CONGRUENCE AND CREDIBILITY IN CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT ON PATRONAGE INTENTIONS OF REAL ESTATE INVESTORS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study examines the effect of celebrity congruence and celebrity credibility on the patronage intentions of investors in real estate firms in Anambra State, Nigeria. The main objective is to determine how the alignment of a celebrity’s image with a brand’s values (congruence) and the celebrity’s trustworthiness and expertise (credibility) influence investors' decisions to patronize real estate firms. A survey research design was employed, with data collected through structured questionnaires distributed to 204 real estate investors in Anambra State. A sample size of 173 respondents was used for analysis. Multiple regression analysis, with JASP 0.13.0.0 was the statistical method adopted to analyse the data. The results indicate that both celebrity congruence and credibility significantly influence patronage intentions. Celebrity congruence had a positive coefficient of 0.261, while celebrity credibility had a stronger positive effect with a coefficient of 0.335. Together, these variables explained 38.7% of the variance in patronage intentions, with credibility having a slightly higher impact than congruence. The study concludes that celebrity endorsement is an effective marketing strategy for influencing investor decisions in the real estate sector, especially when the endorsers are credible and aligned with the brand. The implications suggest that real estate firms should carefully select celebrities who align with their brand values and possess credibility. Further research could explore other moderating factors like brand image or the influence of digital influencers versus traditional celebrities in shaping consumer behaviour.