The Importance of Perceived Endorser Credibility in South Korean Advertising

A study was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements in Korean advertising. Beyond traditional measures of attitude toward the ad, the brand and intent to purchase, influences of perceived credibility were also examined to gain a better understanding of the process. Celebrities were found to be highly effective in creating more favorable responses on the dependent measures; however, perceived credibility of the endorser played a significant mediating role in determining the effectiveness. A path analysis of the relationship between relevant variables in the study resulted in support for the predicted model. Implications for advertisers and suggestions for future research are discussed.