An empirical study of fictitious human spokes-characters: the use of video game characters as brand endorsers to improve the purchase intentions of consumers

Abstract

Celebrity endorsements have been established as one of the most preferred methods of advertising by marketers. This popularity springs from the numerous benefits which advertisers experience when employing a celebrity endorser. However there are also a number of potential risks which can cause major problems when using a celebrity as part of a brands marketing campaign. The benefits of using a celebrity endorser can be markedly reversed if the celebrity is involved in a controversial incident. As a solution to this problem this research has investigated the use of video game characters as celebrity brand endorsers. This is because video game characters are celebrities in their own right but they are not plagued by the same risks and problems as ordinary celebrities. This type of endorsement has been done in the past, an example being the use of Lara Croft to endorse Lucozade, and this kind of endorsement has been shown to boost sales. This research addresses a gap in knowledge by investigating the plausibility of using a video game character in place of a celebrity to endorse a brand. This research has applied the learnings from several models of celebrity endorsement to the use of video game characters in order to investigate the positive characteristics which consumers perceive about video game characters and how these characteristics affect their interests in purchasing the products. The Models which were used were: the Source Attractiveness Model, the Source Credibility Model and the Match-Up Hypothesis. The overlapping constructs of these models were used to develop the Theoretical Model of Fictitious Human Spokes Characters. iv This research consisted of a self-administered quantitative research questionnaire, which was tested using a pilot study of 45 respondents. The questionnaire was distributed in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, to a sample group of 493 respondents between the ages of 18 to 35. Fictitious adverts were used as stimuli during the questionnaire. The data collected was analysed using statistical analysis to investigate the relationships between the variables used in the research model. Convenience sampling was used because of time and monetary constraints. This research found that video game characters that are perceived by the target audience to be attractive, likeable, familiar, trustworthy, an expert in relation to the product being endorsed and matched well with the product being endorsed can be used to increase the purchase intentions of the target audience when the characters are used to endorse a brand. This research also found that the endorsements are not equally effective for consumers of different genders or for consumers who have previous experience with video games and those that do not. It can be recommended that marketers invest time into investigating the usefulness of using video game characters as endorsers for their brand. It can also be recommended that video game companies seek opportunities to create partnerships with marketers to use their characters as brand endorsers.