THE IMPACT OF ENDORSER'S CREDIBILITY ON CONSUMER RESPONSES: AN EMPIRICAL ENDEAVOR

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of endorser's credibility on consumer responses. It also explores the mediating role of attitude towards advertisement (ATA) and moderating role brand awareness (BA). Data were collected from two hundred and sixty-three educated consumers to test the proposed hypotheses. The results suggested that the endorser's credibility (attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness) positively impacts ATA and purchase intention (PI). Moreover, ATA mediates between endorser's credibility and PI. It was also found that brand awareness moderates the relationship between ATA and PI. The findings of this study imply that advertisers should carefully consider the endorser's credibility before the selection. In contrast, ignoring these factors could lead to adverse effects on consumer responses. Theoretical implications are also discussed, which are presented in the proceeding sections