The Ethics of Celebrity-Athlete Endorsement: What Happens When a Star Steps Out of Bounds?

Celebrity athletes are a mainstay of popular culture and an increasingly important part of the marketing ecosystem.

The Ethics of Celebrity—Athlete Endorsement: What Happens When a Star Steps Out of Bounds?

Felicia M. Miller and Gene R. Laczniak

Marquette University

INTRODUCTION

Celebrities seemingly are everywhere–television, magazines, newspapers, radio, and the Internet. Celebrities, broadly defined, are well-known individuals who receive significant media attention (McCracken, 1989). These public figures include actors, athletes, musicians, models, and even chefs, authors, journalists, and politicians. They are created, promoted, and sold to us through the mass media. As consumers, we “buy” celebrities by going to their movies, watching them play a sport, and listening to their music, insights,...

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