Fans’ unique reactions towards the celebrity endorsement on microblog: the influence of source factors and parasocial interaction

Abstract

This study explores the influential factors and process of the unique reactions (supportive attitude, intentions to retweet and keep on following the microblogger) towards the celebrity endorsement on microblog. The results of an online survey (N = 862) indicate that the PSI and the congruence of celebrity/product are salient antecedents of the fans’ reactions. The supportive attitude also serves as the mediator between the PSI and the fans’ intentions to retweet the endorsement message and to keep on following the microblogger. The study shed new light on the fans’ unique reactions towards the celebrity endorsement and develops a conceptual model to illustrate the mechanism of the celebrity endorsement effects on microblog.