Shi Pengfei, Lu Xiaojing, Zhou Yi, Sun Chaojing, Wang Liying, Geng Biao
School of Economics and Management, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
School of Economics and Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Front Psychol. 2021 Nov 23;12:736883. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.736883. eCollection 2021.
Despite the fact that companies increasingly value online star endorsements as Internet celebrity economy booms, scientific knowledge on the effect of online star endorsements on consumers' purchase intention is limited. Based on the theories of self and construal level theory, this study investigates the impact of online star vs. celebrity endorsements on purchase intention and explores the underlying mechanism as well as boundary conditions. The results of four studies reveal the following: (1) Compared with no endorsement, both celebrity endorsements and online star endorsements lead to increases in consumers' purchase intention, with no significant difference between the two. (2) Self-concept mediates these relationships; specifically, celebrity and online star endorsements activate the ideal and actual self respectively, and enhance consumers' willingness to purchase. (3) The effect of endorsements on consumers' purchase intention is moderated by advertising appeals. That is, celebrity endorsements enhance purchase intention when consumers are exposed to symbolic appeals in advertisements, and online star endorsements enhance purchase intention when it is matched with functional advertising appeals.
尽管随着网红经济的蓬勃发展，企业越来越重视网络明星代言，但关于网络明星代言对消费者购买意愿影响的科学知识却很有限。基于自我理论和解释水平理论，本研究考察了网络明星代言与名人代言对购买意愿的影响，并探讨了其潜在机制和边界条件。四项研究的结果表明：（1）与无代言相比，名人代言和网络明星代言均会导致消费者购买意愿增加，两者之间无显著差异。（2）自我概念在这些关系中起中介作用；具体而言，名人代言和网络明星代言分别激活理想自我和实际自我，并增强消费者的购买意愿。（3）广告诉求调节代言对消费者购买意愿的影响。也就是说，当消费者接触到广告中的象征诉求时，名人代言会增强购买意愿；当网络明星代言与功能性广告诉求相匹配时，会增强购买意愿。
