Antecedents and Consequences of Endorsers’ Participation in Marketing and Communication Strategies–Model Questionnaire

Abstract

The “Antecedents and Consequences of Endorsers’ Participation in Marketing and Communication Strategies—Model” (Borges-Tiago, Santiago, & Tiago, 2023) is a robust 35-item measurement instrument developed to systematically assess the factors that precede (antecedents) and result from (consequences) the involvement of endorsers in modern marketing campaigns. Developed primarily within the context of social media influencers, the scale explores their impact on the complex relationship between brands and customers.

The items comprising this model were adapted from established research, including foundational works by Simonin & Ruth (1998), Ohanian (1990), and Erdem & Swait (2004). The measure was rigorously validated using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and administered to an online sample of adult consumers. The resulting measure demonstrated strong psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and acceptable levels of both convergent and discriminant validity, confirming its utility for academic and professional research in consumer behavior and digital marketing.

Keywords

Brand Credibility, Brand Equity, Brand Familiarity, Celebrity Endorsement, Consumer Behavior, Consumer Measures, Credibility, Customer Brand Engagement, Digital Marketing, Endorser Credibility, Marketing and Communication Strategies, Social Influences, Social Media, Social Media Ecosystem, Brand Preferences, Consumer Attitudes, Celebrities.

Authors

Borges-Tiago, Maria Teresa; Santiago, Joanna; Tiago, Flavio

Purpose

The primary objective of this comprehensive measurement model is to provide researchers and practitioners with a standardized tool to quantify the complex dynamics of endorsement strategies. Specifically, it seeks to map the causal pathways between an endorser’s characteristics (antecedents) and subsequent changes in consumer perceptions and brand metrics (consequences).

The scale is crucial for understanding how the shift towards social media platforms affects traditional endorsement effectiveness, allowing for nuanced analysis of factors such as endorser trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness, and their ultimate influence on concepts like Brand Equity and Customer Brand Engagement.

Construct

The model measures a multi-dimensional construct encompassing both input factors related to the endorser and output factors related to the consumer and the brand. It is comprised of six primary dimensions and several subscales, totaling 35 items, designed to capture the holistic impact of endorsement participation.

Key constructs measured include Endorser Credibility (broken down into Attractiveness, Expertise, and Trustworthiness), its influence on Brand Credibility, and the resulting effects on consumer metrics such as Involvement with Endorser, Customer Brand Engagement (Cognitive Processing, Affection, Activation), and overall Brand Equity (Brand Awareness, Brand Associations, Perceived Quality, and Brand Loyalty).

Validity

The validation process focused on establishing both Convergent Validity and Discriminant Validity. For Convergent Validity, while the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for two specific dimensions fell below the stringent 0.5 threshold, this was considered acceptable because the Composite Reliability (CR) for those dimensions exceeded 0.6, adhering to criteria set forth by Hair et al. (2019).

Discriminant Validity was confirmed by assessing cross-loadings, which met the necessary statistical criteria established by Hajli (2014). This finding suggests that the various constructs within the model, such as Brand Familiarity and Endorser Credibility, are indeed distinct and measure unique psychological or marketing concepts, reinforcing the structural integrity of the instrument.

Reliability

The reliability of the measure was assessed by calculating internal consistency metrics across all constructs. All reported measures of internal consistency—specifically Cronbach’s Alpha, rho_A, and Composite Reliability—were found to be above the recommended threshold of 0.70.

This high level of reliability indicates that the 35 items consistently measure the intended underlying concepts. The strong internal consistency confirms that the scale is reliable for use in academic research concerning marketing and consumer psychology.

Factor Analysis

The model’s structure was refined using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), specifically utilizing the Partial Least Squares (PLS) Algorithm. This iterative process led to the removal of two initial items related to Brand Loyalty (BELoyalty3 and BELoyalty2). BELoyalty2 was excluded after the second run because its loading value (0.492) fell below the required cut-off point.

The overall goodness-of-fit for the final, refined model was evaluated using the Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR). The resulting SRMR value of approximately 0.10 indicates a good fit for the model, aligning with the established criteria in the field (Hair et al., 2019), thereby supporting the use of the identified factors.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: Items are rated using a 7-point Likert-type scale, allowing for a range of responses from strong disagreement to strong agreement.

Language Available: English; Portuguese

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older); Young Adulthood (18-29 years)

Population Details: The study was conducted in Portugal, focusing on adult consumers who were exposed to marketing and communication strategies involving endorsers.

Test Methodology: The methodology involved Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Measurement Model, and Structural Equation Modeling. The measure includes 35 items and was administered electronically.

Keywords

Brand Preferences, Celebrities, Consumer Attitudes, Consumer Behavior, Credibility, Social Influences, Social Media, Digital Marketing, Consumer Measures, Endorser Involvement, Brand Loyalty, AVE, PLS.

Authors

The primary contributors to the development and validation of this scale are detailed below:

Borges-Tiago, Maria Teresa

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

• Affiliation: University of the Azores School of Business and Economics, Business Department

• Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: University of the Azores, School of Business and Economics, Business Department, Rua da Mãe de Deus, Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 9501-801, [email protected]

Santiago, Joanna

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

• Affiliation: Universidade de Lisboa ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management

• Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: No data is Available

Tiago, Flavio

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

• Affiliation: University of the Azores School of Business and Economics, Business Department

• Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: No data is Available

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The usage details for the scale are as follows:

• Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author (Maria Teresa Borges-Tiago)

• Commercial Use: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

References

Borges-Tiago, M. T., Santiago, J., & Tiago, F. (2023). Mega or macro social media influencers: Who endorses brands better? Journal of Business Research, 157, Article 113606. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113606

Erdem, T., & Swait, J. (2004). Brand credibility, brand consideration, and choice. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(1), 191-198.

Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2019). A primer on Partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage publications.

Hajli, N. (2014). A study of the impact of social media on consumer purchase behavior. Journal of Business Research, 67(7), 1435-1444.

Ohanian, R. (1990). Construction and validation of a scale to measure celebrity endorsers’ perceived expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. Journal of Advertising, 19(3), 39-52.

Simonin, B. L., & Ruth, J. A. (1998). Is a company known by the company it keeps? Assessing the spillover effects of brand alliances on consumer brand attitudes. Journal of Marketing Research, 35(1), 30-40.

Items of the Antecedents and Consequences of Endorsers’ Participation in Marketing and Communication Strategies–Model Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The measure includes 35 items, which are organized into several dimensions and subscales. While the specific wording of each item is not provided in the given text, the following dimensions and their respective subscales constitute the structure of the instrument:

• Brand Familiarity

• Endorser Credibility

  • Attractiveness

  • Expertise

  • Trustworthiness

• Brand Credibility

  • Expertise

  • Trustworthiness

• Involvement with Endorser

• Customer Brand Engagement

  • Cognitive Processing

  • Affection

  • Activation

• Brand Equity

  • Brand Awareness

  • Brand Associations

  • Perceived Quality

  • Brand Loyalty

The items are rated using a 7-point Likert-type scale. The specific items can be found in Table 1 on pages 6-7 of the source reference: Borges-Tiago, M. T., Santiago, J., & Tiago, F. (2023). Mega or macro social media influencers: Who endorses brands better? Journal of Business Research, 157, Article 113606.