Revisiting the Match-Up Hypothesis: Effects of Brand-Incongruent Celebrity Endorsements

Abstract

Literature on celebrity endorsements indicates that communications effects are improved when there is a fit, or match-up, between the endorser and the brand. This notion should be particularly relevant to new brands. For established brands, on the other hand, it might actually be more beneficial to select a celebrity endorser with a less than perfect match with the brand. Building on schema congruity theory, this article suggests that selecting a brand-incongruent endorser improves communication effects. Results show that brand-incongruent celebrity endorsers generate longer ad viewing times, higher brand attitudes and brand interest, higher purchase intentions, and more positive word-of-mouth communication.

Acknowledgments

This article was accepted by Claude Martin and James Leigh, previous editors of the Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising.

Fredrik Törn (PhD, Stockholm School of Economics) is a researcher at the Center for Consumer Marketing (CCM), Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden, and a senior analyst at Coop. The author gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Foundations. He also thanks Martina Hessel and Anna Stig for assistance in providing the data for the pilot study, and Jonas Ledberg and Tommy Pålsson for assistance in collecting the data for the main study.

Notes

Note. Small values indicate congruity between endorser and brand and high values indicate high incongruity.

Note. All measures were given on Likert-type scales ranging from 1 (= lower) to 6 (= higher).

Note. All measures were given on Likert-type scales ranging from 1 (= lower) to 7 (= higher), except viewing time, which was measured in estimated seconds.