Brand Endorsers and Cause Related Marketing: An Empirical Investigation

This research focuses on celebrity endorsers, the charities they represent, and their impact on donation decisions. The research objectives was to see if celebrities with a personal connection to a certain charity increase the chances of donation compared to those without a personal connection to a charity. Data was collected through a survey from a random sample of 245 individuals. Findings indicated that there is a positive correlation between celebrity endorsers with personal connection to charities and the popularity of the charity. In addition to this conclusion, the celebrity image, trustworthiness, honesty and credibility affect whether or not a person will donate to a charity. We found support for likelihood of recommendation to others based on a celebrity with a personal connection to the cause. Based on our findings we make managerial recommendations that would benefit cause related marketing managers and provide directions for future academic research.