The Role Model Effect of Sports Celebrites in Social Media on the Behavioral Intentions of Generation Z

Year 2021, Volume: 18 Issue: Yönetim ve Organizasyon Özel Sayısı, 1038 - 1049, 10.07.2021

Mehmet Mürütsoy , Murat Toksarı

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.876057

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

Sosyal Medya Üzerindeki Ünlü Sporcuların Z Kuşağının Davranışsal Niyetleri Üzerindeki Rol Model Etkisi

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı sosyal medya üzerindeki ünlü sporcuların Z kuşağındaki tüketicilerin marka sadakati, firma tercihi değişikliği ve şikayet davranışı ve pozitif elektronik ağızdan ağza pazarlama davranışı (pozitif EWOM) üzerindeki rol model etkisini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Ünlü sporcuların reklamlarda kullanılması birçok işletme ve organizasyon tarafından büyük ilgi görmektedir. Literatür incelendiğinde ünlü sporcuların geleneksel medya reklamlarında kullanımına ilişkin çok sayıda çalışma olmasına rağmen, ünlü sporcuların sosyal medya reklamlarında kullanılmasına ilişkin çok az çalışma olduğu görülmektedir. Son yıllarda sosyal medya yeni ve popüler bir online pazarlama kanalı haline gelmiştir. Özellikle sosyal medya sitelerini kullanan tüketici sayısının her geçen gün artması, sosyal medyayı önemli bir reklam aracı haline getirmiştir. Öte yandan rol modeller tüketicilerin davranışlarını etkileyen önemli figürler olduğundan, pazarlamacılar için rol modellerin desteğinden yararlanmak gerçekten önemlidir. Çalışma Türkiye’nin Niğde ilinde 18-22 yaş aralığındaki 223 kişi ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. 223 katılımcıdan elde edilen verilerin analizinde yapısal eşitlik modeli kullanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak ünlü sporcuların rol model etkisiyle marka sadakati ve pozitif EWOM davranışı üzerinde pozitif bir ilişki olduğu bulunmuştur.

Keywords

Sosyal Medya, Sporcu Ünlüler, Z Kuşağı, Rol Model Etkisi

References

• Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Eaglewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
• Berns, R. M. (1993). Child, family, community socialization and support. (3 ed.). USA: Harcourt Brace College. Bernstein, R. (2015). Move over millennials e here comes Gen Z. Ad age. Web: http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/move-millennials-gen-z/296577/ 22 June 2019
• Bush, A. J. and Martin, C. A. (2000). Do role models influence teenager’s purchase intentions and behavior?. Journal of Consumer Marketing 17(5 ), 441-454.
• Bush, A. J., Martin, C. A. and Bush, V. D. (2004). Sports celebrity influence on the behavioral intentions of generation Y. Journal of Advertising Research, 44(1), 108-117.
• Cunningham, N. and Bright, L. (2012). The tweet is in your court: Measuring attitude towards athlete endorsements in social media. International Journal Of Integrated Marketing Communications, 4(2), 73-87.
• Ding, Y. and Qiu, L. (2017). The impact of celebrity-following activities on endorsement effectiveness on microblogging platforms: A parasocial interaction perspective. Nankai Business Review International, 8(2), 158-173.
• Evans, D. (2008). Social media marketing: An hour a day. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Filo, K., Lock, D. and Karg, A. (2015). Sport and social media research: A review. Sport Management Review, 18 (2), 166-181.
• Jin S.A. and Phua J. (2014). Following celebrities’ tweets about brands: The impact of twitterbased electronic word-of-mouth on consumers’ source credibility perception, buying intention, and social identification with celebrities. Journal of Advertising, 43(2), 181-195.
• Kassing, J.W. and Sanderson, J. (2009), You’re the Kind of guy that we all want for a drinking buddy: Expressions of parasocial interaction on Floydlandis.com. Western Journal of Communication, 73(2), 182-203.
• Keller, K.L. (1998). Strategic brand management: Building, measuring, and managing brand equity. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
• Koçyiğit, M. (2015). Sosyal ağ pazarlaması, marka bağlılığı oluşturmada yeni bir pazarlama stratejisi. Konya: Eğitim Yayınevi.
• Lear, K. E., Runyan, R. C. and Whitaker, W. H. (2009). Sports celebrity endorsements in retail products advertising. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 37(4), 308-321.
• Li, C. and Josh B. (2008). Groundswell. Boston: Harvard Business Press.
• Makgosa R. (2010). The influence of vicarious role models on purchase intentions of Botswana teenagers. Young Consumers, 11(4), 307-319.
• Prakash, Y., G. and Rai, J. (2017). The generation z and their social media usage: A review and a research outline. Global Journal of Enterprise Information System, 9(2), 110.
• Read, A. and Fromm J. (2018). Marketing to gen Z: The rules for reaching this vast-and very different-generation of influencers. USA: Amacom.
• Rich, A. Gregory (1997) The sales manager as a role model: Effects on trust, job satisfaction and performance of salespeople. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, 25, 319-328.
• Richter, A. and Koch, M. (2007) Social Software—Status quo und Zukunft. Technischer Bericht, Nr.-01, Fakultatfür Informatik. Universitat der BundeswehrMünchen, Sweden.
• Safko, L. (2010). The social media bible: Tactics, tools, and strategies for business success. (2nd edition ed). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
• Schaefer, M. (2012). The Tao of Twitter: Changing your life and business 140 characters at a time. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill.
• Shimp, T. (2003). Advertising and promotion: Supplemental aspects of integrated marketing communications. (6th ed). New York: Dryden Press, 292-301.
• Sladek, S. and Grabinger, A. (2014). Gen Z the first generation of the 21st century has arrived. Web: http://xyzuniversity.com/-wp/content/uploads/2014/02/ GenZ_Final.pdf, 10 February 2019.
• Solomon, M. R. (2004). Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being. (6th eds). New York. Prentice Hall Inc.
• Sterne, J. (2010). Social media metrics: How to measure and optimize your marketing investment. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
• Sukhdial, A.S., Damon A. and Lynn K. (2002). Are You Old School? A Scale for Measuring Sports Fans’ Old-School Orientation. Journal of Advertising Research 42, 4(2002), 71–81.
• Touchette, B, Schanski., M. and Lee., S., L. (2015). Apparel brands ‘use of Facebook: An exploratory content analysis of branded entertainment. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. 19(2), 107-119.
• Weiss, T. (2004). Model behavior: Today's teens and the role models they choose. Web: www.teenagerstoday.com/resource/article/role/model.html 11 November 2018.
• Zeithaml, V. A., Leonard L. B. and A. Parasuraman. (1996). The behavioral consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31-46.