Parasocial Relationships: A Study of the Effect of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Behaviour in India

Abstract

The paper examines the impact of parasocial relationships on consumer behaviour, with a specific focus on the Indian context. This takes a global outlook on celebrity endorsements among countries’ influence and assesses the rationality of consumer responses to such endorsements. The paper is based on secondary research data collected from various researchers and primary data from a small group of consumers in India through a Google Form. Data analysis was conducted in MS Excel to categorise and interpret demographic variables. This study aimed to examine the impact of celebrity endorsements on consumer behavior, focusing on dimensions such as purchase intention, brand loyalty and perceived credibility. Data was collected from 79 participants through an online questionnaire. The analysis of the questionnaire showed that a section of the respondents claimed to feel an emotional bond and a sense of trust with the public figure leading to consumption. In contrast, there was another section of respondents who claimed to be wary of these endorsements, being aware of their transactional nature. They chose to do their own research about the features of a product before buying it. The findings of this study have demonstrated that the celebrity endorsements play a significant role in the consumer behaviour, specifically raising awareness of the brand, influencing purchase decisions and increasing brand credibility. These play distinct roles in shaping consumer responses.