the four celebrity endorsement theories—source credibility theory, source attractiveness theory, meaning transfer model, and match-up hypothesis theory—this dissertation developed a theoretical framework to understand the celebrity athlete endorsement process from a comprehensive perspective. Including the celebrity athlete’s source characteristics, the theoretical framework also integrated the consumer’s cognitive and emotional characteristics and cultural orientation that could influence the celebrity athlete endorsement process. This dissertation adopted a multi-study approach, using a survey design (Study 1) and an experimental design (Study 2) to understand the proposed theoretical framework. The findings from Study 1 supported that not only the celebrity athlete’s source characteristics generate positive marketing outcomes, such as brand attitude, perceived quality, but the consumer’s cognitive and emotional characteristics also were an important factor. The findings from Study 2 indicated that the consumer’s cultural orientation can come into effect and secure beneficial marketing outcomes (i.e., brand attitude, purchase intention). The findings of dissertation suggested that multiple factors in the celebrity athlete endorsement process need to be considered to secure maximum marketing benefits. This dissertation provided significant theoretical and managerial insights that contributed to the sport marketing and management literature.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Hong, Sungjai

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sato, Mikihiro
• Rindfleisch, Aric
• Stodolska, Monika
• Zou, Sharon

• Celebrity athlete endorsement
• source characteristics
• cognitive and emotional characteristics
• marekting outcomes

Statement dc:rights

• n/a

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129575

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129575