Endorser Credibility as a Driver of Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intentions: An S-O-R Framework

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of perceived attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness dimensions of celebrity endorsers used in advertisements on brand attitudes, and the effect of brand attitudes on purchase intention, within the framework of the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model. Data was collected from 260 consumers using a survey method, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed model. The analysis results reveal that the perceived attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness levels of celebrities have a direct, significant, and positive effect on brand attitudes. Furthermore, it was determined that brand attitudes also have a direct, significant, and positive effect on purchase intention. The findings are discussed within the framework of the relevant literature, and theoretical and managerial implications are presented.