Abstract:
This study aims to investigate the effect of influencer and celebrity marketing on consumer purchase intention in Pakistan, with product endorser fit as a moderator and credibility as a mediator, respectively. The use of social media influencers and celebrities as brand endorsers have become a popular marketing strategy in recent years, but little is known about how these endorsements impact consumer purchasing behavior in Pakistan. To address this gap in the literature, this research employs a quantitative research method using a experimental survey instrument to gather data from a sample of Pakistani consumers. The survey measures participants' perceptions of influencer and celebrity endorsements, as well as their intentions to purchase the endorsed product. Additionally, the survey assesses participants' perceptions of the product endorser fit and credibility of the influencer or celebrity. The collected data is analyzed using spss software and statistical techniques like two way anova to determine if there is a significant difference in the effectiveness of influencer vs celebrity marketing on consumer purchase intention. Furthermore, the moderation and mediation testing analyzed if product endorser fit moderates and credibility mediates the relationship between influencer or celebrity endorsement and consumer purchase intention, respectively. The findings of this study provided the insight into the current marketing landscape in Pakistan and contribute to the understanding of how product endorser fit and credibility affect the effectiveness of influencer and celebrity endorsements on consumer purchase intention. Additionally, this study provides valuable information for marketers, who are looking for effective ways to influence consumer purchase intention through influencer and celebrity endorsements in Pakistan. Overall, this study doesn’t not only provide valuable insights for marketers and researchers in Pakistan but also for other countries where the use of social media influencers and celebrities as brand endorsers is prevalent. The results adds to the existing body of knowledge on the topic and provide a foundation for future research in this area
