Effective Elements in Celebrity Endorsement of Social Causes

Abstract

Celebrity culture has exploded in modern times thanks to the rapid evolution of communications and media technologies. Famous personalities are idolized, able to influence media consumers – which means basically everyone, not only in taste but also in morality. Those who recognize that their star powers can be utilized as to encourage social responsibility become celebrity activists. Meanwhile, formal diplomats in the discipline of public diplomacy – also known as people’s diplomacy, have been ironically accused of putting state interests above ethical and emotional values. Amidst a growing public distrust in governmental authorities, audiences have turned to organizations and institutions which exercise rhetoric through celebrity diplomats to mobilize public support for the advancement of the causes they champion.

The purpose of the study to investigate how celebrity diplomats are effectiveness at mobilizing public interest and support for social and environmental issues through both social and business perspectives. In doing so, it seeks to explain why the case organization should align with a celebrity diplomat to promote its upcoming flagship report. The thesis employs abductive and deductive research approaches, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and primary and secondary data. Whilst the theoretical framework constitutes of established theories on celebrity diplomacy and celebrity endorsement as originally practiced in the private sector, the empirical research includes an interview with the case organization’s Head of Communications and an online questionnaire aimed at one its target audience groups – the general public.

The findings yielded from the research form the basis of the author’s recommendations for the case organization. Their validity is guaranteed but their reliability falls slightly short of absoluteness due to the small sample size.