Celebrity Social Media Marketing and the consumer-brand relationship.
Project Summary
Long used in television and print media, Celebrity Marketing is now an increasingly frequent phenomenon, to the point of becoming a full-fledged true communication strategy for brands.
The emergence of social networks has given a new dimension to Celebrity Marketing. This technological change has also brought a societal change. Consumers are discovering a new way to interact, learn, communicate with other consumers, but especially with brands. It is something new that encourages brands to understand consumer behaviour through social networks in order to communicate effectively and appropriately.
Hence, the intent of this research is to study, using a quantitative approach, the effects of celebrity endorsements on social media on the fans of the celebrity endorsers and to identify some of the factors that are critical to a successful celebrity endorsement campaign on social media.
Research Method
As we explained in the project summary, the current study focuses on testing hypothetical assumptions and adopts a deductive approach, the quantitative research design is adopted as the most relevant option for executing the research.
In order to have as representative a sample as possible, we are going to publish an online questionnaire on SurveyMonkey, in order to better reach our target. To do this, we will send the questionnaire to several people who are “fans” of a brand present on Facebook and Instagram or have an interest/link to that brand, namely Weight Watchers, which has launched a Celebrity Marketing campaign with Oprah Winfrey. This choice is justified by the fact of choosing a population directly concerned by Celebrity Marketing on social networks and if possible, having in mind a recent Celebrity Marketing campaign. Being an important brand, we want to reach a sample of 200 answers. Here age is not the most important criterion for our study, because we want to have a representative consumer panel, so we do not focus on a specific age group.
First, several Weight Watchers fans will be invited to participate in this research by a post sent on social network. The post will inform the people of all the information about this research, including the objectives, and request the interested people to click on a link to access the survey. After collecting all the lists, systematic sampling will be used to select the samples randomly from the sampling frame.
What are the planned or desired outcomes of the research?
The aim of this study is to understand the impact of Celebrity Social Media Marketing on consumer’s behaviour. To meet the aim, the following objectives are noted; we will:
- Conceptualise consumers’ perceptions towards celebrity endorsements on social media.
- Determine the factors that affect the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements on social media.
- Determine if and how following a celebrity on social media affects consumers’ attitude towards the product the celebrity endorses.
Circle Yes or No to the following questions and where indicated please provide further information
- Are you required to use a professional code of ethics and conduct relevant to your profession (e.g. British Psychological Society, Health Care Professions Council National Health Service, Ministry of Defence, the Law Society)
NO
If yes, state
- If yes, have you read the relevant professional code of ethics and conducts?
NO
- Are you using an external research instrument or validated scale? (e.g. survey/psychometric))
YES, survey
- Are you sourcing primary data involving participants (e.g. Surveys, interviews, focus group, Internet forums)?
YES, Surveys
- Are you dealing with sensitive data (e.g. personal data, organisational data, those with vulnerable groups)?
NO
If yes, please outline how this data will be stored securely to ensure compliance with GDPR
Are you sourcing secondary data? (e.g. Information from web sites, journal articles, archives)
NO
If yes, provide details
- Does the study require DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks?
Note that unless already working with this population, permission will not be granted to students to data collect from this population)
NO
If yes, provide serial number, date obtained and expiry data
- Does the study involve direct contact with:
Note that unless already working with this population, permission will not be granted to students to data collect from this population)
Vulnerable adults (e.g. learning difficulties, dementia, living in residential care) NO
Those under the age of 18 NO
Adults in prison/remanded in custody/on bail NO
If yes, outline the participant group
Data Security
- Can you guarantee the full security and confidentiality of data collected?
YES
If no, outline reasons
- Outline how you will ensure anonymity and confidentiality of data
Arrangements will be prepared to carefully protect the confidentiality of participants, their data and/or tissue. All personal information collected will be considered privileged information and be dealt with in such a manner as not to compromise the personal dignity of the participant or to infringe upon their right to privacy.
We will assure participants that any personal information collected, that could identify them, will remain strictly confidential and, depending on the research, access to the information will be restricted to the Principal Investigator or to researchers directly involved in the research at all times, before, during and after the research activities.
We won’t disclose the identity of a person nor disclose any information that could identify that person without having obtained, prior to the person’s participation, the person’s consent in writing.
We are aware of the risks to anonymity, confidentiality and privacy posed by all kinds of personal information storage and processing which directly identify a person. Measures to prevent accidental breaches of confidentiality will be taken, and in cases where confidentiality is threatened, relevant records should be destroyed.
All participants will have the right to access personal information, whether or not it is confidential, that relates to them, and to be provided with a copy of the information on request.
People will have the right, following the completion of their period of involvement in the research and following discussions with us, to withdraw their consent and to require that their own data be destroyed, if practicable.
In reporting findings, no names will be used rather letters, numbers of pseudonyms will be used when using quotations.
- Will you be responsible for destroying the data after the research is complete?
YES
If yes at what date will the data be destroyed?
If no, who will be responsible?
Note that data should be destroyed as soon as possible (when full data usage has been completed) but no later than 3 years from data collection.
Informed Consent
- Will all participants receive information as to why the research is being conducted and what their participation will involve?
YES
If no, state reasons
- Will all participants be asked to give informed consent before the study starts?
YES
If no, state reasons
- Will all participants be told of the data being collected and how the data be used?
YES
If no, state reasons
- Will all participants be told that they do not have to participate in the research?
NO
If no, state reasons
- Does the study involve deception?
NO
If yes, provide detail
Risk of Harm
- Is there any risk that the research may lead to physical/psychological harm or disclosure of criminal activities/convictions?
NO
If yes, outline and explain what you will do to reduce risks
- Is there any significant risk that participants may disclose the harming of others or harming of themselves?
NO
If yes, provide details and actions you will take
Participant Recruitment
- Are you proposing to recruit participants who are students or staff ?
NO
If yes, provide details of any potential conflict of interest and how this will be mitigated
Employees of organisations?
NO
If yes, how will permission be gained from the organisation?
- Students through educational institutions?
NO
If yes, how will permission be gained from the institution?
- Participants in residential care, social care, nursing homes
NO
If yes, how will permission be gained from the organisation and individuals/carers?
- Adults in prison, in custody, on remand
NO
If yes, how will permission be gained from the organisation and individuals?
Online Research
- Will any of your research involve online data collection?
YES, online surveys
If yes, how will permission be obtained to collect data if necessary?
We will need to provide potential respondents with the relevant information so that they can give informed consent before proceeding with a survey. One of the simplest ways to obtain a respondent’s informed consent to collect and process their data is by including a specific question at the start of a survey.
- Will you be using a survey software (e.g. Gorilla or Microsoft Forms)?
YES, will use SurveyMonkey
Participant Payment
- Are payments/incentives being offered to participants?
NO
If yes, provide details
- Will you tell participants that payment/incentives do not affect participants right to withdraw their data?
NO
