Engaging celebrity? Measuring the impact of issue-advocacy messages on situational involvement, complacency and apathy

Using data from an experiment conducted in the fall of 2009, the study considers the effect of exposure to celebrity issue-advocacy appeals on situational involvement, complacency and apathy. The results suggest that receptivity toward celebrity involvement in issue politics has a negative impact on complacency but no effect on issue-specific apathy. In addition, situational involvement is negatively related to both complacency and issue apathy. Finally, the results suggest that exposure to celebrity issue advocacy messages can impact issue engagement, but this impact often depends on the prior perceived importance of the issue and favourability toward the celebrity advocate.