Impact of Celebrity Pitch in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs

Abstract

Online surveys were conducted to determine the impact of endorser credibility, endorser effectiveness, and consumers' involvement in direct-to-consumer advertising. In a randomized posttest only study, using the elaboration likelihood model, survey participants (U.S. adults) were either exposed to a fictitious prescription drug ad with a celebrity or a noncelebrity endorser. There was no significant difference in credibility and effectiveness between the celebrity and the noncelebrity endorser. High involvement consumers viewed the ad more favorably and exhibited significantly stronger drug inquiry intentions during their next doctor visit. Further, consumers' involvement did not moderate the effect of celebrity endorser.

Exposure to digital marketing enhances young adults’ interest in energy drinks: An exploratory investigation

“…ELM is a framework that describes the thinking processes that might occur when an individual is exposed to persuasive communication. ELM highlights dual routes of information processing, central and peripheral, that may lead to changes in an individual’s attitudes and behaviours [ 44 – 45 ]. In the central route, an individual engages in high level information processing, that is, he/she carefully thinks about the persuasive message.…”

The effects of DTCA on patient compliance

“…In a recent study, positive effects of emotional appeals from the endorsers on consumers' responses to DTCA have been detected (Limbu et al, 2012). Other research proclaims no differences between the credibility of a celebrity endorser and a non-celebrity endorser given that both endorses did not use the advertised medicinal product (Bhutada et al, 2012) While this important insights tackles characteristics of the message source, another important question relates to the tonality of the message, i.e. whether DTCA should include supporting or threatening information (Moorman, 1990;Agrawal et al, 2007).…”

Threat, efficacy and message framing in consumer healthcare

“…Studies can be conducted on the same lines in Africa, other parts of South Asia and Latin America. While we used threat appeals following prior research, in future, researchers can consider the use of the other appeals like celebrity appeals (Bhutada et al, 2012), shame and guilt (Brennan and Binney, 2010) in cataract and related healthcare domains.…”

“…While we used threat appeals following prior research, in future, researchers can consider the use of the other appeals like celebrity appeals (Bhutada et al 2012), shame and guilt (Brennan and Binney, 2010) in cataract and related healthcare domains. .01 *** Supported * p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001, ns = not significant .01 *** Supported * p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001, ns = not significant (Witte et.…”

“…Fear/threat appeals have also been studied in the context of hearing protection among farmers and landscape workers (Smith et al, 2008), the "Let's Move" health promotion campaign launched by US First Lady Michelle Obama (Batchelder and Matusitz, 2014) and texting while driving (Cismaru, 2014). While other kinds of appeals such as individual/social responsibility appeals (Kong and Shen, 2011), celebrity appeals (Bhutada et al, 2012) and cognitive appeals (Lemanski and Villegas, 2015) have been used in healthcare, fear/threat appeals are the most common (Witte and Allen, 2000). Most fear/threat appeals have been used in lab settings, in "contrived, artificial settings"; research is needed in "realistic, natural settings" (Witte and Allen, 2000).…”