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Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing

Science: Bridging Asia and the World
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SNS users' para-social relationships

with celebrities: social media
effects on purchase intentions
a a b
Hyojin Kim , Eunju Ko & Juran Kim
a
Department of Clothing and Textiles, College of Human
Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
b
Department of Business Administration, Jeonju
University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
Published online: 15 Jun 2015.
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To cite this article: Hyojin Kim, Eunju Ko & Juran Kim (2015) SNS users' para-social
relationships with celebrities: social media effects on purchase intentions, Journal of
Global Scholars of Marketing Science: Bridging Asia and the World, 25:3, 279-294, DOI:
10.1080/21639159.2015.1043690
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2015.1043690

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 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, 2015
Vol. 25, No. 3, 279–294, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2015.1043690

SNS users’ para-social relationships with celebrities: social media effects

on purchase intentions
社交网 服 用 与名人的准社会关系：社交媒体影响 意向

Hyojin Kima, Eunju Koa* and Juran Kimb

a
Department of Clothing and Textiles, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul,
b
Republic of Korea; Department of Business Administration, Jeonju University, Jeonju, Republic
of Korea
(Received 14 June 2014; Revised 13 September 2014; Accepted 11 December 2014)
Downloaded by [RMIT University] at 11:47 12 August 2015

In this study, the authors investigate factors that influence para-social relationships
between social network service (SNS) users and celebrities and the effects on users’
purchase intentions. The study shows that SNS use and para-social relationships with
celebrities are positively related. User/celebrity para-social relationships and celebrity
reputation also show positive relationships with purchase intentions. Gender
differences affect relationships between celebrity reputation, para-social relationships
and purchase intentions. The results imply that new media, particularly SNS,
encourages para-social relationships, and that para-social relationships and celebrity
reputations persuade SNS users to make purchase decisions. The study shows that
new media stimulates consumer desires, and the new SNS environment gives
celebrities more power to affect purchase decisions.
Keywords: para-social relationship; celebrity reputation; purchase intention; social
media; social network service

此 研究中，我 考 社交网 服 用 与名人的准社会关系是否有所增加，并且 向于 买明星代言的 品

。我们测 了提升 SNS 用 和名人的准社会关系的因素，包括性别差异。 于社交网 服 内容、性别
差异、准社会关系、名人声誉和 意向的研究 果 尚 销从 者提供了理 意 和实际应用。

想了解如何将用 和媒体 系在 一起，就必 理解消 者和名人的准社会关系的概念；用户与名

人相互沟通他 的看法(Kim, 2005)。积极的消 者和名人准社会关系比鼓励消 者使用社交网 服 更
有效(Rubin & Perse, 1987)。不同的名人准社会关系鼓励用 使用社交网 服务 (Kim, Lee, & Koh,
2006)。用 某个名人有良好的属性将更容易形成 于明星的移情效 。

我 了年 在 20 岁到 30 之间的 SNS 用 ，并且在 去六个月内访 名人的 SNS。我们选取了

两位受欢迎的韩国明星， 一 名男演 和一 名 流组合的女歌手，作 促进因素，询问参与者是否通
过访问他 的 SNS 关注了两位名人的 尚单品。

此研究展示了消 者和名人准社会关系如何鼓励用 使用 SNS，并且影响用 购买明人代言的

品。

于名人声誉和准社会关系的关系，我们发现了不同的 果，但是性别差异可以做出解释。女
性容易与可靠的名人形成 为强烈准社会关系，男性则会与 社会做出贡献的名人形成强烈的准社
会关系。

*Corresponding author. Email: ejko@yonsei.ac.kr

q 2015 Korean Scholars of Marketing Science

 280 H. Kim et al.

此 研究中，我们致力于建立影响消 者和名人准社会关系的理 基 。我 首次研究了 尚 中名

人在社交网 服务中的 活 。我们发 社交媒体使用的动机，并且 了与名人 系促使消 者使用社交
网 服务。社交媒体的使用 机和名人声誉作 因变量，积极地影响着消 者和名人准社会关系和提
升 意向。

此 研究 尚 的市场人 提供了有用的信息，展示了男性和女性在消 者和名人准社会关系中

存在的不同，具体的价 体 在名人声誉和 意 。如果 尚 销从 者要同时提高男性和女性的消 者和
名人准社会关系，从 者必 了解并且提供消 者所寻求的信息。

关 词：准社会关系; 名人声誉; 意向; 社交媒体; 社交网 服务

1. Introduction
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Wireless Internet and social network services (SNS) are allowing consumers increased
access to celebrities and exposure to celebrity culture (Kim, Sohn, & Choi, 2011), with
the result that celebrities have become trendsetters who influence SNS users (Kim &
Yun, 2007). As a result, fans engage in “celebrity-standard consumption”, meaning they
make purchase decisions based on what they learn about celebrities’ consumption
practices (Kim et al., 2011). Marketers thus have a great interest in analyzing celebrity
power for its potential influences and to find ways to leverage its power.
Consumer/celebrity para-social relationships are essential for understanding SNS user
behavior (Kim, 2005). Two main factors affect consumer/celebrity para-social
relationships (Kim & Rubin, 1997; Rubin & McHugh, 1987; Rubin, Perse, & Powell,
1985): consumers’ desires to connect with celebrities and media portrayals of celebrities.
Consumers’ desires to connect with celebrities may be stronger than program content for
motivating consumers to use SNS (Rubin & Perse, 1987). In turn, those motives may
have the greatest effect on consumer/celebrity para-social relationships (Kim, Lee, &
Koh, 2006). Media portrayals of celebrity attributes may draw consumers to form
empathic connections with particular celebrities (Kim & Ko, 2010a; Ohanian, 1990).
In this study, we recognize that the extraordinary growth of social media has allowed
the fashion industry to create personal interactions with followers and fans who then
form para-social relationships with designers and brands (Kim & Ko, 2010b; Ko, Kim, &
Lee, 2009). Thus, we focus on consumer/celebrity para-social relationships in the SNS
context within the fashion industry.
Previous studies have found inconsistent results regarding gender differences in para-
social relationships, and those differences need clarification. Some have reported that
women form deeper para-social relationships (e.g., Cohen, 2003), while others have
found that men more deeply value their para-social relationships (McCutcheon, Lange, &
Houran, 2002). Perhaps women better associate with popular fashion trends and thus find
it more socially acceptable to admit feeling empathy toward individual celebrities in the
fashion industry (Laken, 2009).
In this study, we examine how consumer/celebrity para-social relationships affect
SNS users’ intentions to purchase celebrity-endorsed products, and include gender
differences among the factors that influence the relationships. By illuminating effects of
para-social relationships on purchase intention in the SNS context, including gender
differences that interact with celebrity reputation, para-social relationships and purchase
intentions, we offer theoretical implications and practical applications for fashion
marketing practitioners.
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 281

2. Literature review and hypotheses

2.1 Para-social relationships in the social network service context
The phenomenon of virtual intimacies, called para-social relationships (Rubin & Step,
2000), is essential to the study of media. Indeed, many fans feel that they have an almost
face-to-face connection with certain celebrities (Turner, 1993); they feel a personal
emotional friendship bond (Horton & Whol, 1956), similar to feelings they have toward
family and friends in daily, face-to-face interactions (Hwang & Park, 2007), although the
interpersonal relationships with celebrities are unilateral (Kim, 2005). Para-social
relationships motivate consumers to use media (Kim, 2005), which then fulfills their
desires for connection (Nordlund, 1978).
Media users who form para-social relationships often have engrossing interpersonal
relationships with the media (Rubin & Perse, 1987); their para-social relationship motivates
them to use the media in pursuit of satisfaction (Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980), for
example in para-social relationships with television characters (Rubin et al., 1985; Rubin &
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Step, 2000). Recent studies of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and Internet media
have applied the concept of para-social relationships (Patwardhan, 2004). SNS studies have
concentrated on online and offline consumers’ differences in social relationships through
social network analyses (Kim & Yun, 2007; Park, Song, & Ko, 2011). In our study, we
examine para-social relationships in relation to Internet media.

2.2 Para-social relationships and users’ motives for using social network services
Social network services (SNS) provide Web-supported interpersonal networking. They
create individual profiles and content, form relationships among users and allow them to
share information and communicate with other users (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). SNS
popularity is increasing because it inherently supports social relationships and expands
social networks beyond the boundaries of real time and space (Kim & Ko, 2012; Lampe,
Ellison, & Steinfield, 2006).
Media use and consumer/celebrity para-social relationships have been positively
correlated (Rubin et al., 1985), in that people who use media to seek information are also
likely to feel attracted to celebrities. When young users encounter celebrities online, they
interact in ways that are similar to their methods of interaction with family and friends.
Furthermore, their psychological experiences motivate them to use the media, and those
motives further determine how extensively they empathize with celebrities (Kim, 2005;
Ko, Chun, Song, & Kim, 2013). Specifically, consumers who use media for
entertainment, for information and to relieve loneliness are more likely to form
consumer/celebrity para-social relationships (Hwang & Park, 2007).
Motivation is essential for explaining communication and selection processes (Rubin
& Step, 2000). For example, specific desires or needs motivate people to seek
information from media (Parker & Plank, 2000). In a study of use and gratification
(U&G), Choi (1999) showed that social and psychological variables – personal desires or
needs – motivate people to use media. Use of the media then increases their desire for
further use, which only new technology will satisfy (Lee, 2005). U&G theory can be
applied to the study of motivations to choose specific media services. In particular,
information seeking, information provision and ease of use are strong motivations for
using media and for forming para-social relationships (Rubin & Step, 2000).
Zhang and Pentina (2012) examined professional development, emotional release,
information seeking, citizenship behavior and social connection as user motivations for
using Weibo. Alhabash, Park, Kononova, Chiang, and Wise (2012) utilized the U&G
 282 H. Kim et al.

approach to investigate user motivations for using Facebook, including social

investigation, social network surfing, social connection, shared identities and status
updates. Such motives for using SNS may also positively influence consumer/celebrity
para-social relationships (Rubin & Step, 2000). When using SNS, users’ communication
habits and their selection of social network services vary according to their motives,
which will in turn affect their para-social relationships via SNS.
Several studies indicate that gender affects motivations to use media and consequences.
For example, Moreno, Mikulec, Koff, Lederer, and Carnes (2011) suggested that adolescent
boys are more focused on individual goals and current relationships; in contrast, girls are
more focused on maintaining their online community while exploring the Facebook site and
larger online community. Clearly, we must understand gender differences in SNS use if we
are to generate effective and targeted interventions.
Gefen and Straub (1997) compared Internet use among men and women and found
that women more highly valued e-mail and were more motivated to spend time e-mailing
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friends. Young women tend to enjoy chatting and exchanging information with friends,
and consider such behavior important use of the mobile Internet (Naruse, 2003). We
expect similar gender differences in relation to motives in the social media context:
H1: Motives for using SNS will positively affect users’ consumer/celebrity para-social
relationships.
H1.1: Gender will influence users to have different motives for using SNS, which will
then affect their consumer/celebrity para-social relationships.

2.3 Celebrity reputation and para-social relationships

Celebrities are well publicized for outstanding achievements in their fields (Bower, 2001;
Friedman & Friedman, 1979). Accordingly, consumers, inspired by their admiration of
celebrity status, often imitate celebrity styles and tastes. The drive to imitate celebrities
enhances image-making industries such as beauty and plastic surgery (Song & Kim,
2005). Thus, celebrities act as cultural missionaries, delivering cultural content and
influencing fashion and values (Han, Lee, & Moon, 2007).
People judge past acts to predict future acts: those beliefs form the base of reputation
(Miller, 2003). Image, like reputation, reflects views about individuals (Fombrun &
Shanley, 1990), but is formed by perceptions of lifetime achievements (Balmer, 1998). In
the past, researchers have used reputation and image interchangeably (Grunig & Hung,
2002). Lately, however, image has been considered the public’s “most recent belief”
(Balmer, 1998), while reputation has been seen as a consistent evaluation based on acts
performed for a long time (Herbig & Milewicz, 1995).
The model of interpersonal and mediated relationship development (Rubin &
McHugh, 1987) explains that whether the consumer perceives the object of attraction to
be attractive because of outstanding social, physical or task appeals will affect whether
the consumer will form a para-social relationship with the object. In particular,
consumers will be more attracted to highly sought-after objects (Conway & Rubin,
1991). Social attractiveness inspires a desire to establish a social relationship, such as a
friendship; physical attractiveness evokes attraction to appearance and physique; task
attractiveness inspires admiration for the object’s ability to perform (Hogg & Hardie,
1992). When considering para-social relationships with celebrities, social and task
attractiveness, but not physical attractiveness, may be the greatest inspirations for
consumer/celebrity para-social relationships (Rubin & McHugh, 1987).
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 283

Many individuals try to establish constant, routine contact with celebrities through
various media, including SNS, in an effort to satisfy their desires for connection, to
substitute for their lack of socialization, to interact with someone they admire and to
receive psychological consolation or satisfaction (Houlberg, 1984). In normal
interpersonal relationships, people learn about others through direct dialog, observation
or third parties, but consumer/celebrity para-social relationships are based on a
comprehensive review of accumulated information over time (Kim, 2005). Thus, SNS
users form opinions about celebrities’ reputations, and these opinions influence their
desire to form para-social relationships.
Men and women differ in their social interactions. Women tend to be more socially
oriented, while men tend to emphasize independence and the pursuit of respect and social
standing (Gefen & Straub, 1997). For example, women are more likely to describe
feeling lonely because their homemaking roles have kept them from building sufficient
non-family social contacts (Owens & Swensen, 2000). Women also tend to have higher
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levels of consumer/celebrity para-social interaction (Cohen, 2003; Laken, 2009),

although men tend to rate higher in celebrity worship (McCutcheon et al., 2002). Despite
somewhat conflicting results in previous studies, we expect to find gender differences in
para-social relationships in the SNS context.
H2: Celebrity reputations, as recognized by SNS users, will positively affect consumer/
celebrity para-social relationships.
H2.1: Gender differences will affect celebrity reputation’s positive effects on consumer/
celebrity para-social relationships.

2.4 Celebrity reputation and purchase intention

Physically attractive information sources, such as celebrities, draw positive consumer
attitudes and confidence (Baker & Churchill, 1977). Consequently, celebrities are
frequently used to promote products of all types because their images positively
influence consumer responses and purchase intentions. By evoking emotions, celebrity
status maximizes attention and grants social value to products, with subsequent positive
effects on purchase decisions (Park & Yang, 2010). Thus, we hypothesize that customers
choose to purchase products that align with celebrity tastes and preferences according to
their feelings about a celebrity’s reputation.
Men and women are likely to show different consumer attitudes regarding celebrity
endorsements and purchase intentions (Ilicic & Webster, 2011; Wei & Lu, 2013). Also,
gender differences are known to influence attitude and behavioral intentions to use new
media (Choi, Kim, & McMillan, 2009). Similarly, gender differences should play a role
in the SNS context.
H3: Celebrity reputations, as recognized by SNS users, will positively affect intentions
to purchase fashion products worn by celebrities.
H3.1: Gender differences will affect whether celebrity reputations, as recognized by SNS
users, will positively affect intentions to purchase fashion products worn by
celebrities.

2.5 Para-social relationships and purchase intention

Purchase intentions mean that customers intend to purchase a given product (Ko &
Megehee, 2012). Advertising plays a strong role in invoking purchase intentions, in
 284 H. Kim et al.

forming consumers’ convictions regarding product attributes and in persuading them to

maintain positive convictions about products (Kim, Ko, Xu, & Han, 2012; Ko et al.,
2011; D. Martin-Consuegea, Millan, Diaz, & Ko, 2010).
Websites can prompt new online purchases through interactive marketing (Alba et al.,
1997). Consumer/celebrity para-social interactions through SNS create pleasant customer
experiences, indirectly affect purchase intentions through practical values such as
product attributes (Fiore, Jin, & Kim, 2005) and furthermore directly affect online
shoppers’ purchase intentions (Song, Fiore, & Park, 2007).
We look to previous findings regarding para-social relationships with television hosts as a
basis for our hypothesis regarding para-social relationships/purchase intentions through SNS.
Deep para-social relationships between television viewers and shopping program hosts are
known to strongly affect consumers’ exposure to programs, to enhance their intentions to
purchase in response to advertising (Grant, Guthrie, & Ball-Rokeach, 1991; Kim, Ko, & Lee,
2012), to encourage favorable attitudes toward related advertising (Choi & Park, 2011) and to
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positively affect the frequency of purchase (Park & Lennon, 2004). Beyond the desire to
imitate a celebrity by purchasing celebrity-guaranteed products or services, attachments to
celebrities indicate trust based on celebrity endorsements.

H4: Consumer/celebrity para-social relationships will positively affect intentions to

purchase celebrity-endorsed fashion products.

3. Methods
Most SNS users are in their 20s and 30s: 61% are 20 – 29 years old and 35.5% are 30 –
39 years old (Korea Information Society Development Institute [KISDI], 2013). Thus for
our survey we targeted users in their 20s and 30s who had accessed or viewed a
celebrity’s account through SNS within the previous six months.
We referred to Famecount.com, a prominent worldwide website that ranks celebrities
based on their number of Facebook fans, Twitter followers and YouTube views. Among
the numerous categories, we selected Korean celebrities from Top Social Network Stars,
Asia, with more than 100,000 friends from the “me2celebrity” category of me2day, a
Korean SNS that has numerous celebrities as users. We presented the 12 celebrities
selected to 40 men and women in their 20s and 30s over one week. To gauge the extent
of each celebrity’s recognition among users of a social network service, we asked
participants whether they had viewed the selected celebrities’ fashion items on SNS. We
then selected the two most popular Korean celebrities, one male actor and one female
member of a K-pop group, as the stimuli.
With the permission of their instructors, we recruited undergraduate and graduate
students from several courses at a large university in South Korea. Participants earned
extra credit for completing the survey, conducted both online and offline. The data
collection yielded 533 surveys for analysis. Respondents were 262 men (49.2%) and 271
women (50.8%); 499 were 18 to 30 years old (93.6%) and 34 were 30 to 40 years old
(6.4%). Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analyses were used to test the
validity and reliability of the study variables.

3.1 Measurements
The questionnaire consisted of items for measuring celebrity reputations as recognized
by SNS users, motives for using SNS, para-social relationships with celebrities, purchase
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 285

intentions and demographic information. For SNS-use motives, we used seven-point

Likert-type scales for 24 items (from Hennig-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh, & Gremler, 2004;
Wang, Siu, & Hui, 2004). For celebrity reputation, we used 21 items (from Han & Ki,
2010; Han et al., 2007). For para-social relationships, we used six items (from Levy,
1979; McGuire, 1974; Park & Yang, 2010; Rubin & Perse, 1987). For purchase
intention, we used four items (from Jiang, Hoegg, Dahl, & Chattopadhyay, 2010). We
also measured seven items regarding demographic characteristics such as gender, age,
marital status, education, residence and earnings.

4. Results and discussion

4.1 Research model test
To assure validity, we used confirmatory factor analysis and assured reliability using
Cronbach’s a and SMC (Table 1). Cronbach’s a is relatively high in every variable over
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0.7 to assure reliability, and the result of the confirmatory factor analysis on every model
is suitable.
The result of analyzing the study model using a structural equation model (SEM)
shows the acceptable model fit with x2 ¼ 15.547(df ¼ 6), p ¼ 0.016, CFI ¼ 0.99, GFI ¼
0.993, RSMEA ¼ 0.045, RMR ¼ 0.045.
Table 1 shows the correlation coefficients, CR and AVE (diagonal elements) to check
construct validity and discriminant validity. All CRs are greater than 0.5 except the CR
of Information search, which is slightly smaller than 0.5. All the AVEs are greater than
squared maximum correlations, 0.2704 and 0.3906 respectively, except the AVE of
Information search, which is slightly lower than 0.2704. Table 1 indicates the factors that
have the most frequently acceptable validity.

4.2 Hypotheses test

In this study, we tested hypotheses regarding motives for using SNS and celebrity reputation
as the factors that influence para-social relationships between SNS users and celebrities and
examined the effects of para-social relationships on users’ purchase intentions (see Figure 1).
We also tested gender differences in the relationship between motives for using SNS,
celebrity reputation, para-social relationships and purchase intention.
We used path analysis to test hypotheses that examine SNS users’ motives for using
SNS, which explore how celebrity reputation affects users’ purchase intentions through
para-social relationships. Tables 2 and 3 show the analysis results. Invariance testing
across male and female samples shows significant differences between male/female
groups (CHMIN ¼ 13.079, df ¼ 3, p ¼ 0.004).
Hypothesis 1 suggests that SNS user motivations positively affect whether users
build para-social relationships with celebrities. Regarding motives for using SNS,
Hypothesis 1 was partially accepted. The motive of information provision positively
affected para-social relationships (b ¼ 0.13, t ¼ 3.972, p , 0.001). This result
corresponds with that of Hwang and Park (2007), who showed that information
acquisition affects para-social relationships.
Hypothesis 1.1 claims that men and women will have different motives for using
SNS, which will have different effects on para-social relationships. The information
provision motive exhibited a significant positive effect on para-social relationships for
men (b ¼ 0.141, t ¼ 3.265, p , 0.01) and women (b ¼ 0.116, t ¼ 2.344, p , 0.05). Thus,
Hypothesis 1.1 was not accepted.
 Downloaded by [RMIT University] at 11:47 12 August 2015

Table 1. Results of CFA, validity, and reliability tests.

286
Factor
Factors Measured Items Loadings Cronbach a AVE CR
Motives for using SNS Information search I use SNS accounts to learn something useful. 0.812 0.720 0.247 0.496
I use SNS accounts to obtain information I want with little effort. 0.757
I use SNS accounts to get new ideas. 0.747
Easy-to-use features I use SNS accounts because they are comfortable to use. 0.910 0.837 0.559 0.716
I use SNS accounts because they are easy to use. 0.903
Information provision I use SNS accounts to provide other users knowledge or information. 0.930 0.806 0.544 0.693
I use SNS accounts to help other users who need my advice or 0.844
information.
Celebrity reputation Reliability I think 000 is polite. 0.919 0.828 0.595 0.746
I think 000 is sincere. 0.901
Social contribution I think 000 voluntarily works for charities. 0.890 0.883 0.720 0.837

H. Kim et al.
I think 000 participates in social activities. 0.881
Risk management I think 000 deals with crises honestly. 0.876 0.833 0.659 0.794
I think 000 can overcome crises. 0.848
Para-social relationship I feel close enough to 000 to use his(her) SNS. 0.822 0.854 – –
I feel comfortable about celebrity messages on their SNSs. 0.813
I can rely on information I get from 000. 0.791
I feel 000 is fascinating on his(her) SNS. 0.761
In the past, I pitied 000 when he(she) made a mistake on his(her) SNS. 0.700
I think that 000’s SNS is helpful for my interests (in fashion and so on). 0.678
Purchase intention I am interested in buying clothes that 000 showed through his(her) SNS. 0.941 0.937 – –
I expect to buy clothes similar to 000’s fashions on his(her) SNS. 0.928
I plan to buy clothes similar to fashions that 000 showed through his(her) 0.906
SNS.
I’d like to buy clothes similar to 000’s fashions on his(her) SNS. 0.893
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 287

Motives for using SNS

Information Easy-to-use Information

Search Features Provision

Celebrity Reputation

H1
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Reliability

H2
Para-social
Relationship

Social
Contribution
H3

Purchase
Intention
Risk
Management
H4

Figure 1. Theoretical framework model for hypotheses tests.

Hypothesis 2 suggests that celebrity reputations recognized by SNS users positively

affect the formation of para-social relationships. Hypothesis 2 was partially accepted. Of
the factors composing celebrity reputation, celebrity reliability (b ¼ 0.125, t ¼ 2.866, p ,
0.01) and risk management (b ¼ 0.514, t ¼ 9.808, p , 0.001) positively affected para-
social relationships. This result corresponds with previous findings (Erdem & Swait,
2004; McGuire, 1974) showing that celebrity reliability is a main element inspiring an
emotional bond with a celebrity-endorsed product.
Hypothesis 2.1 proposes that men and women will react differently to celebrity
reputations recognized by SNS users. Only women showed positive effects of celebrity
reliability on para-social relationships (b ¼ 0.246, t ¼ 3.866, p , 0.001), whereas men
showed insignificant effects (b ¼ 20.04, t ¼ 20.638, p ¼ 0.524). Men and women
showed significant differences regarding celebrity reliability (bmale – bfemale, p , 0.01).
Among men (b ¼ 0.638, t ¼ 8.896, p , 0.001) and women (b ¼ 0.438, t ¼ 5.543, p ,
0.001), risk management showed positive effects on para-social relationships. Thus,
Hypothesis 2.1 was partially supported.
 288 H. Kim et al.

Table 2. Antecedents and consequences of consumer/celebrity para-social relationships.

Independent variable Dependent variable B t-value
H1 Motives for using SNS Information search Para-social relationship 0.068 1.762
Easy-to-use features 0.036 1.007
Information provision 0.13 3.972***
H2 Celebrity reputation Reliability Para-social relationship 0.125 2.866**
Social contribution 20.11 2 2.48*
Risk management 0.514 9.808***
H3 Celebrity reputation Reliability Purchase intention 20.078 2 1.365
Social contribution 20.067 2 1.158
Risk management 0.295 3.972***
H4 Para-social relationship Para-social relationship Purchase intention 0.584 10.622***
Note: *p , .05, **p , .01, ***p , .001.
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Hypothesis 3 examines whether factors of celebrity reputations recognized by SNS

users have positive effects on intentions to purchase fashion products. As a celebrity
reputation factor, risk management positively affected purchase intention (b ¼ 0.295, t ¼
3.972, p , 0.001).
The results are consistent with findings that para-social relationships directly
influence purchase intentions for customers of online retailers (Song et al., 2007). The
results are also consistent with findings indicating that para-social relationships with
shopping hosts increase purchasing of products or services (Grant et al., 1991).
Hypothesis 3.1 proposes that men and women will react differently regarding their
intentions to purchase fashion products worn by celebrities. For males only, reliability (b
¼ 0.161, t ¼ 2.109, p , 0.05) positively affected purchase intention. The effects of
reliability on purchase intention were significantly different between men and women
(bmale – bfemale, p , 0.01).

Table 3. SNS context differences between men and women.

Men Women Test for

bmale –
Independent Dependent
b
variable variable b t-value b t-value female
H1.1 Motives for Information Para-social 0.089 1.746 0.085 1.377 NS
using SNS search relationship
Easy-to-use 0.004 0.09 0.058 1.109 NS
features
Information 0.141 3.265** 0.116 2.344* NS
provision
H2.1 Celebrity Reliability Para-social 20.04 2 0.638 0.246 3.866***P , 0.01
reputation Social relationship 20.1642 2.829** 20.098 21.426 NS
contribution
Risk 0.638 8.896*** 0.438 5.543***NS
management
H3.1 Celebrity Reliability Purchase 0.161 2.109* 20.138 21.832 P , 0.01
reputation Social intention 20.4142 5.912*** 0.2 2.49* P , 0.001
contribution
Risk 0.278 2.773** 0.059 0.603 NS
management

Note: *p , .05, **p , .01, ***p , .001.

 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 289

Social contribution positively affected purchase intentions among women (b ¼ 0.2, t

¼ 2.49, p , 0.05) but negatively affected purchase intentions among men (b ¼ 20.414, t
¼ 25.912, p , 0.001). The differences were significant between men and women (bmale –
bfemale, p , 0.001). Risk management positively affected purchase intentions among men
only, but the differences between men and women were not significant. Thus, Hypothesis
3.1 was partially supported.
Hypothesis 4 suggested that para-social relationships between users and celebrities
positively affect intentions to purchase fashion products worn by celebrities. The
hypothesis was accepted (b ¼ 0.584, t ¼ 10.622, p , 0.001).

5. Conclusions and implications

SNS has given celebrities greater authority than ever before. In this study, we clarified
the effects of para-social relationships between SNS users and celebrities and examined
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how user motives for using SNS affect para-social relationships. We then analyzed
intentions to purchase celebrity-endorsed fashion products.
The higher a user’s “information search intention” for using SNS, the more likely the
user will form a strong consumer/celebrity para-social relationship: para-social
relationships and the use of media as a tool are positively correlated (Rubin et al., 1985).
SNS users intending to search for information find celebrities familiar and attractive;
they value their relationships with celebrities as if they were real-life friends. The
motives of media users and the building of para-social relationships are significantly
interrelated (Hwang & Park, 2007): because consumers obtain detailed information from
the media, they build strong consumer/celebrity para-social relationships.
We find that users are more likely to form consumer/celebrity para-social
relationships with celebrities perceived to be reliable and non-risky, but are less likely to
form para-social relationships with celebrities known for social contributions. This effect
is consistent with findings showing that a celebrity’s perceived reliability is essential for
persuading consumers to form consumer/celebrity para-social relationships (Rubin &
Perse, 1987). Consumers perceive that a celebrity is reliable because of media depictions
of the celebrity (Houlberg, 1984), and then form emotional bonds with celebrities they
perceive as being reliable (Erdem & Swait, 2004). A model of interpersonal and
mediated relationship development (Rubin & McHugh, 1987) showed that attraction
impacts the building of para-social relationships; in particular, people form para-social
relationships with objects they perceive as more attractive and desirable (Conway &
Rubin, 1991), or objects perceived to be socially and vocationally attractive (Rubin &
McHugh, 1987).
We find that celebrity reputations positively affect SNS user intentions to purchase
fashion products. That is, consumers want to wear fashions that celebrities wear,
consistent with studies of para-social relationships and purchase intentions in online
retailer contexts (Song et al. (2007) and in television shopping-host contexts (Grant et al.,
1991). Attachment to celebrities does not just inspire celebrity adoration or imitation; it
also drives consumers to purchase celebrity-promoted products or services.
Our results indicate that para-social relationships directly influence purchase
intentions, a result similar to that of Choi and Park (2011), who compared two groups:
one group had strong and one had weak consumer/celebrity para-social relationships, and
the group with strong relationships had stronger purchase intentions. Park and Lennon
(2004) also found that para-social relationships positively influence purchases of
celebrity-endorsed products.
 290 H. Kim et al.

Gender differences might explain the mixed results we find on the relationship between
celebrity reputations and para-social relationships. Celebrity reliability positively affected
para-social relationships among women; social contribution positively affected para-social
relationships among men. For women, celebrity reliability has more influence on celebrity
reputations, with consequent power to inspire positive para-social relationships.
Celebrity reliability showed significantly different effects on purchase intention
between men and women. Celebrity reliability, as an important factor of celebrity
reputation, had positive effects on purchase intention for men only. Social contribution
positively affected purchase intention among women, but negatively affected purchase
intentions among men.
Our study, the first research on SNS celebrity marketing in the fashion industry,
contributes to building a theoretical foundation of the effects of consumer/celebrity para-
social relationships. We found that social media-use motives and celebrity motives are
important antecedents of consumer activities on SNS. The antecedent variables of social
media-use motives and celebrity reputation positively influence consumer/celebrity para-
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social relationships, which leads to increased purchase intention.

We have helped to clarify gender roles in the relationship between celebrity
reputation and para-social relationships, and the relationship between celebrity reputation
and purchase intentions. Previous studies partially mentioned non-specific gender
differences related to para-social relationships; we have verified that celebrity reliability
has significantly different effects on men and women in forming para-social relationships
and purchase intentions, but only social contribution has significantly different effects on
purchase intentions.
In terms of managerial implications, we offer helpful information for fashion industry
marketers by recognizing gender differences in attitudes toward celebrity reputation,
para-social relationships and purchase intentions. Fashion marketing practitioners must
provide the information sought by both men and women to fulfill their motivations for
information provision and to heighten their consumer/celebrity para-social relationships.
For example, in augmenting para-social relationships, fashion marketers can design SNS
pages to let consumers share information.
For advertisers targeting women, practitioners must consider celebrity reliability as
the best enhancement of consumer/celebrity para-social relationships. For advertisers
targeting men, celebrity reliability will increase purchase intentions. Practitioners should
be aware of gender differences regarding social contribution: women value social
contribution as an aspect of celebrity reputation; men do not.
Our study is limited in that we considered only a few types of celebrity-endorsed
fashion products. For example, SPA and luxury fashion product items might have
different effects on para-social relationships and purchase intentions. Future studies
should analyze multiple types of celebrity-endorsed products.
Different types of social media may offer users different media experiences, so future
studies should assess different social media. We limited our study to South Korean
respondents, although celebrity reputation and consumer/celebrity para-social relation-ships
may affect purchase intentions differently in other cultures. Therefore, future studies may
include diverse cultural background populations to compare cultural differences.

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