Authors : Dennis Oshorenoya Kadiri; Bright Osayormwanbo Otabor

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 2 - February

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/bdfef4hh

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/yc6jnxyt

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25feb1643

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This study examines the impact of celebrity endorsement as a business strategy on repeat purchase intention among MTN service consumers at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). Celebrity endorsements are widely used in marketing to enhance brand visibility, credibility, and consumer engagement. However, their effectiveness in driving repeat purchases remains a subject of debate. This research explores how different attributes of celebrity endorsers—reliability, perceived knowledge, attractiveness, and credibility—influence consumers' decisions to continue using MTN services. A survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 235 students, with 229 usable responses analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including regression analysis. The findings indicate that celebrity reliability and perceived knowledge have a significant positive relationship with repeat purchase intention, suggesting that consumers value endorsers who are trustworthy and knowledgeable about the brand they promote. However, celebrity credibility did not exhibit a notable impact on repeat purchase intention, challenging the assumption that credibility alone is a key determinant of consumer loyalty. Based on these findings, the study recommends that MTN should integrate celebrity endorsements into its broader business strategy by selecting endorsers who align with the values and expectations of their target audience. Marketing campaigns should emphasize trustworthiness, expertise, and the relevance of celebrity endorsers in telecommunications. Additionally, content-driven marketing strategies featuring celebrity expertise should be explored to maximize the impact of endorsements on customer retention and brand loyalty. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on business strategy, celebrity endorsements, and consumer behavior, particularly in the telecommunications industry. It highlights the strategic role of reliability and perceived expertise over traditional measures of credibility in influencing repeat purchases. Future research should explore the long-term business implications of celebrity endorsements, assess their effectiveness across different consumer demographics and industries, and compare them with alternative branding strategies.

Keywords : Business Strategy, Celebrity Endorsement, Repeat Purchase Intention, Consumer Behavior, Telecommunications, MTN, Brand Loyalty.

References :

1. Adebiyi, S.O. & Abidemi, R.A. (2020). Investigating the Ephemeral Impact of Celebrity Endorsements on Consumer Purchase Intentions. Journal of Nigerian Consumer Behaviour, 14(1), 65-78.
2. Adekunle, I. O., & Ejechi, E. I. (2018). Antecedents of repurchase intention in the fast food industry: The mediating role of customer satisfaction. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 21(5), 533-551.
3. Adelaja, B. A. (2020). The impact of celebrity endorsement on university students' purchasing decisions. Nigerian Journal of Marketing, 10(1), 89-102.
4. Adeoye, B. O., & Olatunji, P. E. (2023). Celebrity endorsements and consumer behavior. Journal of Nigerian Marketing Research, 12(3), 45-60.
5. Afolabi, M.O., & Oyewole, O.S. (2018). Celebrity Credibility and Consumer Loyalty in Nigeria's Telecom Sector. African Journal of Marketing Research, 6(3), 112-125.
6. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211.
7. Ajzen, I. (2012). Values, attitudes, and behavior. In Methods, theories, and empirical applications in the social sciences (pp. 33-38). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.
8. Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1975). A Bayesian analysis of attribution processes. Psychological bulletin, 82(2), 261.
9. Akinola, O. S., Afolabi, B., & Adeoye, M. (2018). Celebrity endorsements and its influence on consumer buying behavior among Nigerian youths. Journal of African Consumer Research, 7(2), 78-87.
10. Alekar, A. S. (2014). The relationship between the race of celebrity endorser and consumer purchase behaviour in multi-racial societies. International Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 633-654.
11. Alekar, R. (2014). The relationship between the race of celebrity endorser and consumer purchase behavior in multi-racial societies. Journal of Cross-Cultural Marketing, 28(3), 301-315.
12. Amaoteng, F. &Poku, K. (2013). The impact of Advertisement on Alcohol consumption: A case study of consumers in Bantama Sub-Metro. International Review of Management and Sub-Metro. Marketing, 3 (1), 28-36.
13. Amos, C., Holmes, G., & Strutton, D. (2018). Celebrity Credibility. Journal of Marketing Management, 34(1-2), 1-25.
14. Armitage, C. J., Smith, P. J., & Johnson, L. (1999). Investigating behavioral beliefs of college students: A study on alcohol and marijuana use. Journal of Health Psychology, 18(3), 301-318.
15. Asemah, Ezekiel. (2022). Perspectives on Public Relations and Advertising (4^th Ed). Jos: University Press.
16. Aurangzeb, S., Asrar, A., & Bhutto, A. (2017). Relationship between an endorsed celebrity in advertising and customer's purchase intention. Journal of Advertising, 46(3), 411-423.
17. Aurangzeb, S., Sami, A., Asrar, M., & Arz Bhutto, N. (2017). Impacts of celebrity endorsement on customer's purchase intention: Evidence from University Students of Karachi. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research, 34(1), 15-28.
18. Bagozzi, R. P., Baumgartner, H., & Yi, Y. (2019). Influence of satisfaction and regret on purchase behaviour. Journal of Consumer Research, 26(2), 290-307.
19. Bergkvist, L., & Zhou, K. (2016). Celebrity endorsements: A literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Advertising, 35(4), 642-663.
20. Biswas, S, Hussain, M, &0 Donnell, K: (2009). Celebrity endorsements in advertisements and consumer perceptions: a cross-cultural study. Journal of Global Marketing, 22 (2), 121-137.
21. Bojei, J., & Hoo, C. L. (2012). Examining the effects of hotel brand equity on customer revisit intentions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2), 458-468.
22. Butcher, K. (2015). Factors influencing consumers' decision to repurchase a store brand. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 26, 1-10.
23. Chen, J., Le, P., & Spangler, W. (2019). The Impact of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase Intentions: A Mediating Role of Brand Trust. Journal of Advertising Research, 59(5), 532-545.
24. Choi, S. M., & Rifon, N. J. (2012). It’s not just the message, but the messenger: An experimental investigation of the effects of spokesperson type on advertising effectiveness. Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 95-109.
25. Choi, Y. K., & Rifon, N. J. (2012). Who is the Celebrity in Advertising? Understanding Dimensions of Celebrity Images. Journal of Popular Culture, 45(1), 185-203.
26. Coleman, J. S. (1957). Study on the diffusion of new drugs among doctors. In E. Katz (Ed.), The People’s Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign (pp. 175-192). QRS Press.
27. Dhiman, A., & Kohli, C. (2019). Aligning Celebrity Image with Brand Values: The Impact on Consumer Attitudes. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 18(5), 427-440.
28. Dwivedi, A., Johnson, L. W., McDonald, R. E., & Brady, M. K. (2019). Celebrity Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Attractiveness in Advertising: The Moderating Role of Celebrity Types. Journal of Advertising, 48(4), 413-431.
29. Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (2013). The psychology of attitudes. Routledge.
30. Egbulefu, C. C. & Nwaoboli, E. P. (2023). Political digital advertising: Implications and way forward for Nigeria's 2023 general elections. KIU Interdisciplinary Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1), 331-349.
31. Erdogan, B. (1999). Celebrity endorsement, cyber journal of sport marketing. 3 (3). 64.
32. Erdogan, B. Z. (2011). Celebrity endorsements: A literature review. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(1-2), 134-151.
33. Escalas, J. E., & Bettman, J. R. (2019). Perceived Reliability of Celebrity. Journal of Marketing Research, 56(2), 172-187.
34. Frimpong, F.K.S. (2014). The Impact of Elements of the Market Communication Mix on Customers' Service Quality Perceptions: A Financial Sector Perspective. International Journal of Sales & Marketing Research and Development, 4 (3), 37-58.
35. Furuoka, F. (2007). An examination of the celebrity endorsers characteristics and their relationship with the image of consumer products. Unitar e-journal, 3(2), 27-41.
36. Grave, J., & Bartsch, M. (2022). Celebrity endorsements and the effects on consumer behavior. Marketing Letters, 33(1), 1-15.
37. Gupta, V., & Jain, S. (2019). Celebrity Credibility in Advertising: A Review. Journal of Advertising Research, 59(3), 257-271.
38. Hassan, M. U., & Jamil, A. (2014). Influence of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase Intention for Existing Products: A Comparative Study. Journal of Advertising Research, 55(4), 456-469.
39. Hassan, R., & Jamil, A. (2014). Influence of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase Intention for Existing Products: A Comparative Study. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 6(6), 34-47.
40. Heflick, N. A., & Goldenberg, J. L. (2014). Objectifying Sarah Palin: Evidence that objectification causes women to be perceived as less competent and less fully human. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45(3), 598-601.
41. Hellier, P. K., Geursen, G. M., Carr, R. A., & Rickard, J. A. (2013). Customer repurchase intention: A general structural equation model. European Journal of Marketing, 47(11/12), 1993-2010.
42. Hou, J. (2012). The influence of celebrity ethnicity on consumer purchase intention: A case study in China. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 24(4), 329-344.
43. Hou, L. (2012). Celebrity ethnicity influence on consumer purchase intention. International Journal of Advertising, 31(3), 623-638.
44. Hunter, E & Davidson, P. (2008) Celebrity entrepreneurship: the effect of negative celebrity information on the new venture. Asian journal of Business and Management Sciences, 1 (11).53-67.
45. Ibe, H. O., & Chukwu, K. I. (2021). Factors influencing telecom consumers' repeat purchase intentions in Enugu. Enugu State University Journal, 9(2), 88-102.
46. Ifeanyichukwu, C. (2016). Effect of celebrity endorsement on consumers' purchase decision in Nigeria. African Marketing Journal, 23(1), 56-70.
47. Ifeanyichukwu, P. N. (2016). Effect of celebrity endorsement on consumers' purchase decision in Nigeria. African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, 7(3), 320-330
48. Ikpefan, O.A. & Akpan, E.E. (2021). The Role of Celebrity Credibility in Purchase Intentions: An Empirical Analysis. Nigerian Journal of Business Insights, 15(4), 34-50.
49. Jensen, J. D., & Roy, S. (2020). Assessing Celebrity Credibility: Scale Development and Validation. Journal of Advertising, 49(1), 48-64.
50. Katz, E. (1957). The People’s Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign. American Journal of Sociology, 62(1), 1-15.
51. Keller, K. (2008) Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity, (3d edition), Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
52. Kim, H. S., Ko, E., & Kim, Y. K. (2019). Effects of Celebrity Credibility on Advertising Effectiveness: The Moderating Role of Consumer Expertise. Journal of Promotion Management, 25(6), 837-854.
53. Kim, J., & Na, J. (2020). The Impact of Celebrity Credibility on Brand Attitude and Purchase Intention: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Advertising Value. Journal of Promotion Management, 26(5), 711-729.
54. Knittel, C.R. &Stango, V. (2013). Celebrity Endorsement, Firm Value, and Reputation Risk: Evidence from the Tiger Woods Scandal, Articles in Advance, pp. 1-17.
55. Kowalczyk, C. M., & Pounders, K. R. (2016). Perceived Knowledge of Celebrity Expertise and Consumer Responses to Celebrity Endorsement: A Conceptual Framework. International Journal of Advertising, 35(4), 567-589.
56. Kusi, A., Domfeh, K. A., & Kim, C. (2018). Impact of celebrity advertising on purchase intention of University Students Gupta. International Journal of Marketing, 40(6), 90-103.
57. Lazarsfeld, P. F., Berelson, B., & Gaudet, H. (1968). The People’s Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign. Columbia University Press.
58. Lee, C. K., Lee, Y. K., & Choi, K. S. (2020). The Role of Celebrity Endorser Credibility in Mediating the Relationship between Consumer Attitude and Purchase Intention. Journal of Marketing Communications, 26(6), 646-662.
59. Lin, Z., & Lekhawipat, W. (2014). Factors influencing repurchase intention: The role of store image and product quality. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 26(3), 472-487.
60. Madden, T. J., Brown, R. S., & Davis, C. L. (1992). Factors influencing behavioral intentions: A study on consumer behavior. Journal of Marketing Research, 28(1), 56-68.
61. Mahira, R. (2012). Impact of Celebrity Advertisement on Customers' Brand Loyalty. Asian Journal of Business and Management Sciences, 1 (11), 53-67.
62. Maio, G. R., & Esses, V. M. (2016). The need for affect: Individual differences in the motivation to approach or avoid emotions. Journal of Personality, 66(4), 659-693.
63. Majeed, R., Zanu, E., & Larty, J. (2019). The impact of celebrity endorsement on the purchasing intention of buyers in the clothing/fashion sector in Ghana. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 23(4), 547-562.
64. Majeed, S., Zanu, N. S., & Larty, J. N. (2019). Impact of celebrity endorsement on the purchasing intention of buyers in the clothing/fashion sector in Ghana. African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, 10(4), 415-429.
65. Maroof, M. (2017). The differential effects of Celebrity endorsement on the intention to purchase a product online. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 11(2), 132-147.
66. Maroof, M. A. (2017). The differential effects of celebrity endorsement on the intention to purchase a product online: A cross-cultural study. International Journal of Online Marketing, 7(1), 1-18.
67. Martey, E.M & Frempong, J. (2014). The impact of celebrity endorsement on brand positioning on mobile telecommunication users in eastern region of Ghana. International Journal of Education and Research, 3 (7), 141-52.
68. Mateen, A. (2018). The effect of celebrity endorsement on consumer purchase intention-evidence from Qmobile Linq Advertisement. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 12(4), 345-358.
69. Mateen, F. (2018). The effect of celebrity endorsement on consumer purchase intention: Evidence from Qmobile Linq Advertisement. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 10(2), 120-131.
70. McCarty, J. A., & Shrum, L. J. (2021). The effects of endorser and brand likeability on viewer evaluations of television commercials: The moderating role of celebrity. Journal of Advertising, 50(2), 159-174.
71. McCracken G (1989). Cultural foundations of the endorsement process. Journal of Consumer Research, 16(3): 310-321. Sassenberg, A., Verryne, M. & Morgan, M.J. (2012). A sport celebrity Brand Image: A conceptual Model. International Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 17(2), 108-121.
72. McCracken, G. (2012). Who is the celebrity endorser? Cultural foundations of the endorsement process. Journal of Consumer Research, 16(3), 310-321.
73. Menzel, H., & Katz, E. (1955). Rethinking the Two-Step Flow Model. Journal of Mass Communication Quarterly, 33(4), 455-468.
74. Merton, R. K. (1949). Study of interpersonal influence and communications behavior in Rovere. In E. Katz (Ed.), The People’s Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign (pp. 25-42). ABC Publishing.
75. Morgan, N. A., & Rego, L. L. (2016). The value of different customer satisfaction and loyalty metrics in predicting customer retention, recommendation, and share-of-wallet. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 26(2), 163-184.
76. Morwitz, V. G., Steckel, J. H., & Gupta, A. (2017). When do purchase intentions predict sales? International Journal of Research in Marketing, 34(2), 416-431.
77. Moslehpour, P., Wong, W. P., Pham, T. T., & Aulia, C. K. (2017). Understanding repurchase intention: Conceptualisation and measurement. International Journal of Business and Management, 12(4), 37-47.
78. Mpinganjira, M. (2014). Understanding online repeat purchase intention: a relationship marketing perspective. Management journal, 19(2), 117-135.
79. Nasir, N., Khan, S. (2016). Celebrity Endorsement and Consumer Buying Intention with the Mediating Role of Brand Performance. International Journal of Sciences, 28 (1), 617-624.
80. Nguyen, N. M., & Klaus, P. (2022). Celebrity Endorsement and Repurchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of Consumer Trust. Journal of Brand Management, 29(4), 365-380.
81. Nwaoboli, E. P. (2022). Awareness and Perception of social media trial of Chidinmma Ojukwu’s alleged murder case among Edo State residents. Unpublished research submitted to the University of Benin, Edo State. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28215.19369
82. Ogunsiji, S.A. (2012). The impact of celebrity on strategic brand management. International Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 3(6). 141-145.
83. Ohanian, R. (2013). Construction and validation of a scale to measure celebrity endorsers perceived expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness. Journal of advertising. 19(3), 39-52
84. Ojo, T. & Ajiboye, A. (2018). Impact of Celebrity Endorsements on Brand Loyalty Among Nigerian University Students. Nigerian Journal of Marketing Studies, 12(2), 45-57.
85. Okafor, L.E. (2021). Authenticity in Celebrity Endorsements and its Impact on Nigerian Consumers. Nigerian Marketing Journal, 10(2), 65-78.
86. Okorie, N., Oyedepo, T. &Akhidenor, G. (2012). The Dysfunctional and Functional Effect of Celebrity Endorsement on Brand Patronage. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 2 (2), 141-52.
87. Okoye, F., Nwankwo, S., & Dibia, C. (2019). Celebrity endorsement and consumer purchase intention: Insights from Lagos state university students. Nigerian Journal of Management Sciences, 7(2), 123-137.
88. Okoye, I.P., & Eze, U.C. (2020). The Skepticism of Nigerian Millennials Towards Celebrity Endorsements. Nigerian Consumer Behavior Journal, 9(1), 15-29.
89. Oladele, R., & Afolabi, O. S. (2022). Unpacking the effects of celebrity endorsements in Oyo state: An empirical analysis. Oyo State Research Journal, 4(1), 32-49.
90. Olajide, T. (2017). Impact of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase Intention in Nigeria's Telecommunication Sector. Nigerian Journal of Business Studies, 14(2), 45-59.
91. Olajide, T. (2017). Impact of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase Intention in Nigeria's Telecommunication Sector. Nigerian Journal of Business Studies, 14(2), 45-59.
92. Owusu-Mensah, S., Nimssah, W.K.&Mensah, N.O. (2013). The Effect of Brand Name on Customer Loyalty in the Mobile Communication Industry in Ghana. British Journal of Marketing Studies, 1 (3), 62-86.
93. Oyedokun, A. O., & Omojola, O. (2019). Celebrity endorsement and consumer purchase intention in Nigeria's telecommunication sector. Journal of African Studies, 12(3), 45-60.
94. Oyeniyi, O. (2014). Celebrity Endorsement and Product Performance: A study of Nigerian Consumer Markets. Management & Marketing. 7(1). 42-51.
95. Patra, S. K., & Datta, S. (2022). When Celebrity Endorsement Backfires: Examining the Impact of Celebrity Reliability on Brand Image. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 32(1), 135-148.
96. Pérez, A., Abad, J., Carrillo, C., & Sánchez, J. (2017). Forecasting the purchase intention of hospital services. Journal of Business Research, 70, 220-225.
97. Perse, E. M., & Rubin, R. B. (2019). The Dynamics of Audience Engagement: The Effects of Parasocial Interaction. Routledge.
98. Prasad, C.J.S. (2013). Brand endorsement by celebrities impacts towards customer satisfaction. African journal of Business Management, 7(35), 3630-3635.
99. Robinson, M. J. (1976). Horizontal Communication and Opinion Formation. Communication Research, 3(2), 131-165.
100. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations: Theoretical Framework. Journal of Communication, 53(1), 4-13.
101. Russell, C. A., & Rasolofoarison, D. (2017). Revisiting celebrity endorsements in politics: Explaining source and gender effects. Journal of Advertising, 46(4), 12-32.
102. Rust, R. T., Zahorik, A. J., & Keiningham, T. L. (2015). Return on quality (ROQ): Making service quality financially accountable. Journal of Marketing, 79(3), 58-75.
103. Segrave, K. (2015). Celebrity endorsement in promotion of consumer goods and services: An advertising strategy that needs its due diligence. Palgrave Macmillan.
104. Segrave, K. (2015). Celebrity endorsement in promotion of consumer goods and services: An advertising strategy that needs its due diligence. Palgrave Macmillan.
105. Singh, R., & Banerjee, M. M. (2021). Measuring Celebrity Endorser Consistency: Development and Validation of a Scale. Journal of Advertising, 50(3), 344-364.
106. Spry, A., Pappu, R., & Cornwell, T. B. (2011). Celebrity endorsement, brand credibility, and brand equity. European Journal of Marketing, 45(6), 882-909.
107. Srivedi, J. (2012). Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsement in Brand Recall and Brand Recognition. International Journal of Business Economics & Management Research, 2(5): 203-209.
108. Tan, Q., Zhang, L., & Chan, K. (2020). The Perceived Authenticity and Consistency of Celebrity Endorsers. Journal of Advertising, 49(3), 279-292.
109. Thompson, J. K., & Heinberg, L. J. (2019). Exacting Beauty: Theory, assessment, and treatment of body image disturbance. American Psychological Association.
110. Till, B. (1998). Endorsers in advertising: The case of negative celebrity information. Journal of Advertising. 27(1). 67-82.
111. Trivedi, A., & Yadav, M. S. (2018). Repurchase intention: A conceptual framework. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 43, 221-230.
112. Troldahl, V., & Van Dam, F. (1965). Opinion Sharing and Horizontal Flow of Communication. Public Opinion Quarterly, 29(3), 349-366.
113. Uche, I.O., Okoro, E., & Dada, S. (2019). Celebrity Endorsements and Consumer Purchase Intentions: An Analysis of the Nigerian Telecommunication Sector. African Journal of Business & Economics, 7(3), 112-129.
114. Umar, A. B., & Hassan, A. (2020). The impact of celebrity credibility on consumer loyalty: A case study of telecom users in Kano. Northern Nigerian Business Review, 5(1), 10-24.
115. Umaru, D., Saleh, A., & Abdullahi, M. (2019). Celebrity Endorsements and Repurchase Intentions in Northern Nigeria. Nigerian Business Review, 17(4), 30-44.
116. Vrontis, D., Makrides, A., Christofi, M., & Thrassou, A. (2021). Social media influencer marketing: A systematic review, integrative framework and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45(4), 617-644.
117. Weimann, G. (1982). Multistep Flow Models of Communication. Communication Research, 9(6), 753-776.
118. Westley, B. H. (1971). Communication Patterns in Modern Society. Communication Studies, 22(4), 321-335.
119. White, J., Goddard, J., & Wilbur, L. (2020). The Role of Celebrity Perceived Knowledge in Consumer Responses to Celebrity Endorsement: The Moderating Effect of Celebrity Attractiveness. Journal of Advertising, 49(6), 611-626.
120. Wu, H. W., Wang, Y. S., & Tsai, H. T. (2021). Authenticity in Celebrity Endorsement: Scale Development and Validation. Journal of Advertising, 50(2), 173-192.
121. Zhou, L. (2011). The effects of hotel brand equity on customer revisit intentions: The case of Jinjiang Hotels in China. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(1), 233-237.