Effective spokespersons in a public service announcement

Mark Toncar · Jane S. Reid · Cynthia E. Anderson

47 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Communication Management

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Public Relations and Crisis Communication Marketing and Advertising Strategies Media Influence and Health

Abstract

Abstract Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to investigate the consequences of using national celebrities, local celebrities and disaster victims as spokespersons in a public service radio announcement (PSA) soliciting contributions for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Design/methodology/approach – Subjects were exposed to one of three public service announcements and were then asked to report their reactions to the messages. Differences in the self‐reported reactions of subjects were used to test a series of hypotheses regarding the effectiveness of the three different types of spokespersons. Findings – The paper finds that the hurricane victim was the most credible and believable spokesperson. The national celebrity, Ashlee Simpson, was the least credible and the least believable. The local celebrity was more credible and believable than the national celebrity, but no more so than the hurricane victim. Research limitations/implications – In this paper a small student sample was used in an experimental setting involving one set of stimuli and one set of spokespersons. It cannot be said that the results would generalize to other celebrities, non‐celebrities, video formats, or non‐experimental settings. Practical implications – The paper shows that nonprofit agencies considering using celebrity spokespersons in PSAs should do so with caution. There is no evidence that they increase their effectiveness and, at least in the case of the national celebrity, the use of national celebrities may reduce the effectiveness of the PSA. Originality/value – The paper applies the concepts developed in the study of celebrity spokespersons in advertising and applies them to PSAs. The effects of celebrity spokespersons in PSAs are not the same as in conventional advertising messages.

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References

1985Measuring the Involvement Construct 1990Construction and Validation of a Scale to Measure Celebrity Endorsers' Perceived Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Attractiveness 1997ATTITUDES AND ATTITUDE CHANGE 2017Communication And Persuasion 1997Advertising And Promotion: Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective 1991The Impact of Celebrity Spokespersons’ Perceived Image on Consumers’ Intention to Purchase 1983Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsers 1998Endorsers in Advertising: The Case of Negative Celebrity Information

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2015Reexamining Health Messages in the Digital Age: A Fresh Look at Source Credibility Effects 2019Social Media Influencers as a Crisis Risk in Strategic Communication: Impact of Indiscretions on Professional Endorsements 2016The Effects of Accent, Differentiation, and Stigmatization on Spokesperson Credibility in Radio Advertising 2023Public service announcements: A literature review and way forward 2013Magazine Advertising: Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Celebrity Advertising

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