For Better, for Worse? What to Do when Celebrity Endorsements Go Bad

This experimental study examined what is the optimal decision for a company whose brand is endorsed by a celebrity immersed in a scandal (revoking versus continuing the endorsement) as a function of brand/endorser fit (congruence versus incongruence) and of the veracity of the negative event created by the celebrity’s reaction (denying versus admitting the facts).

For Better, for Worse? What to Do when Celebrity Endorsements Go Bad

François A. Carrillat, Alain d’Astous and Josianne Lazure

HEC Montréal

Management slant

  • Attitude toward the brand's products is more positive and purchase intentions are higher when the athlete admits rather than denies a positive doping test result.
  • The decision to revoke or maintain a relationship with a sports celebrity depends on the logical connection between the endorser and the brand.
  • If an athlete endorses a brand logically connected to his or her athletic endeavors, maintaining the...

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