Early researches have shown that about 20 percent of all television commercial use celebrity as their endorsers and

increasing competition for seeking consumers attention has encouraged marketers to use attention- creating media stars to assistin product marketing (Erdogan, 1999). Marketers believe that using popular celebritycan effect consumers feeling and their purchase intention and also believe celebrity to influence consumers persuasion of the product according to the image of it ( Belch& Belch, 2001). Use of celebrity as endorsers may have a significant positive impact increasing profits, on the contrary when associated with a celebrity whose credibilityhas been tarnished may hurt the company and its product. There are several benefits to having celebrities endorse products, one of the mostcommon effects of using a celebrity endorser is it helps to maintain consumerattention. Research has indicated that customers are more likely to choose goodsand services endorsed by celebrities than those without such endorsements(Agrawal & Kamakura, 1995) and celebrities help advertisements stand out from thesurrounding clutter, thus improving better communicative ability in conveying the message to the consumers (Sherman, 1995).

13 increasing profits, on the contrary when associated with a celebrity whose credibilityhas been tarnished may hurt the company and its product.There are several benefits to having celebrities endorse products, one of the mostcommon effects of using a celebrity endorser is it helps to maintain consumerattention. Research has indicated that customers are more likely to choose goodsand services endorsed by celebrities than those without such endorsements(Agrawal & Kamakura, 1995) and celebrities help advertisements stand out from thesurrounding clutter, thus improving better communicative ability in conveying the message to the consumers (Sherman, 1995). Although the potential benefits of utilising a celebrity endorser are considerable, soare the costs and risk associated with it. Agrawal and Kamakura (1995) in theirresearch suggest that there are decreasing returns associated with celebrityadvertisements. The cost incurred to get a celebrity onboard and associate him/herwith the product and company are rising, the negative publicity generated by somecelebrities, adds a possible risk of negative publicity generated towards the brandand company. Proving this point, researches shows that only a portion ofconsumers react positively after a negative publicity (Agrawal and Kamakura, 1995).Celebrity endorsement is big business and any marketers who choose to utilise acelebrity have no control over his/her future behaviour and reactions (Till and Shimp,1998). Therefore any negative publicity about the celebrity can reduce the appeal ofthe brand which the celebrity endorses. Marketers must find the celebrity who canbest fit and represent the image of the product and its meaning (Belch & Belch,2001). Celebrity, who is linked to positive information, has a greater possibility toreach to its target consumers. While on the other hand celebrity with negative information, reduces the trustworthiness of the

celebrity and its relationship with thebrand. Michael Jordan and Nike is a very good example of a perfect brand- celebrity fit. Michael Jordon and Nikes trust between them was at such a high level that Nikedeveloped a new brand called Air Jordon. With Michael Jordans expertise and his trustworthiness with the larger audience, strengthened the brand-celebrity fit (Belch& Belch, 2001).Celebrity endorsement contract are for a long term relationship, therefore because ofthis long term relationship the celebrity and the brand can affect the audience andhave an impact on the consumers. For example Kate Moss and brand H&M, afterKate Moss was pictured taking drugs in Daily Mirror newspaper, a lot of brands sheendorsed such as Chanel, H&M cancelled their campaigns and contracts with her(Shimp 2003). In order not to generate negative publicity towards the brand, from thebehavior of the celebrity, companies pull back from the celebrity contracts andengage in reestablishing themselves.Another very prominent drawback of celebrity endorsements is the Vampire Effect or the celebrity overshadowing the brand (Kulkarni and Gaulkar, 2005). Thishappens when the audience forgets the brand advertised and concentrates more on the celebrity endorsing the brand. As Cooper (1984) states in his study, the product, not the celebrity, must be the star (pp.64 -65). Similarly another problem is celebritygreed and overexposure, when a celebrity becomes an endorser for many diverseproducts (Erdogan, 1999). Tripp et al. (1994) and Redenbach (2005) bothinvestigated and suggested that when as many as four products are endorsed,celebrity credibility and likeability, as well as attitude towards the ad, may be takencarelessly In conclusion the good match with product and celebrity can make the advertisingmore believable, can improve the brand recognition, create a positive attitudetowards the brand name and create a distinct personality for the brand (Agrawal &Kamakura