The Power of Fame: Evaluating Celebrity Influence on Brand Attention, Emotion, and Memory

Abstract

This study focuses on the growing trend of celebrities being used as influencers in marketing, with firms investing substantially in celebrity endorsements. The study examines the effectiveness of celebrity influencers in destination marketing, comparing their influence with that of non-celebrity influencers. Neuroscience tools and methods were used to understand how cognitive and emotional factors impact consumer decisions and their likelihood to travel. The results show that employing a celebrity does not always increase audience engagement and attention toward the destination. The average person perceives the celebrity as a whole rather than focusing on one specific feature. Moreover, there were no significant differences in motivating levels or emotional responses between advertisements with influencers and those with unknown individuals. Celebrity influencers often do not contribute much to the cognitive load of viewers, although there are certain situations where they may slightly increase mental effort. The results suggest that influencer marketing can attract attention but should not overshadow the brand.