The Role Model Effect of Sports Celebrites in Social Media on the Behavioral Intentions of Generation Z
Abstract
The aim of this study is to show the role model effect of sports celebrities in social media on Gen Z's brand loyalty, switching and complaining behavior and positive electronic word-of-mouth behavior (positive EWOM). The use of sports celebrities in advertising is of great interest to many businesses and organizations. When the literature is analyzed, although there are many studies on the use of sports celebrities in traditional media ads, it’s seen that there are very few studies on the use of sports celebrities in social media ads. In recent years, social media has become a new and popular online marketing channel. Especially, the increase in the number of consumers using social media sites day by day has made social media an important means of advertising. On the other hand it is really important for marketers to benefit from the support of role models, since the role models are important figures that influence the consumers’ behaviours. This study was conducted with 223 people from ages 18-22 in Nigde, Turkey. Structural equation model is used for the analysis of the data obtained from 223 participants. As a result it is found out that there is a positive relationship between role model effect of sports celebrities and brand loyalty along with positive EWOM behavior.
Keywords
Social Media , Sports Celebrities , Generation Z , Role Model Effect
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