Blackwell Reference Online

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In the fields of consumer research, communications, and →  Persuasion , few concepts have been studied more over the decades than that of endorsers in advertisements. An endorser can broadly be defined as any individual who appears in an advertisement as a spokesperson for that product. The endorser can be a well-known actor, athlete, or any other person with celebrity status (→  Celebrity Culture ; Stars ), or another perceived expert such as a doctor, a scientist, or even the CEO of a firm. Using credible or celebrity endorsers to promote the product is a popular advertising technique used worldwide to attract →  attention to the ad, enhance the persuasiveness of the message, increase recall of the ad, and make the brand stand apart from competitive products. The origins of endorsers in advertisements can be traced to source credibility research in social psychology ( Hovland & Weiss 1951–1952 ; Hovland et al. 1953 ; →  Credibility Effects ; Hovland, Carl I .). According to Hovland's model, the effectiveness of a message depends on the expertness and trustworthiness of the source. Expertness is defined as the perceived ability of the source (endorser) to make valid assertions. Trustworthiness is defined as the perceived willingness of the source to make valid assertions. The expertise and trustworthiness of an endorser in an ad are the two most important dimensions ... log in or subscribe to read full text