Consumer, brand, celebrity: Which congruency produces effective celebrity endorsements?

International audienceCelebrity endorsement research mainly focuses on celebrity–brand congruency, presented as a primary condition for the success of these marketing communications. In this view, the consumer functions as an outsider of the celebrity–brand dyad, even though endorsement efficiency depends on psychological processes by the consumer (i.e., identification, social influences). This study therefore proposes a model of celebrity endorsement to test the simultaneous effects of three congruencies among the brand, the celebrity, and the consumer. Data collected from samples of real French women (mean age: 43.36 years) (N = 720) indicate that only the brand–consumer match exerts a significant impact on brand attitude, brand commitment, brand identification, and behavioral intentions. Celebrity–brand and celebrity-consumer fits have a limited influence on the outcomes. These findings challenge the exclusive prominence of celebrity–brand fit as a research and practical consideration and confirm the consumer's active role in the endorsement