THE MODERATING ROLE OF CELEBRITY WORSHIP ON ATTITUDES TOWARD CELEBRITY BRAND EXTENSIONS

A celebrity brand is a concept coined by the mainstream media but one that has not been fully developed in the academic literature. Yet celebrity brands that develop brand extensions have provided lucrative opportunities for celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, the Olsen twins, and Martha Stewart. This study introduces the topic of celebrity brand extensions and explores their relationship with perceived fit and consumers' level of celebrity worship on consumer attitudes toward the celebrity brand extension. Empirical findings for two different product categories indicate that high levels of celebrity worship may weaken the relationship between perceived fit and attitudes toward the celebrity brand extension. Implications and future research opportunities are discussed.