Celebrity endorsements of branded apparel and its role in printed advertising

Purchasing is an important concept in the life of students. The decision whether to purchase branded apparel is hence a very important one. The 21st century student is less loyal and more demanding when choosing branded apparel. Marketers should understand how students evaluate celebrity endorsers when they appear in printed advertising and respond accordingly. The objective of the research is to find out how celebrity endorsed print advertisements affect Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) students’ purchase behaviour. The results of this study could assist marketers in improving the quality of their advertising and to more accurately meet the needs of this dynamic student market. A literature review was conducted to provide an understanding of the consumer purchasing behaviour and the role celebrity endorser played in printed advertisements. The empirical study was designed to assess the impact of the use of celebrity endorsements of printed advertisements targeted at NMMU students. The empirical findings showed that both male and female students indicated that the use of celebrity endorsers get their attention and created interest, and make advertisements more memorable. Males were more influenced than ii females. Moreover, both groups indicated that for a desired or familiar product, celebrity endorsers did not easily change their purchase decisions. It was also found that the use of pictures, colours and wording featured in the advertisements are important to students. The study proposes that marketers should continue to focus on effective marketing communications and establish whether a celebrity should be used. The correct selection of a celebrity endorser can help to create greater consumer persuasio