The impact of endorser and brand credibility on consumers’ purchase intention: the mediating effect of attitude towards brand and brand credibility

ABSTRACT

Fierce competition within the fashion industry compels apparel companies to formulate a variety of marketing strategies to entice consumers, enhancing their purchase intention (PI). This study examines the relationship between endorser credibility (EC) and brand credibility (BC) on consumers’ PI of products sold by local apparel brands in Malaysia. The study also examines the mediating effect of attitude towards BC (ABC) and attitude towards brand (AB). Data analysis was based on data collected from a sample of 245 consumers in a structured survey. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the hypothesised linkages between the mentioned variables. The findings of this study demonstrate that EC and BC have significant effects on ABC, AB and PI. The bootstrapping procedure shows that ABC and AB possess a significant influence as mediators between the EC and BC in swaying consumers’ PI. The findings of this study can help managers, marketing strategists, and designers within local apparel companies to improve marketing communication and brand management for sustainable growth within the fashion industry.

KEYWORDS:

• Endorser credibility
• brand credibility
• attitude towards brand credibility
• attitude towards brand
• purchase intention
• theory of planned behaviour

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Phaik Nie Chin

Phaik Nie Chin is currently a Senior Lecturer at Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her current research interests and projects include behavioural and experimental finance, behavioural and experimental economics, marketing and consumer behaviour. She loves anything about economics and psychology that has led her to explore more about her current fields. She has ten 10 years of industry experiences  specialised in supply chain management prior to joining Universiti Sains Malaysia. She currently teaches corporate finance and natural resources and environmental management in the School's Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme.

Salmi Mohd Isa

Salmi Mohd Isa is an Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of Academic, Career and International at Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia. She teaches Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Cognitive Neurosciences programmes and specialised in research on marketing and corporate social responsibility. Before dedicating herself to academia, Salmi gained six years' experience in industry, working at MIMOS Berhad, Malaysia's prime research and development (R&D) organisation. Recently, she is focusing her research on sustainable marketing surrounding corporate social responsibility (CSR), tourism marketing, neuromarketing, marketing innovation and branding. She has secured numerous competitive grants and also received a number of awards in recognition of her academic excellence such as the University Service Excellence Award, Dean's Outstanding Teaching Award, Dean's Outstanding Research Award, Best Paper Award by Malaysian Accountancy Research Education Foundation (MAREF) and Tej Vir Singh Recognition Award by Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research.

Yasmin Alodin

Yasmin Alodin is currently working as Associate Human Resource Business Partner at Mattel (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. She was alumni of Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her current research interests are human resources and marketing.