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Abstract
This study aims to examine the impacts of spokesperson type (celebrity vs. non-celebrity) and brand-message congruity status (congruity vs. incongruity) on consumer responses. Based on the responses of 366 consumers, a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) test is conducted to determine main and interaction effects of a spokesperson type and brand-message congruity status on consumer responses, while controlling for a product involvement level. The results show that a celebrity spokesperson generates more positive ad attitudes than does a non-celebrity spokesperson. Also, an interaction effect exists between spokesperson type and brand-message congruity status on brand attitudes. The ad using a celebrity with a congruent brand-message (hedonic brand-hedonic message or utilitarian brand-utilitarian message) yields more positive brand attitudes than the ad with an incongruent one (hedonic brand-utilitarian message or utilitarian brand-hedonic message). These results provide empirical directions for marketers in the hospitality industry who must tailor advertising strategies for their targeted customers.