Abstract:
With the rapid rise of social media, consumer–brand interactions are evolving, and
Facebook has emerged as a key platform for influencer marketing. While there are
worldwide examples of the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement, limited empirical
research has examined the impact of celebrity endorsements on Generation Z
consumers in Sri Lanka, especially in the skincare industry. The present study fills
this research gap by examining the influence of Facebook celebrity endorsements on
purchase intention with brand attitude as a mediating variable. Drawing on the Source
Credibility Theory and the Ohanian Model (1990), this study investigates how three
dimensions of celebrity endorsement (trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness)
impact brand attitude and, ultimately, purchase intention. A quantitative, cross sectional research design was employed using a structured, self-administered online
questionnaire, 392 Facebook users aged 16–30 years, selected through non probability convenience sampling. The results indicated a strong positive association
with Facebook celebrity endorsements, brand attitude, and purchase intention
(r=0.844–0.871, p<0.001). The multiple regression indicated that all three dimensions
of credibility endorsement were significant predictors of purchase intention,
attractiveness being the strongest predictor (β=0.406, p<0.001), followed by
trustworthiness (β=0.284, p<0.001) and expertise (β=0.213, p<0.001). In total, these
three dimensions of credibility endorsement explained 73.5% of the variance in
purchase intention (R²=0.735), demonstrating the importance of celebrity
endorsement in shaping consumer decisions. The mediation analysis indicated that
the relationship was partially mediated by brand attitude (indirect effect = 0.4218,
95% CI [0.2929, 0.5421]), indicating that while celebrity endorsements have a direct
impact on purchase intention, they are effective if they have positive brand attitudes.
The findings underscore the effectiveness of Facebook celebrity endorsements in
shaping Gen Z consumers’ brand attitudes and purchasing intentions for skincare
products. Brands are encouraged to strategically select endorsement strategies with
high trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness to enhance consumer engagement.
