UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST

COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

THE ROLE OF CELEBRITY BRAND AMBASSADORS ON CONSUMER BUYING

BEHAVIOUR IN THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN GHANA

PRESENTED BY

NAME INDEX NUMBER

ANGELA LETSU BMKH/GA/05/18/0072

MICHAEL ADU KORANTENG BKMH/GA/05/18/0006

EMMANUEL ADJEI BMKH/GA/17/18/0098

CHRISTABEL AFI DOTSE BMKH/GA/17/18/0007

YVONNE SABBLAH BKMH/GA/05/18/0020

A PROJECT WORK SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING OF THE

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF

CAPE COAST, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

AWARD OF BACHELOR OF COMMERCE DEGREE IN MARKETING

JANUARY, 2021

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DECLARATION

Candidate’s Declaration

We hereby declare that this submission is our own work towards the award of Bachelor of

Commerce degree in Marketing and that to the best of our knowledge, it contains no materials

previously published by another person nor material which has been accepted for the award of any

other degree of the University, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Candidate’s Signature……………………………………… Date…………………………

Name: Angela Letsu

Candidate’s Signature……………………………………… Date…………………………

Name: Michael Adu Koranteng

Candidate’s Signature……………………………………… Date…………………………

Name: Emmanuel Adjei

Candidate’s Signature……………………………………… Date…………………………

Name: Christabel Afi Dotse

Candidate’s Signature……………………………………… Date…………………………

Name: Yvonne Sabblah

Supervisor’s Declaration

I hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of the dissertation were supervised in

accordance with the guidelines on supervision of dissertation laid down by the University of Cape

Coast.

Supervisor’s Signature…………………………………… Date…………………………

Name: Ms. Georgina Adotey

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ABSTRACT

The practice of using celebrity brand ambassadors in marketing of products in Ghana has

been with us for some time now. However, it has become very pervasive in this era of so many

media outlets. It is believed that organisations use celebrity brand ambassadors to influence the

purchase decisions of consumers. This study therefore sought to investigate the role of celebrity

brand ambassadors on consumer buying behaviour in the beverage industry in Ghana. There were

three objectives for the study which were to: study the importance of celebrity brand ambassadors

in the promotion of a product; find out the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in

brand recall and brand awareness; and find out the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors

affect the purchase and re-purchase behaviour of consumers of beverages.

Primary data was collected using structured questionnaire from a sample of 104

respondents. The results of the study revealed that, celebrity brand ambassadors play very

important role in the marketing of products as respondents showed they were more drawn to

celebrity endorsed adverts than non-celebrity endorsed adverts. The results also revealed that

celebrity brand ambassadors help to a very large extent in brand recall and brand awareness which

positively to affects the purchase and repurchase decisions of consumers.

It was therefore recommended that organisations should intensify the use of celebrity brand

ambassadors in marketing their products since it will serve as an important strategy to beat off

competition from competitors. Also, although the respondents largely agree that celebrity brand

ambassadors influence their purchase and repurchase decisions of soft drinks, they were also

concerned with the quality and pricing of the product. Therefore, it was important for organisations

to take keen interest in quality control and to come up with competitive prices for their products.

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KEY WORDS

Celebrity Brand Ambassador

Consumer Buying Behaviour

Beverage Industry

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are most grateful to the Almighty God for his favour and guidance that has made this

work possible.

We are extremely grateful to Miss. Georgina Adotey who was our supervisor. Thank you

for every bit of information you gave us to enrich this project work not forgetting your sincere

criticism, openness, strong standards, ethics and values.

Our deepest acknowledgement goes to our families for being there for us when we needed

them.

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DEDICATION

The project work is dedicated to our parents and siblings

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii

KEY WORDS ................................................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv

DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... vi

LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... viii

LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ix

LIST OF ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................. x

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background to the Study .................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Problem Statement of the Study ....................................................................................... 2

1.3 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 4

1.4 Research Objective ........................................................................................................... 4

1.5 Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 5

1.6 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 5

1.7 Delimitation ...................................................................................................................... 6

1.8 Limitation ......................................................................................................................... 6

1.9 Definition of Terms .......................................................................................................... 7

1.10 Organisation of the Study ................................................................................................. 7

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 7

LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 9

2.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 9

2.1 Theory to Explain Consumer Buying Behaviour ............................................................. 9

2.2 Overview of the Concept of Brand Ambassador and Brand Image ............................... 11

2.2 The Purpose of Brand Ambassadors .............................................................................. 14

2.3 The Types of Brand Ambassadors ................................................................................. 15

2.4 The Selection Criteria for a Brand Ambassador ............................................................ 17

2.5 Importance of Consumer Behaviour .............................................................................. 18

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2.6 Determinants of Modern Consumer Behaviour ............................................................. 19

2.7 Stages of Consumer Buying Process .............................................................................. 21

2.8 Participants in The Buying Process ................................................................................ 25

2.9 Overview of the Beverage Industry ............................................................................... 26

2.10 Empirical Review ........................................................................................................... 27

CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 30

METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................... 30

3.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 30

3.1 Research Design ............................................................................................................. 30

3.2 Profile of the Study Area ................................................................................................ 31

3.8 Method of Data Analysis................................................................................................ 36

3.9 Ethical Consideration ..................................................................................................... 36

CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 38

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................................... 38

4.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 38

4.1 Response Rate ................................................................................................................ 38

4.2 Demographic Characteristics ......................................................................................... 39

4.3 Importance of Celebrity Brand Ambassadors in promotion of products ....................... 42

4.4 The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness

................................................................................................................................................... 53

4.5 The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase

behaviour of consumers of beverages ....................................................................................... 56

4.6 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................... 60

CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................................... 61

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ..................................................... 61

5.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 61

5.1 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 61

5.2 Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 64

5.3 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 64

5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies ..................................................................................... 65

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 66

APPENDIX I ................................................................................................................................ 74

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

Table 4.1: Age of respondent ........................................................................................................ 40

Table 4.2: Highest educational level ............................................................................................. 42

Table 4.3: Time spent on various media ....................................................................................... 43

Table 4.4: Time spent watching advertisement ............................................................................ 47

Table 4.5: Importance of celebrity brand ambassadors in promotion of soft drinks .................... 50

Table 4.6: Celebrities and the beverage they represent as brand ambassadors ............................ 53

Table 4.7: Celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness ..................... 55

Table 4.8: Have you been influenced by any celebrity ................................................................. 58

Table 4.9: Celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase behaviour ............ 59

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

Figure 3.1: Map of Greater Accra Region .................................................................................... 33

Figure 4.1: Gender of respondents ................................................................................................ 39

Figure 4.2: Marital status .............................................................................................................. 41

Figure 4.3: Time spent on all five media outlet ............................................................................ 44

Figure 4.4: Aware of celebrities promoting products ................................................................... 45

Figure 4.5: Type of advertisement that attracts respondents ........................................................ 46

Figure 4.6: How advertisements are watched on all five media outlets ....................................... 48

Figure 4.7: Most appropriate means of celebrity endorsement advertisement ............................. 49

Figure 4.8: Celebrities with the number of correct mentions ....................................................... 54

Figure 4.9: Factors that affect the purchasing decision of consumers .......................................... 57

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LIST OF ACRONYMS

CAGR Cumulative Average Growth Rate

CBBE Customer Based Brand Equity

CFA Confirmatory Factor Analysis

PHC Population and Housing Census

SHS Senior High School

SN Subjective Norm

SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences

TRA Theory of Reasoned Action

TV Television

UNICEF United Nations Children Fund

VisCAP Visual, Credibility, Attraction, and Power

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Celebrity brand ambassadors, whether it is Stonebwoy for Boss Energy drink, Shatta Wale

for Storm Energy drink and Infinix, Sarkodie for Samsung, Nana Ama McBrown for Hisense,

celebrity brand ambassadors are considered the secret to success in product marketing and brand

development (Prasad, 2013). In this era of heighten use of new media with its accompanying high

level of competition in various industries, organisations use various marketing practices like using

brand ambassadors to promote their attractiveness. Rehmet and Dinnie (2013) assert that, brand

ambassadors are usually seen as an effective way to provide reliable evidence for the organization

and to influence others through their networks and relationships through word of mouth. Therefore,

in most of the television commercials in recent years, celebrities are seen using the products and

services so as to influence the customers and buyers of the products and services that they

advertise.

According to Russell and Rasolofoarison (2017), celebrity advertising products are not

new, in fact they have been a part of our lives for many years. However, it has become very popular

within the last two decades. The original celebrity mentions date back to the 1760s, when the term

"brand" had not yet been coined. British entrepreneur Josiah Wedgewood designed a tea set for

Queen Charlotte. Soon everyone heard about this tea set and called it "Queensware" and pointed

out its elegant design and exquisite appearance and this allowed him to stand out from the

competition, earn considerable respect and establish a respectable brand image (Gould &

Mesplède, 2012).

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Many authors (see, Piyush, 2012; Saumendra, & Padhy, 2012; Chan, Leung Ng & Luk,

2013; Deshwal, 2015; Ladipo, Oniku, Akeke & Chileuwa, 2018; Smith, Kendall, Knighton &

Wright, 2018) have argued that getting a brand ambassador for a product comes with a lot of

benefits to the company in terms of increasing sales and ultimately increasing the profits of the

company. For instance, Piyush (2012) asserts that when you get a brand ambassador for your

product, you will benefit from customer knowledge of the product, which includes perceived

quality, educational value or a specific image, which affects sales and profits.

On the other hand, Wang, Cheng and Chu (2013), in agreeing to the fact that celebrity brand

ambassadors may enhance the attitude of consumers towards a certain brand or product, argues

that whether it generates repeat purchase intention and brand loyalty is not so clear. They further

argued that there is no evidence that the use of brand ambassadors will induce greater brand loyalty

than the non -use of brand ambassadors. In fact, consumers may pay more attention to celebrities

than to the actual product of the advertisement, which is not the intention of the market (Wang,

Cheng & Chu 2013),

In the wake of the seemingly opposing views on the use of brand ambassadors, it is

imperative for marketers in Ghana to understand that, using the right brand ambassadors and

marketing strategies to retain existing customers and attract new customers will have a big impact

on consumer buying behaviour.

1.2 Problem Statement of the Study

The 21st century has seen a lot of innovations in the marketing strategies of companies due

the high level of competition and technological advancement in the various industries (Kraus,

Palmer, Kailer, Kallinger & Spitzer, 2018). The situation has led to individual consumers been

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confronted with numerous advertisements, both solicited and unsolicited, on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, most people forget most of the adverts they viewed during the day within a very

short period of time.

The challenge of forgetfulness on the part of some consumers has push a lot of companies

to use celebrity brand ambassadors to reinforce their marketing messages in order to stay ahead of

their competitors (Citra & Harahap, 2018). This is because marketers generally belief that

advertising messages delivered by celebrity brand ambassadors provide a higher degree of appeal,

attention, possible message recall, possible repeat purchase and may provide a positive effect

among the minds of the consumers than those delivered by non-celebrities (Osei-Frimpong, 2019).

The phenomenon of the use celebrity brand ambassadors has been the subject of some

studies in Ghana, albeit not much has been done on their influence in the soft drink beverage

industry. Kraa, Osei, Cofie and Quaye (2018) studied effect of celebrity endorsement on consumer

buying behaviour of Samsung mobile phones in Ghana. In the same vain, Nyarko, Asimah,

Agbemava and Tsetse (2015) examined the influence of celebrity endorsement on the buying

behaviour of the Ghanaian youth using the advertisement of fan milk Ghana as a case study. Dzisah

and Ocloo (2013) investigated the factors or variables considered in selecting a celebrity brand

ambassador in the central business district of Accra and the extent to which a celebrity's

endorsement influences consumers' purchase or re-purchase behaviour. All these studies have been

conducted in other industries and not the soft drink beverage industry. It is only in the last two

decades that brand ambassadors have become a popular advertising strategy in Ghana. Therefore,

the literature and previous research is limited, especially for Ghana. The situation has created a

gap that need to be filled.

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Marketing practitioners are bewildered by the impact of celebrity endorsement on buying

behaviour of soft drinks beverages. There are different soft drink companies in the market and

almost all brands use brand ambassadors for their brands, but the question is, do these ambassadors

really influence the buying decisions of consumers? It is in this regard that this research sought to

examine role of brand ambassadors in influencing the buying behaviour of consumers in the

beverage industry in Ghana.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to examine the role of brand ambassadors in influencing the

consumer buying behaviour in the beverage industry in Ghana.

1.4 Research Objective

The main objective of the study is to examine the role of brand ambassadors in influencing the

buying behaviour of consumers in the beverage industry in Ghana.

The specific objectives are:

i. To examine the importance of celebrity brand ambassadors in the promotion of a

product.

ii. To determine the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall

and brand awareness.

iii. To access the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-

purchase behaviour of consumers of beverages

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1.5 Research Questions

The research sought to examine the role of brand ambassadors in influencing the buying behaviour

of consumers in the beverage industry in Ghana. The research questions formulated to help address

this issue are:

i. What is the importance of celebrity brand ambassadors in the promotion of a product?

ii. What is the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand

awareness?

iii. What is the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-

purchase behaviour of consumers of beverages?

1.6 Significance of the Study

The significance of the study can be viewed in two aspects. This is future research and practice:

With regards to significance in terms of future research, this research focuses on one of the

biggest industries in Ghana, the beverage industry. Also the mode of selection of respondents will

span across different classes and sexes of people. This diversity would create a good mix which

shall enrich the research findings; hence, it lays a foundation for further research in the area of

study for other researchers.

In terms of practice, the research findings and recommendations, when implemented would

have a tremendous positive impact on the marketing strategies of companies. Thus, the

management and head of marketing in companies will be able to devise appropriate strategies and

engaging the right brand ambassadors to attract new customers and to retain old ones. In effect,

this research would serve significantly in all the two areas mentioned above namely, future

research and practice.

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1.7 Delimitation

The study was conducted in the Greater Accra region of Ghana to investigate the role of

brand ambassadors in influencing consumer purchasing behaviour in the beverage industry. This

study aims to determine whether the use of brand ambassadors will affect the purchasing decision

of beverage consumers. The target population for this study are people who consume beverages in

the Greater Accra region. Some areas that that the data was collected include Achimota, Accra

Mall, Tema, Accra Central and Kasoa. Places that were excluded in the data collection included

Ablekuma, Amasaman, and Teshie.

1.8 Limitation

The research is subject to the following possible methodological limitations:

i. Sample size: Since the sample size was collected from the Greater Accra region, the

number of units analysed may be small and cannot be properly generalised to the whole

beverage industry in Ghana.

ii. The measure used to collect data: The data was collected through the use of a

questionnaire. Recording data from questionnaires is generally time consuming and

error prone.

iii. Unwillingness to provide information: One major limitation of the study is the

inaccessibility or the unwillingness of some of respondent to give out information due

the current crisis that the world finds itself in today.

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1.9 Definition of Terms

i. Celebrity Brand Ambassador:

Someone who has some level of fame that makes them recognizable such as a TV personality,

public figure, sporting celebrity or other known character who play a role in marketing

activities and become good communicators to bridge the gap between a company’s product

and its consumers (Usher, 2015).

ii. Purchasing Behaviour:

The decision to buy a particular product or not (Kumar, Manrai, & Manrai, 2017).

iii. Consumer Behaviour

Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the

activities associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services, and how

the consumer's emotions, attitudes and preferences affect buying behaviour (Joshi &

Rahman, 2015).

1.10 Organisation of the Study

This study is organized into five chapters; it begins with the first chapter referred to as

Chapter One, Chapter two which is the second part, followed by the third section known as Chapter

three, then Chapter four and finally Chapter five

Chapter One is the introduction, which includes the background to the study, problem

statement of the study, the purpose of the study, the research questions, the objectives of the study,

significance of the study, delimitations, limitations, definition of terms and organisation of the

study.

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Chapter Two presents the review of relevant literature including the theoretical

framework/conceptual base of the study, an overview of the beverage industry, consumer buying

behaviour, role of brand ambassadors, among others.

Chapter Three describes the methodology adopted by the study, and covers the research

design, study area, population, sampling procedure, data collection instruments, data collection

procedures, and data processing and analysis.

The result and discussion of the study is presented in Chapter Four. Chapter Five

summarizes the research, and provides the conclusions and recommendations. References and

appendices come after the chapter five.

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CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter focuses on the literature review and is divided into two parts. Review of the

theoretical literature and review of the empirical literature. A review of the theoretical literature

provides a theoretical foundation related to key concepts and related research questions. The

review of empirical literature on the other hand provides an overview of research previously

conducted on the subject being investigated.

2.1 Theory to Explain Consumer Buying Behaviour

The central issue in scientific research in marketing has to do with key insights into

consumer behaviour or insights into why consumers buy certain products and not others or act in

a particular manner. Amin, Abdul-Rahman and Razak (2014) state that, consumer behaviour

theories tries to find answers to certain important issues, like how consumers buy as an individual

verse how they buy as a group, what role does emotions play in the buying decision of the

consumer, attitudes after the purchase and the role of consumer satisfaction in re-purchase

behaviour among others. Understanding these issues can therefore improve the effectiveness of

marketing campaigns and their impact on consumers (Amin, Abdul-Rahman & Razak, 2014)

The Theory of Reasoned Action

The theory of reasoned action (TRA or ToRA) looks at explaining the relationship

between an individual’s attitudes and behaviours which are naturally within human action. The

main use of the theory is to predict individual behaviour based on the individual's existing attitudes

and behaviour intention. The theory was formulated by Martin Fishbein and Icek Aizen in 1975

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and its analysis is centered on the importance of pre-existing attitudes in the decision-making

process. The main argument of the theory is that consumers act according to their intention to

create or achieve specific results. The analysis is carried on the assumption that; consumers are

rational actors who choose to act in their best interests.

Gavetti (2012) argues that, there are two important antecedents which additively influences

the buying behaviour of an individual and are central and as such underlies the theory of reasoned

action. These antecedent include attitude and subjective norm. First, in order to predict purchasing

behaviour, it is necessary to measure individual attitudes toward specific behaviours, and not just

general attitudes toward items surrounding purchasing behaviour. In addition to the attitude toward

the behaviour, TRA includes a second determinant of overt behaviour namely the subjective norm

(SN). The subjective norm is designed to measure the social impact on human behaviour, such as

the expectations of family members, friends and colleagues. Sometimes in certain situations, the

expectations of others can be the main factor in final performance and not be controlled by personal

attitudes alone.

One of the propositions of the theory of reasoned action by Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) is

that, specificity is important in the decision-making process. This therefore means that, consumers

only take specific action when they expect similar specific results. It is important to note that,

within the period where the consumer decides to act and the time he/she actually completes the

action which in this case buying a certain product, the consumer has the ability to change their

mind and decide on a different course of action (Momsen & Stoerk, 2014).

Hussain, Rahman, Zaheer and Saleem (2016) state that marketers can learn many lessons

from the theory of reasoned action. The first lesson is that, marketers must always associate a

purchase of their product with a positive result, which results must serve a specific purpose.

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Secondly, the theory emphasizes the importance of attracting consumers through sales channels.

Marketers need to recognize that when there is a long time lag between initial intention and

completed action, consumers will have enough time to convince themselves to abandon the

purchase or question the results of the purchase.

2.2 Overview of the Concept of Brand Ambassador and Brand Image

Brand Ambassador

It is important to distinguish between self-branding and celebrity branding before exploring

the concept of brand ambassador.

• Self-branding, also known as a personal brand, is the process of creating symbols around

a person's profession or name. This symbol is used to express and convey a person's skills,

personality and values in order to develop a personal brand, which will earn a reputation

for building a network that interests others. (Lake, 2014).

• Celebrity branding, also known as celebrity endorsement advertising (celebrity

endorsements), are celebrities who use their reputation to promote products or services.

Celebrities market their products through television or radio commercials and large-scale

events. They are usually used in marketing activities to promote sales and ultimately to

drive up the profit margins of the organisation (Grimsley, 2014)

Brand ambassadors are usually seen as trusted witnesses for a specific role in the branding

of a product and can influence the reputation of others through their networks and relationships

with those persons to purchase a certain product through the word of mouth. In addition, brand

ambassadors have the ability to reach target groups that are inaccessible in many situations (Cleave

et al., 2016). In other instances, brand ambassadors increase brand awareness, build and strengthen

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brand image and are able to help in brand differentiation themselves (Kristal, Baumgarth &

Henseler, 2020).

Lazarevic (2011) asserts that, the names and images of famous brand ambassadors attracts

attention and awareness. In addition, as celebrities are tangible and identifiable, they allow

consumers to attach some personality characteristics to the brand, thus making it easier for

consumers to identify the brand (Lazarevic, 2011). Furthermore, famous brand ambassadors can

increase brand visibility in media and bring greater visibility to the organization and the brand

(Kristal, Baumgarth & Henseler, 2020). Kanner (2013) pointed out that while brand ambassadors

play an important role in brand humanization and awareness, it is their influence that determines

the success of the brand campaign.

The use of celebrity brand ambassadors in marketing a product can either be a goldmine or

a minefield (Klopper & North, 2011). Indeed, aligning the brand with that of the brand

ambassadors’ can be very valuable in terms of brand development, but it is also important to ensure

that the brand’s core values are closely aligned with the values of the brand ambassador. Therefore,

the brand ambassador's behaviour, performance and reputation are crucial for the survival or

otherwise for the brands they represent. Celebrities who serve as brand ambassadors provide

brands with instant value and personalized services, which can take years or even millions of

dollars to build (Klopper & North, 2011). It is important to note that, the celebrity brand

ambassador’s values and behaviours are reflected in the brand, so any negative action by the

celebrity brand ambassador can harm the brand (Lazarevic, 2011).

The foregoing presupposes that; it is important to make sure that the brand is up to par in

terms of the core values with that of the brand ambassador to ensure maximum benefit. Again,

each brand has a unique and unseen personality in the eyes of consumers, so it is necessary to

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reach a consensus on the image of the product and the image of the brand ambassador.

Furthermore, brand ambassadors must be popular in the brand's target market, and factors such as

attractiveness, expertise and credibility must also be taken into account when determining brand

ambassadors (Devi, 2015).

Brand Image

The issue of brand image is not a recent phenomenon. Since the 20th century, due to the

importance of branding in building brand equity, extensive research has been conducted on this

topic. In an increasingly competitive global market, organisations are required to have a deeper

understanding of consumer behaviour and educate consumers about their brands in order to

formulate effective marketing strategies if they are to survive (Juwaheer, Pudaruth & Noyaux,

2012).

Keller put forward the concept of “Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE)” in 1993. The

basic philosophy underlying the CBBE refers to various reactions to brand activities and

campaigns by consumers who have varying degrees of brand knowledge and understanding. In

other words, brand image and brand awareness are the basis and sources of brand equity. This

therefore means that, brand equity is an important tangible asset that has both financial

psychological value for the organisation. It is the added value that is endowed to products and

services. This value may be reflected in how consumers think, feel and act with respect to the

brand.

According to Malik, Naeem and Munawar (2012), brand image is an integral component

of brand equity as it conveys the worth of the brand to the consumers. In this regard, it is also

necessary to develop brand knowledge and brand awareness before consumers can actively react

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positively to brand promotion activities (Godey, Manthiou, Pederzoli., Rokka, Aiello, Donvito, &

Singh, 2016).

One important thing that marketers must note is that, it is very important to check the

consistency between the brand image and the consumer's self-concept, as consumers can show

different self-concepts in different social environments. However, regardless of the context, as

long as the brand image matches their own image, consumers will feel better about the brand

(Zhang, 2015).

2.2 The Purpose of Brand Ambassadors

The brand ambassador’s aim is to establish a connection between the brand which he

represents and his image and personality, therefore establishing brand credibility. Maguwu (2014)

argues that, the concept of the use of celebrity brand ambassadors in marketing revolves around

the perception that, in this modern world mass media is no longer effective. The only way to make

the mass media effective is to advertise one’s product with celebrity brand ambassadors which

increases the changes of customers to pay attention to the message been sent. The following three

reasons are the purpose for the huge spending that is annually made by organisations to engage the

services of celebrity brand ambassador:

2.2.1 To build brand awareness

Ogunsiji (2012) states that, when a company's or a product’s brand image effectively

matches that of the image of the brand ambassador, the best endorsement deal is created. Therefore,

consumers with similar values will be drawn to the brand and brand awareness will increase. Shatta

Wale is the perfect brand ambassador for Storm Energy drinks because his image matches that of

the product. This “partnership” between Shata Wale and Storm Energy injected a brand image

focused on strength and dynamism.

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2.2.2 Validate product features

Some brands may contact athletes with certain characteristics or qualities to promote their

products and only focus on improving those qualities or characteristics. A brand of nutritional

supplement can be provided to an athlete to further promote their product so that the impression

given to the athlete is that the athlete's physique and performance is due to the use of that particular

supplement. The phenomenon is carried out to essentially to use the celebrity brand ambassadors

to validate the characteristics or feature of the product (Gupta, Kishor & Verma, 2017). Former

Black Star captain Stephen Appiah drank Vita Milk, a protein recovery drink, which is said to have

allowed him to "push his body to its maximum every day."

2.2.3 Boost brand equity

The brand equity of both the brand and a celebrity brand ambassador can be increased

through endorsement deals (Dwivedi, Johnson, & McDonald, 2015). A classic case was seen in

2012 where American basketball player LeBron James received $ 15 million in income from Nike.

In the same vain, Nike was able to sell more than $ 100 million worth of LeBron James signature

shoes in the United States alone. Big brands are willing to pay athletes to support brand

development and maintain brand equity (Kunkel & Biscaia, 2020).

2.3 The Types of Brand Ambassadors

Morin-van Dam (2014) distinguished four different types of brand ambassadors. These

include goodwill ambassadors, promotional models, testimonials and brand advocates.

2.3.1 The goodwill ambassador

Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrities who use their reputation and talents to support

brands (especially non-profit and charity brands) (Maguwu, 2014). Humanitarian organizations

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often use these celebrities to provide funds, donate and encourage volunteers to participate in the

organization's activities. A good examples of goodwill ambassadors are Lionel Messi and David

Beckham, UNICEF ambassadors, whose reputation makes the world pay attention to the needs of

children (UNICEF, 2020).

2.3.2 Promotional brand ambassadors

Promotional Brand Ambassadors are commercial brands that use their celebrity reputations

and image to promote products for mutual benefit (Maguwu, 2014). Examples include, Nana Ama

McBrown for Hisense, Shatta Wale for Infinix and Storm Energy Drink, and Stonebwoy for Boss

Energy Drink.

2.3.3 Testimonial brand ambassadors

The use of testimonial brand ambassadors is a common advertising method where

consumers who are brand ambassadors (not manufacturers) participate and explain the benefits of

the product in order to increase its effectiveness. Referral from a celebrity is considered a powerful

technique because the advertised product or service can be easily identified based on the image or

characteristics of the celebrity (Joseph, 2014).

2.3.4 Brand advocates

The final type of brand ambassador is the use of brand advocates. Trevor (2013) defines a

brand advocate as “a consumer who influences other consumers’ purchasing decisions, interacts

with measurable consistency within their networks to promote a brand, generates online and offline

word of mouth marketing, and is an integral component of every marketing and advertising

objective.”

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2.4 The Selection Criteria for a Brand Ambassador

The type of brand ambassador one chooses for his/her product can either provide a positive

or negative impact for the brand. People are very interested in celebrities because they see them as

their idols. As such, these celebrities often have a positive impact on consumer emotions and are

more effective in maintaining publicity and brand awareness. The brand ambassador extends his

position and status in society to the brand. The down side of the argument is that, brands sometimes

become hostage to celebrity’s image. In this instance, celebrities with superstar status can eclipse

the brand when used in advertising, causing consumers to remember the celebrity, not the product

or brand. Furthermore, there is a risk of overexposure from some famous brand ambassadors, some

of whom endorse multiple brands, which end up confusing consumers (Bafna, Gandhi, Jain,

Dantara, Desai, Dholakiya, & Kanabar, 2016).

The following 20 attributes have been identified by marketing and communication agency

Goodman AMC (2014) as some selection criteria for companies to adopt in choosing brand

ambassadors for endorsement deals. These attributes include;

1. Brand ambassador – product match

2. Brand ambassador – target audience match

3. Brand ambassador’s popularity

4. Brand ambassador’s credibility

5. Brand ambassadors Values

6. Physical attractiveness

7. Regional and international appeal factor

8. Controversy risk

9. Multiple endorsements

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10. Cost of acquiring the ambassador

11. Fit with the advertising idea

12. Availability of the brand ambassador

13. Brand user

14. Consumer influencing advertisement

15. Previous endorsements

16. Proper use of promotional medium

17. Brand image formation capability

18. Interest of endorser

19. Endorsement management team

20. Unique idea of promotion

2.5 Importance of Consumer Behaviour

Consumer behaviour is a rapidly developing area of research and education that has added

considerable intellectual value to the operations of marketers and other professionals related to

purchasing activities. In this era of fierce competition from competitors, the essence of modern

marketing concepts is that all elements of the business should be designed for consumer

satisfaction (Mihart, 2012). It is usually believed that, the consumer makes a purchasing decision

after receiving a small selection of information. Therefore, it is important to understand what

customers need and the amount of information needed to help them assess the provision of goods

and services. These days, besides changes in personal and social influences, consumer behaviour

also includes satisfaction or dissatisfaction after purchase. The rapid development of science and

technology has made consumers more realistic, more aware or more critical (Solomon, Russell-

Bennett & Previte, 2012).

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2.6 Determinants of Modern Consumer Behaviour

There are numerous determinants of the modern consumer behaviour. However, consumer

behaviour principally stems from personal and environmental influences. It largely depends on the

psychological makeup of the person. When one looks at the determinants from the individual and

environmental influences, we can narrow it down to four basic determinants of consumer

behaviour (Kelley, Sheehan, & Jugenheimer, 2015).

2.6.1 Individual needs of consumer

The starting point of the purchasing decision process is awareness of the felt needs.

Individual consumers always have unfulfilled needs which are ultimately insatiable. Psychological

research shows that consumer behaviours are designed to meet certain basic needs. Among

psychologists, there is no consensus on the list of basic consumer needs. Maslow (1981) classified

basic needs, such as psychological needs, security needs, needs for belonging and love, needs for

respect, needs for self-actualization, desire for knowledge and understanding and aesthetic needs.

According to Maslow (1981), individual consumers generally try to fully meet their needs in the

order listed. Therefore, the purchasing behaviour of consumers can be determined based on their

stage of need. Some needs are natural and some are met throughout the life cycle of other

consumers.

2.6.2 Motive of consumer

The drive or motive of a consumer is a situation where individual consumers are trying to

find a way to satisfy the drive. In effect, drives are the source of certain patterns of behaviour in

an individual and is a powerful stimulant that stimulates individual consumers. Based on prompt,

advertisements and other stimuli related to the situation in the environment, individual consumers

20

choose specific responses to meet this need (Helmefalk,2017). The specific response method

chosen depends on the consumer's signal and past experience. Therefore, a motive can be defined

as an impulse in which individual consumers seek satisfaction by purchasing something (Ramya

& Ali, 2016). It is therefore an internal impulse that can prompt or motivate consumers to take

certain actions.

2.6.3 Perception of consumer

In marketing, customer perception refers to customers’ awareness, their impressions, and

their opinions about your business, products, and brand (Hosseini, Jayashree & Malarvizhi,

2014).). Customer perception is determined by several variables, including direct and indirect

interactions with the products. Nowadays, perception influences the decisions of buyers and is a

major factor in the success of many industries. The pattern of purchasing behaviour is largely

influenced by these perceptions. The modern consumer of today has basically two types of images

in the minds. These images include Self-image and Brand image:

Self-image refers to how an individual consumer perceives him/herself. These are many

self-impressions accumulated over time. These self-portraits can be very positive, making

people believe in their own thoughts and behaviours, or they can be negative, making

people doubt their abilities and thoughts. Different consumers have different types of self-

images, which leads to market segmentation according to psychological criteria. The basic

level of motivation is that in many purchasing situations, individual consumers prefer to

purchase products or services that have an image consistent with their own image (Hosany

& Martin, 2012).

21

Brand image is the current perception of the brand by customers (Onyancha, 2013). It can

be defined as a unique bundle of association in the mind of the target customer (Onyancha,

2013). It refers to the meaning that the brand currently stands for, so it is a set of fixed

beliefs about a particular brand. Notably through the long-term use of advertising and sales

attractiveness, many brands have gained a clear image in the minds of consumers, like

KeySoap, and Pepsodent.

2.6.4 Attitudes of consumers

Consumer attitudes can be defined as a person's preference for a certain product or as a

feeling of adversity against the product (Asiegbu, Powei & Iruka, 2012). Consumers have specific

feelings about certain products or brands. Sometimes these feelings are based on certain beliefs,

sometimes they are not. Consumer attitudes control the response to stimuli and lead to behaviour,

usually action (Bagram & Khan, 2012). The attitude of the cunsumer cannot be neutral. Having an

attitude means being ready to act. Attitude immediately defines the consumer's state for or against

something.

2.7 Stages of Consumer Buying Process

The buying process consists of several stages and is affected by a person's psychological

structure, which includes the personality of the individual, their motives, perception, opinions and

attitudes. The buyer or consumer decides to buy immediately without much consideration items

that are needed for daily use, while for other items, mainly luxury items or durable items, they

have to think a lot before they decide to buy. In general, buyers go through seven (7) different

stages when deciding to purchase a particular product (Stankevich, 2017).

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2.7.1 Need recognition

The buying process begins with excitement or as a matter of arousal of need. It is important

to note that such an arousal of need can be activated by either an internal or external stimuli (Lim

& Yazdanifard, 2015). The basic needs of an ordinary person increase to a certain level which

leads to a drive and the individual knows from past experience how to satisfy hunger, thirst, sex

and other needs. This is the case with internal stimulation. External stimuli can also arouse from a

need, such as seeing a new product in a store while purchasing any other product which sometimes

leads to impulse buying.

Marketers need to take into account these two key actions if they are to be successful in

their field. The first one is that, marketers need to identify factors that can actually or potentially

connect with the product category or brand, and make buyers feel the product meets their needs.

(Lantos, 2015). The second is that, marketers are to recognize that the level of demand for products

fluctuates over time and is triggered by various signals. Therefore, the marketer can organize cues

in accordance with the natural rhythms and better timing stimuli to of the consumer in order to

achieve better results.

2.7.2 Product awareness or information search

Once the arousal of need occurs, consumers try to resolve it and collect sources and product

information in order to satisfy their needs (Mortimer & Pressey, 2013). Depending on the intensity

required, it will produce two states of the individual. When the consumer becomes more receptive

to the information they need, its leads to the first step which is called increased attention. He then

becomes more receptive to the information he needs about the product. He becomes attentive to

information that affects the needs and its satisfaction (Mortimer & Pressey, 2013). An example

23

can be given of a consumer who wants to buy a drink and who then pays more attention to the

advertising of the drinks. The situation of intention to buy the drink leads to the consumer

remembering comments from friends and colleagues about this drink.

The individual consumer enters the second stage if the need is more urgent. This ushers the

consumer to into the stage of actively seeking information and attempt to collect more information

about the product, its main characteristics, the attributes of the different brands and the available

sales channels (Zhang & Benyoucef, 2016). Akalamkam and Mitra, (2018), there are four

consumer information sources. These include:

• Personal sources (family, friends, neighbours, etc.,)

• Commercial sources (advertisements, salesman, dealers)

• Public sources (mass media, consumer-rating organizations)

• Experiential sources (handling, examining, using the product)

2.7.3 Motivation

Modern consumers are not guided by their intuition, but have an active mind when they

choose their goals and assess how useful a product will be to them when they purchase it (Blazevic,

2013). Therefore, when choosing these products, they are consciously adopting behavioural

control. In the motivation process, stress is caused by unmet needs, which increases driving force

and develops behaviour to achieve the goal (Maduka & Okafor, 2014). Behaviour is not only based

on a driving force based on need, but also depends on the learning process and the thought (or

cognitive) process of the individual. Marketers who understand this will try to influence

consumers' cognitive processes. Behaviour to achieve goals will be deeply influenced by personal

and cultural factors (Cohen, 2014)

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2.7.4 Interest

When consumers feel a need and know of an alternative product that can meet the demand,

the interest can be viewed as a state of mind (Albert & Merunka, 2013). The interest of the

consumer is expressed by the interest of the consumer in obtaining more information about the

product. At this point, consumers actively participate in the buying process and focus on the

product. However, if he loses interest in this partnership, his attention will shift and the buying

decision process will be interrupted.

2.7.5 Evaluation and intention

Consumers enter the stage of evaluation and intention after becoming interested in a

product. The evaluation phase represents the phase of psychological testing of the product. At this

point, consumers assign relative price weights to various products or brands based on the

accumulated inventory of product information and draw conclusions about their relative

satisfaction with potential value (Sathya & Indirajith, 2016). After the evaluation, consumers

intend to buy or reject the product or brand. However, the final purchase will depend on the

strength of the active purchase intention (Kim, 2012). Depending on the evaluation behaviour of

consumers, the market may improve or develop products and segment the market based on the

characteristics of the products.

2.7.6 Purchase decision

Sharma (2014) puts forward three important factors that should be taken into account when

making a purchasing decision. These factors include: a) the attitudes of others such as wives,

relatives and friends. However, this largely depends on the attitude of those involved and the

motivation of consumers to follow the wishes of others; (b) some anticipated factors such as

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expected household income, total cost of the product and how the product is expected to be

beneficial and (c) other unforeseen factors.

2.7.7 Post-purchase feelings

The consumer expects that his expectations for the product will be met and hence if the

product meets expectations, the consumer is satisfied and it leads to re-purchase of the product.

However, if the product does not meet the consumer’s expectation, the consumer is not satisfied

and hence does not repurchase it (Ilyas, Rahmi, Tamsah, Munir, & Putra, 2020)

2.8 Participants in The Buying Process

There are five different roles in the buying decision that a person can play (Grewal, Lilien,

Bharadwaj, Jindal, Kayande, Lusch, & Sridhar, 2015). These roles include initiator, influencer,

decider, buyer and user.

• Initiator - The initiator is the person who first suggests or considers the idea of purchasing

a particular product.

• Influencer - An influencer is someone who has a clear or implicit influence over the final

buying decision of others.

• Decider - The decision-maker is the person who ultimately decides all or part of the buying

decision, namely what to buy, what to buy, how to buy, when to buy or where to buy.

• Buyer - The buyer is the person who actually makes the purchase.

• User - A user is a person who actually uses or consumes a service or product.

It is important to note that, these roles could be played by the one person or by different

people. The function of marketers is therefore to study the buying process and the roles of the main

participants in the buying process (Lim, Osman, Salahuddin, Romle, & Abdullah, 2016).

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2.9 Overview of the Beverage Industry

The beverage industry plays an important role in the economy by providing thousands of

direct and indirect jobs in the value chain. Population growth, urbanization, growing Ghanaian

middle class and tourism are driving the growing demand for carbonated soft drinks, energy and

sports drinks, bottled and bagged water and branded alcoholic beverages (Tuffour, 2018).

Ghana has seen relatively subdue economic growth over the past three years. However, the

Ghanaian beverage market shows very little signs of slowing down. Particularly, the consumption

of alcohol in Ghana is very high. It is projected that, over the next four years, alcohol consumption

will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%. The people of Ghana are already the most

frequent drinkers on the African continent, with an average annual of 5.4 litres of alcohol

consumption per capita (Addo, 2018). According to Statista (2019), the country ranks above major

regional markets such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia, but lags behind the leaders in the region

which are of South Africa, Namibia and Nigeria.

The estimation of Fraym (2019) puts the beverage-consuming households in the Greater

Accra region at about 142,000. The beverage that is most popular amongst consumers is Beer, this

is followed by spirits and wine. Ghanaians spend on average about 42% of their disposable income

on food and drink, which means that, the growth of the consumer’s income is at the core of the

success of the beverage industry. The government estimates that by 2021, households with

incomes between US $ 1,000 and US $ 5,000 will cover 50% of all households, and it is currently

around 30%. The increase in income will not only increase spending, but also allows Ghanaians

to the local beverages that are usually not branded such as pito, palm wine, akpeteshie, and

burukutu with that of branded beverages.

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The growth of the industry has not been ignored by local producers and has spurred a

number of important expansion plans. Like most other African countries, primary products are

usually exported in their original state and then imported as processed drinks (Owoo & Lambon-

Quayefio, 2017). However, despite the high level of imports, Ghana's bottling and packaging

capacity and beverage manufacturing capacity have increased significantly over the past five years.

For example, in April 2017, SAB Miller's local subsidiary, Accra Brewery Limited, began

construction of a production line costing US $ 30 million. Previously, the company doubled its

production capacity in 2015 and expanded it by US $ 100 million. Also, according to the 2016

Annual report of Kasapreko Company Limited, at the end of 2015, Kasapreko built a factory that

costs the company about $ 70 million on the Accra premises and installed four production lines.

2.10 Empirical Review

Brand ambassadors are often hired by advertisers to lend their personality to a product or

brand. The use of brand ambassadors has been widely used as it could provoke attitudinal and

emotional reactions. In order to be effective, a brand ambassador should have the credibility to

attract attention (Mao, 2010) increase awareness of the endorsed product and influence the

purchase decision of the targeted audience (Wang & Harianda, 2016).

Chan, Leung Ng and Luk (2013) found that popularity, a good image, and congruence

between the brand ambassadors’ image and that of the brand as important factors for marketers to

consider in selecting brand ambassadors. Most respondents believe that using famous brand

ambassadors in advertising will increase brand awareness, attract celebrity fans, encourage testing,

and increase buying confidence. Likewise, Ni, Bakhtiar and Kirbrandoko (2019) conducted a study

to determine the role of brand ambassadors in promoting OPPO F series products and analyse its

impact on brand image and purchasing decisions. The research results showed that brand

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ambassadors have a direct impact on brand image, but have an indirect impact on purchasing

decisions.

Gupta, Kishore, and Verma (2015) used exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor

analysis, and structural equations to explore the impact of celebrity endorsements on the

advertising perceptions of Indian consumers. The research results showed that celebrity

advertising has a significant impact on advertising perception and consumer buying behaviour.

However, as the beta (r) coefficient reveals, there is a weak correlation between the two. In

addition, the attractiveness, reliability and expertise of the celebrity brand ambassador is also found

to have a significant impact on the advertising perception and purchasing behaviour of consumers.

This study departs from the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to adopt a descriptive

approach in its analysis by the use of frequency tables, percentages and means. This departure

stems from the fact that, one major problem with the application of CFA is that, the

empirical factor structure is usually too much affected by incidentally extreme item inter-

correlations or by over- or under representation of certain items, yielding factors that differ in

number and content from the test scales (Prudon, 2015).

Fitrianto (2020) uses VisCAP (Visual, Credibility, Attractiveness and Power) metrics to

examine the influence of brand ambassadors on consumer decision making. The study revealed

that, among the VisCAP indicators that were used to measure the brand ambassador’s

performance, Credibility was an important and significant indicator that influenced purchase

intention from the brand ambassador of Tokopedia, while the others were insignificant. In addition,

Brand Ambassadors produce differences in variables that influence purchase intention. And that,

marketers could use ambassadors to influence consumer decisions, but they have to realize that

every ambassador has different characters and variables that could influence consumer decisions.

29

It is important to note that, the VisCAP models do not specifically measure the specific

attractiveness and physical attraction of the celebrities’ brand ambassador and this shows a

limitation of the use of this model.

Bharath Kumar and Pandian (2018) found that, Brand Ambassadors if used effectively,

makes the brand stand out, galvanizes brand recall and facilitates instant awareness. To achieve

this, the marketer needs to be really disciplined in choice of a brand ambassador. Therefore, the

correct use of Brand Ambassadors can push the brand's unique selling proposition to new heights.

The results of research conducted by Sterie and Massie (2019) were in line with the preceding

research that found the significant and positive effect of the brand ambassador’s image on purchase

intention. A positive image would encourage or stimulate the costumers’ intention to purchase

products.

Bachrun (2015) studied the influence of Indonesian celebrity brand ambassador on

consumer buying behaviour of female beauty products. The results of this research showed that

there is significant simultaneous and partial influence of Indonesian celebrity brand ambassador

on consumer buying behaviour of beauty products. This finding is further reinforced by Khan and

Lodhi (2016) whose findings revealed similar results to the effect that, celebrity endorsed

advertisements create brand awareness and recognition and also help capture target audience.

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CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

This chapter presents the research methods used to collect and analyse research data. This

includes research design, population, sample size, sampling techniques, research tools, data

collection process, and data analysis methods. This concludes with the scope and limitations of

this research.

3.1 Research Design

The quantitative research method was employed in this research. Quantitative research

methods are used to collect information intended to describe events among a large number of

participants. This method offers the possibility of summarizing the characteristics of the group or

the relationship. Quantitative research method studies large numbers of individuals and applies

statistical techniques to determine certain relationships among different variables. (Brannon,

2005).

We decided to adopt the quantitative research method, because according to the research of Nardi

(2015), it has the following advantages:

• Ability to collect information from a relatively large number of participants

• It enables comparisons since research can be carried out in several groups

• It allows generalisation as it can be extended to larger group of people

• Quantitative research provides numerical or rating information

• Quantitative research helps statistical techniques to determine the relationship between

variables

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Due to the nature of the research, especially the research objectives, quantitative research method

was the most suitable method for this research.

3.2 Profile of the Study Area

The study was conducted in the Greater Accra region. In terms of area, the Greater Accra

region is the smallest of the 16 administrative regions, covering an area of 3,245 square kilometres,

representing 1.4% of the total area of Ghana. However, in terms of population, it is the second

most populous area with a population of 4,010,054 inhabitants in 2010, representing 16.3% of the

total population of Ghana. According to Songsore (2009), the Greater Accra region is the largest

urban area in the country, accounting for 87.4% of the total population living in urban centres. The

capital of the Greater Accra region is Accra, which is also the capital of Ghana.

It should be noted that around 1.3% of residents of Greater Accra are immigrants from

outside Ghana. According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the Akan people made up

the largest proportion of Accra's population, at 39.8%. The second largest ethnic group is Ga-

Dangme, which represents 30.7% of the total population. This is followed by 18% of the

population which is made up of Ewes. The Ga subgroup of the Ga-Dangme tribe is the historic

population of Accra. They are the largest indigenous ethnic group in Greater Accra, accounting

for 18.9% of the total population. The Fante’s also represent 10% of the total population of the

Greater Accra region.

The 2010 PHC report also showed that 70.8% of the 2,945,284 people aged 15 and over

were engaged in financial activities, while 29.2% were not. In the seven days leading up to census

night, 82.6% of the economically active population had worked, 4.0% had jobs but were not

working and 13.4% were unemployed. It should be noted that the unemployment rate (13.4%) is

slightly higher than the national figure of 10.4%.

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In the Greater Accra region, wholesale and retail trade (30.4%) and manufacturing (16.7%)

are the main activities. About 7.9% of people engaged in economic activities are engaged in

agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing. This ratio is well below the national average of 52.1%.

Again, 39.0% of females are engaged in wholesale and retail trade, compared to 22.2% of males.

When it comes to manufacturing, there is no difference between the sexes. However, in the

hospitality industry, females are almost three times as likely as males.

One has to note that, of the economically active people, about (51.8%) were self-employed

with no employees whilst the rest 32.6 percent are employees. The proportion of self-employed

females (62.6%) is much higher than that of males (37.4%). Hence, males are 1.5 times more likely

to become employed than females.

The informal private sector employs 62.3% of those engaged in economic activities,

followed by the formal private sector (23.3%) and the public sector (11.5%). The proportion of

females in the informal private sector is 69.1%, while that of males is 55.8%. This phenomenon is

partly explained in the context of the relatively low level of education of females. The proportion

of males working in the formal sector (public and private) is higher than that of females.

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Figure 3.1: Map of Greater Accra Region

3.3 Population

The target population of the study is all soft drink beverage consuming households in the

Greater Accra region of Ghana. According to Fraym (2019), there are approximately one hundred

and forty-two thousand (142,000) soft drink beverage consumers in the Greater Accra region,

which is the target population for the study.

3.4 Sources of Data

The data that was used for this study was obtained from both primary and secondary

sources. A questionnaire survey of beverage consumers in the Greater Accra region was used to

34

collect primary data. Secondary data sources for research include research reports, textbooks,

statistics, and journal articles. These documents provide researchers with advice and information

about brand ambassadors and consumer buying behaviour.

3.5 Sample Procedure

This study uses a simple random sampling technique. The reason for choosing this

technique is that everyone's choice is purely random and as such each member of the population

has an equal chance of being selected. The questionnaire was administered by the researchers to

the respondents.

It is important to note that, in carrying out a study, it was not possible to include the whole

population in the study. Therefore, there was the need to draw a sample from the population. In

estimating the sample size for the study, the formula for proportions by Yamane was used

(Yamane, 1967). The mathematical equation for calculating the sample size is:

𝑛 =𝑁

1+𝑁(𝑒)2 Eqn(3.1)

Where;

n = sample size,

N = population size and

e = level of precision (0.05) 356

When this formula was applied with a population of one hundred and forty-two thousand

(142,000), the representative sample size was three hundred and ninety-nine (399). The

representative sample size notwithstanding, a total of 120 respondents were sampled due to the

time and resource constraints.

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3.6 Data Collection Instrument

In a social science research, there are several methods that can be used to collect data.

However, in this research, data was collected using questionnaires. In designing the questionnaire

literature available to the researchers was considered. The ideas from the review of that literature

and the research objectives helped formulate the basic information addressed by the questionnaire.

A closed-ended structured questionnaire was completed by each of the selected respondent through

a face-to-face interview or self-administered questionnaire that was sent through an email. It is

known that closed questions can control the range of responses of participants by providing

specific response options (Vraga, Bode, Smithson & Troller-Renfree, 2019). This facilitates the

synthesis and analysis of the response.

The questionnaire survey method is chosen as the data collection method because it

provides a wide range of samples and is also suitable for collecting large amounts of data (Flick,

2006). It is also a cost-effective way to collect data from a large number of potential respondents

for statistical analysis of research results (Nardi, 2015; Patten, 2016). This research method is

consistent with multiple studies on brand ambassadors and consumer purchasing behavior (see,

Gupta, Kishore & Verma, 2015).

3.7 Data Collection Procedure

In order to ensure the judicious use of time and resources and to guarantee the fair

representation of the sample that would be obtained, the whole region was divided into five zones.

With this division of the region into zones, each of the five researchers was asked to be in charge

of one zone and was tasked to collect a sample of twenty-four (24) respondents. Questionnaires

36

were then administered to the identified respondents taking into consideration all the safety

protocols that are required.

3.8 Method of Data Analysis

Quantitative researchers tend to draw conclusions based on certain assumptions and

theories. Therefore, this research should maintain the objectivity of the data analysis process that

evaluates the results of the process using statistical procedures and objective standards (Yilmaz,

2013). The data collected is mainly processed and analysed via Excel spreadsheets. Data analysis

is carried out using descriptive statistics. The general nature of the data is determined by frequency,

mean and standard deviation.

3.9 Ethical Consideration

Babbie and Mouton (2008) asserts that, one needs to take the following ethical issues into

consideration when conducting a social science research that involves the collection of primary

data through a questionnaire:

The respondents should partake in the study voluntarily

The respondents are not required to participate in the research. Hence, before administering

the questionnaire, the permission of each interviewee was requested and each respondent

was informed that they could freely withdraw their consent at any time during the

interview.

The respondents are not supposed to be harmed

The protection of each of the participants was of utmost interest of the researchers.

Therefore, none of the persons who took part in the study was injured, harmed, endangered

or embarrassed.

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Assurance of anonymity and confidentiality

The purpose of the study was clearly outlined in to the respondents before the questionnaire

was administered. In addition, the respondents were guaranteed that the data will be treated

as anonymous. The respondents are further assured that the data will be treated

confidentially.

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CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Introduction

Extensively, the chapter four presents the results, and discusses the findings in relation to

the literature that has been reviewed under the study. The chapter begins with the response rate for

the questionnaires that were sent out, and continues with the demographic characteristics of the

respondents. The next section deals with responses related to the importance of Celebrity Brand

Ambassadors in the promotion of products. The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help

in brand recall, and brand awareness follows, and finally the extent to which celebrity brand

ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase behaviour of consumers of beverages in Ghana

is also discussed in-depth.

4.1 Response Rate

One hundred and twenty (120) questionnaires were produced, and administered to a cross

section of individual beverage consumers. At the end of the administration of the questionnaires,

one hundred and four (104) of them were returned; which were then coded and analysed. The

overall response rate was therefore 86.7%. The response rate was therefore good since more than

half of the respondents responded.

SECTION A

Section A looks at the demographic characteristics of the respondents

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4.2 Demographic Characteristics

The beverage consumers that were surveyed were asked to provide certain basic

information about themselves. The information that was asked included their gender, age, marital

status, and highest educational level.

4.2.1 Gender of respondents

On the questionnaire, respondents were asked to state their gender. Figure 4.1 below shows

the results of the responses that were given.

Figure 4.1: Gender of respondents

Source: Survey Data, 2020

The Figure 4.1 above indicates that majority (59%) of the respondents were females and

the rest (41%) of the respondents were males. Since the study only concentrated on non-alcoholic

beverages because there is a ban on celebrities been used as brand ambassadors in Ghana for

alcoholic beverages, this finding can partly be explained by the fact that, women were more likely

to take in non-alcoholic beverages as compared to men.

41%

59%

Male

Female

40

4.2.2 Age of respondents

The respondents were asked to indicate their ages as part of the questions that they

answered. Their responses are presented in Table 4.1 below.

Table 4.1: Age of respondent

Age of respondent Frequency Percent

18-29 70 67.3

30-39 28 26.9

40-49 5 4.8

50-59 1 1.0

Total 104 100

Source: Survey Data, 2020

As shown in Table 4.1, majority (67.3%) of the respondents were below the age of 30 years

and the rest (32.7%) of the respondents were above the age of 30 years. The largest number of the

respondents, 67.3% was between the ages of 18-29 years. 30 – 39 years was the second biggest

age bracket amongst the sampled respondents; 26.9% of the respondents were between the ages of

30-39 years. 4.8% of the respondents were in the 40-49 years age bracket. The least represented

age group was 50-59 years which recorded only 1.0% of the overall respondents. The finding can

be due to the fact that, younger people are more likely to take snacks while at school hence will

like to take in more non-alcoholic beverages. The result also implies that views leading to

conclusions drawn from this research are mainly attributable to the opinions of young adults below

the age of 30 years.

41

4.2.3 Marital Status

The respondents were also asked to indicate their marital status. Figure 4.2 presents the

results below.

Figure 4.2: Marital status

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Figure 4.2 shows that, majority (77%) of the respondents were single. The finding is not

surprising, and can partly be explained by the young nature of the sample that was collected;

majority (67.3%) of the respondents were below the age of 30 years. It can also be seen from the

figure 4.2 that, 20% of the respondents were married, and only three percent (3%) of the

respondents were Divorced or Separated from their spouses.

4.2.4 Highest educational level

The educational level of respondents plays a major role in their understanding of what role

brand ambassadors can play in influencing consumers. In this regard, respondents were asked to

indicate their highest level of educational attainment. The responses are presented in Table 4.2.

3%

20%

77%

Divorced/Separated

Married

Single

42

Table 4.2: Highest educational level

Highest educational level Frequency Percent

(%)

Basic 2 1.9

SHS 10 9.6

Tertiary 92 88.5

Total 104 100

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Table 4.2 above indicates that the respondents have been highly educated; this is as a result

of the fact that, 88.5% of the respondents have had some form of tertiary education. Additionally,

9.6% of the respondents have also had Senior Secondary School (SHS) education, and only two

(2) respondents have Basic school education.

SECTION B

Section B looks at the first objective for the research work; it discusses the questions that

aimed at assessing the importance of Celebrity Brand Ambassadors in promotion of products. It

begins the main discussion of the research findings with an emphasis on research objective one.

4.3 Importance of Celebrity Brand Ambassadors in promotion of products

The section presents the results for responses pertaining to the importance of celebrity

brand ambassadors in the promotion of products. The various media such as television, internet,

radio, magazine and newspaper through which organisations advertise their products were looked

at.

43

i. Time spent on various media: The time that individuals spend on the media outlet increases

their chance of getting to see the adverts that would be placed in the media outlets by organisations.

In this regard, the respondents were asked to indicate the number of hours that they spend on these

media outlets. The results are presented below in table 4.

Table 4.3: Time spent on various media

Time spent on medium Frequency Percent (%)

Television

Less than 30 minutes

31 minutes to 1 hour

More than 1 hour

37

31

36

35.6

29.8

34.6

Magazine

Less than 30 minutes

31 minutes to 1 hour

More than 1 hour

92

9

3

88.5

8.7

2.9

Internet

Less than 30 minutes

31 minutes to 1 hour

More than 1 hour

3

19

82

2.9

18.3

78.8

Radio

Less than 30 minutes

31 minutes to 1 hour

More than 1 hour

58

26

20

55.8

25.0

19.2

Newspaper

Less than 30 minutes

31 minutes to 1 hour

More than 1 hour

86

15

3

82.7

14.4

2.9

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Results presented in Table 4.3 below reveals time spent on television by the respondents

do not vary much. In this regard, 35.6% of the respondents spend less than 30 minutes on TV,

29.8% of the respondents spend between 31 minutes to an hour on TV and 34.6% spend more than

an hour on TV. When it comes to the use of Magazines, 88.5% of the respondents spend less than

30 minutes on magazine, 8.7% of the respondents spend between 31 minutes to an hour on

magazine and 2.9% spend more than an hour on magazine. Also, the time spent on the internet per

44

day is as follows: Less than 30 minutes (2.9%) of the respondents; 31 minutes to 1 hour (18.3%)

of the respondents and More than 1 hour (78.8%).

The next medium was radio and the results revealed that, 55.8% of the respondents spend

less than 30 minutes on radio, 25.0% of the respondents spend between 31 minutes to an hour on

radio and 19.2% of the respondents spend more than an hour listening to radio. The time spent on

reading a newspaper was the last medium and the results as presented in the Table above revealed

that, 82.7% of the respondents spend less than 30 minutes on reading newspaper, 14.4% of the

respondents spend between 31 minutes to an hour on reading newspaper and 2.9% % spend more

than an hour reading newspaper.

ii. Time spent on all five media outlet: The time spent on all the five media outlet was examined

wholesomely in an attempt to further analyse the response of the importance of celebrity brand

ambassadors in promotion of products and presented in fig 4.3.

Figure 4.3: Time spent on all five media outlet

Source: Survey Data, 2020

53%

19%

28%

Less than 30 minutes

31 minutes to 1 hour

More than 1 hour

45

Putting all the medium together and finding the percentages, the results revealed in figure

4.3 that, 53% of the respondents spend less than 30 minutes on all the five media outlets, 19% of

the respondents spend between 31 minutes to an hour on all five media outlets and 28% of the

respondents spend more than an hour on all five media outlets.

iii. Aware of celebrities promoting products: The respondents were asked to indicate whether

they were aware about celebrities promoting products in advertising. The responses given are

presented in Figure 4.3.

Figure 4.4: Aware of celebrities promoting products

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Figure 4.4 above shows that about ninety-seven percent (97%) of the respondents were

aware about celebrities promoting products in advertising. On the other hand, only three percent

(3%) of the respondents were not aware about the use of celebrities in the promotion of products.

This finding gives an overwhelming support to the fact respondents know about brands using

celebrities as brand ambassadors.

97%

3%

Yes

No

46

iv. Types of Advertisement that attracts respondents: Regarding the types of advertisement that

attracts respondents the most among celebrity endorsed advertisement and non-celebrity endorsed

advertisement. The findings are below in fig 4.5 below.

Figure 4.5: Type of advertisement that attracts respondents

Source: Survey Data, 2020

The majority (84%) of the respondents indicated that, celebrity advertisement attracts them

as compared to 16% of the respondents stating that non-celebrity advertisement attracts them the

most as shown in Figure 4.5.

iv. Time spent watching advertisement: The number of times respondents do watch

advertisement on TV, radio, magazine, internet and newspaper, the respondents gave

responses as given in the Table 4.4.

84

16

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Celebrity endorsed advertisement Non-celebrity endorsed advertisement

Per

cen

t

47

Table 4.4: Time spent watching advertisement

Time spent watching advertisement Frequency Percent (%)

Television

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

52

32

18

2

50.0

30.8

17.3

1.9

Magazine

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

8

30

53

13

7.7

28.8

51.0

12.5

Internet

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

69

27

5

3

66.3

26.0

4.8

2.9

Radio

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

36

37

29

2

34.6

35.6

27.9

1.9

Newspaper

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

13

33

52

6

12.5

31.7

50.0

5.8

Source: Survey Data, 2020

The results in table 4.4 shows that about 50.0%, 30.8%, 17.3% and 1.9% of the respondents

in the same order often, occasionally, rarely and never watches advertisement on television. When

it comes to watching advertisement in the magazine, the results revealed that 7.7% often watches

advertisement in magazines, 28.8% occasionally watches advertisement in magazines, 51.0%

rarely watches advertisements in magazines and 12.5% have never watched any advertisement in

magazines.

On the other hand, 66.3% often watches advertisement on the internet, 26.0% occasionally

watches advertisement on the internet, 4.8% rarely watches advertisement on the internet and only

48

2% of the respondents indicated that they have never watched any advertisement on the internet.

The next medium that was considered was the radio. About thirty-five percent (35%) of the

respondents indicated that they often listen to advertisement on radio. In addition, 35.6% of the

respondents indicated that they occasionally listen to advertisement on radio, 27.9% rarely listens

to advertisement on radio and only 1.9% have never listened to any advertisement on radio. The

last medium that was mentioned for advertisement was newspaper. About 12.5% of the

respondents indicated that they often read adverts in the newspaper, 31.7% occasionally reads

adverts from the newspaper, 50.0% rarely reads adverts from newspaper and 5.8% indicated that

they have never read any advertisement from the newspaper.

vi. How advertisements are watched on all five media outlets: Responses were also sought

concerning how advertisements are watched on all the media and the combined results are

presented in fig 4.6 below.

Figure 4.6: How advertisements are watched on all five media outlets

Source: Survey Data, 2020

34%

31%

30%

5%

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

49

Combing all the five media, the results as revealed in Figure 4.6 shows that, about 34% of

the respondents indicated that they often watch adverts on all five media outlets, 31% of the

respondents indicated that they occasionally watch adverts on all the five media outlets, 30% rarely

watches adverts on all five media outlets and only 5% indicated that they have never watched any

advert on any on the given five outlets.

vii. Most appropriate means of celebrity endorsement advertisement: In responding to the

question as to which of the media is more appropriate to convey celebrity endorsement

advertisement, the respondents gave results that have been presented in Figure 4.7 below.

Figure 4.7: Most appropriate means of celebrity endorsement advertisement

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Figure 4.7, the respondents believe that the most appropriate medium for celebrity

endorsement advertisement is television (43%). The use of internet followed with (36%) of the

respondents stating it as the most appropriate medium for celebrity endorsement advertisement.

The next appropriate medium as indicated by the respondents as the most appropriate medium was

43%

6%

36%

9%

6%

Television

Magazine

Internet

Radio

Newspaper

50

radio (9%). The least appropriate medium as mentioned by the respondents were the magazine and

newspaper which had six percent (6%) each.

viii. Importance of celebrity brand ambassadors in promotion of soft drinks: In today’s

competitive business world, the role that celebrity brand ambassadors play in the promotion of

products cannot be over-emphasised. In this regard, the respondents were asked to indicate their

level of agreement to statements that sort to bring out the reasons why celebrity brand ambassadors

have become very important in the promotion of soft drinks. Table 4.5 presents the responses.

Table 4.5: Importance of celebrity brand ambassadors in promotion of soft drinks

Reason Strongly

Disagree

(1)

Disagree

(2)

Neutral

(3)

Agree

(4)

Strongly

Agree

(5)

Mean

Value

Because of their popularity

and status, celebrity brand

ambassadors make marketing

of the product easier

16 4 13 31 40 3.72

Percentage 15.4% 3.8% 12.5% 29.8% 38.5%

Celebrity brand ambassadors

create a good

image/impression on the

minds of consumers

20 6 20 27 31 3.41

Percentage 19.2% 5.8% 19.2% 26.0% 29.8%

Words of endorsement about a

product from a favourite

celebrity is accepted as a

testimonial by the consumers

16 8 18 27 35 3.55

Percentage 15.4% 7.7% 17.3% 26.0% 33.7%

Celebrity brand ambassadors

create or lead to huge sales of

product/services

14 14 13 31 32 3.51

Percentage 13.5% 13.5% 12.5% 29.8% 30.8%

Using celebrity brand

ambassadors serves as a

marketing strategy to beat off

competition from competitors

18 8 14 25 39 3.57

Percentage 17.3% 7.7% 13.5% 24.0% 37.5%

Source: Survey Data, 2020

51

Table 4.5, majority (68%) of the respondents were of the opinion that the popularity and

status of celebrity brand ambassadors make marketing of a product easier whilst 19.2% of the

respondents thought otherwise. This is because 29.8% of the respondents agree that the popularity

and status of celebrity brand ambassadors make marketing of a product easier and 38.5% strongly

agree to the above statement. On the other hand, 5.8% of the respondents disagree and 19.2%

strongly disagree that the popularity and status of celebrity brand ambassadors make marketing of

a product easier. However, 12.5% of the respondents neither agree nor disagree to the statement

that the popularity and status of celebrity brand ambassadors make marketing of a product easier.

On the issue of celebrity brand ambassadors creating a good image or impression on the

minds of consumers, about 55.8% (agree, 26.0%; strongly agree, 29.8%) of the respondents were

in agreement to the statement and 25% (disagree, 5.8%; strongly disagree, 19.2%) were not in

agreement with the statement whilst 19.2% were indifferent.

About 59.7% (agree, 26.0%; strongly agree, 33.7%) of the respondents are of the opinion

that words of endorsement about a product from a favourite celebrity is accepted as a testimonial

by the consumers whilst about 23.1% (disagree, 7.7%; strongly disagree, 15.4%) somewhat

disagree that words of endorsement about a product from a favourite celebrity is accepted as a

testimonial by the consumers. However, 17.3% of the respondents were neutral about the

statement.

One of the reasons why celebrities are used as brand ambassadors is to drive up the sales

of the product. Hence, respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with the above

statement. Majority (60.6%) of the respondents somewhat agree (agree, 29.8%; strongly agree,

30.8%) that celebrity brand ambassadors create or lead to huge sales of product/services whilst

52

about 27% of the respondents somewhat disagree (disagree, 13.5%; strongly disagree, 13.5%) and

12.5% of the respondents were neither for nor against the statement.

The final statement was about how the use of celebrity brand ambassadors can help as a

marketing strategy to beat off competition from competitors. About 13.5% of the respondents

neither agree nor disagree. However, about 61.5% of the respondents somewhat agree (agree,

24.0%; strongly agree, 37.5%) that using celebrity brand ambassadors serves as a marketing

strategy to beat off competition from competitors whilst about 25% of the respondents somewhat

disagree (disagree, 7.7%; strongly disagree, 17.3%) that using celebrity brand ambassadors serves

as a marketing strategy to beat off competition from competitors.

Overall, the respondents agree that because of their popularity and status, celebrity brand

ambassadors make marketing of products easier and hence ranked it the most important factor with

a mean value of 3.72. The second most important reason was the fact that celebrity brand

ambassadors serves as a marketing strategy to beat off competition from competitors (mean

value=3.57). In third place was the fact that words of endorsement about a product from a favourite

celebrity is accepted as a testimonial by the consumers (mean value=3.55). The fourth reason why

celebrity brand ambassadors were important in the promotion of soft drinks was that celebrity

brand ambassadors create or lead to huge sales of product/services (mean value=3.51). Finally, the

least important reason as ranked by the respondents was to the effect that, celebrity brand

ambassadors create a good image/impression on the minds of consumers (mean value=3.41)

SECTION C

Section C looked at the second objective which was looking at eliciting responses to the

extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness.

53

4.4 The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand

awareness

i. Celebrities and the beverage they represent as brand ambassadors: The use of celebrity

brand ambassadors in marketing in Ghana is not a new phenomenon. Organisations have used

celebrities to market their products over the years, celebrities were therefore listed, and the

respondents were asked to state the beverages for which the celebrities serve as brand ambassadors.

It was done to gauge the level for which these celebrities brand ambassadors help in the brand

recall and brand awareness. The responses are presented in Table 4.6 and Figure 4.8 below.

Table 4.6: Celebrities and the beverage they represent as brand ambassadors

Celebrity Beverage Brand(s) (Soft Drink(s))

Nana Ama McBrown Royal Drinks

Shatta Wale Storm Energy Drink

Stonebwoy Boss Energy Drink

Kuami Eugene Adonko Next Level Energy Drink

Stephen Appiah Vitamilk

Kwabena Kwabena Vitamilk

Jackie Appiah Special Drinks

Kwadwo Nkansah (Lilwin) Smart Up Energy Drink

Funnyface Special Drinks

Source: Survey Data, 2020

It can be seen from Table 4.6 that; the respondents have been able to mention the brands

for which the celebrities represent as brand ambassadors.

ii. Celebrities with the number of correct mentions: Further analysis was however conducted

to find out the celebrity with the highest number of correct mentions in the list of brand

ambassadors. The result is presented in the Figure 4.8 below.

54

Figure 4.8: Celebrities with the number of correct mentions

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Figure 4.8 reveals that, out of the respondents who revealed the correct brands for each

celebrity that was mentioned, Nana Ama Mcbrown had the highest (23%) correct mentions. This

means that Nana Ama Mcbrown is the celebrity brand ambassador that helps the most in brand

recall and brand awareness in the beverage (soft drink) industry. She is followed by Shatta Wale

(14%), Stonebwoy (12%), Kwadwo Nkansah (11%), Funnyface (10%), Jackie Appiah (9%),

Kwabena Kwabena (8%), Kuami Eugene (7%) and Stephen Appiah (6%).

iii. Celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness: In addition to the

analysis that was carried out, the respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement or

otherwise to statements that sort to find out how celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall

and brand awareness. The responses are summarised in Table 4.7 below.

23%

14%

12%7%

6%

8%

9%

11%

10%

Nana Ama McBrown

Shatta Wale

Stonebwoy

Kuami Eugene

Stephen Appiah

Kwabena Kwabena

Jackie Appiah

Kwadwo Nkansah (Lilwin)

Funnyface

55

Table 4.7: Celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness

Statement Strongly

Disagree

(1)

Disagree

(2)

Neutral

(3)

Agree

(4)

Strongly

Agree

(5)

Mean

Value

Celebrity endorsed

advertisements create faster

awareness about the product

14 4 11 34 41 3.81

Percentage 13.5% 3.9% 10.6% 32.7% 39.4%

Celebrity brand ambassadors

create a good image/impression

on the minds of consumers

15 7 21 33 28 3.50

Percentage 14.4% 6.7% 20.2% 31.7% 26.9%

Celebrity endorsed

advertisement creates a long

lasting impact in the consumer’s

mind.

11 10 16 37 30 3.63

Percentage 10.6% 9.6% 15.4% 35.6 28.9

Consumers have a better brand

recall at the point of purchase

when celebrities are present in

the advertisements.

13 6 18 31 36 3.68

Percentage 12.5% 5.8% 17.3% 29.8% 34.6%

Consumers have a better brand

recognized at the point of

purchase when celebrities are

present in the advertisements

12 7 16 38 31 3.66

Percentage 11.5% 6.7% 15.4% 36.5% 29.8%

A famous person in an

advertisement gets my attention

more than the other

product/brand being advertised

11

7 24 21 41 3.71

Percentage 10.6% 6.8% 23.1% 20.2% 39.4%

Source: Survey Data, 2020

It can generally be seen from Table 4.7 above that the respondents agree to the fact that

celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall, and brand awareness. However, the manner in

which celebrities help in brand recall and awareness comes in different forms and degree.

Respondents agree that the first contribution comes from the fact that celebrity endorsed

advertisements create faster awareness about the product (mean value=3.81). A famous person in

56

an advertisement gets my attention more than the other product/brand being advertised was the

second most agreed to statement with a mean value of 3.71. In third place was the fact that

consumers have a better brand recall at the point of purchase when celebrities are present in the

advertisements (mean value=3.68). The fourth contribution came from consumers having a better

brand recognized at the point of purchase when celebrities are present in the advertisements (mean

value=3.66). In fifth place as ranked by the respondents was the fact that celebrity endorsed

advertisement creates a long lasting impact in the consumer’s mind (mean value=3.63). The last

contributor to brand recall and brand awareness as indicated by the respondents came from the fact

that celebrity brand ambassadors create a good image/impression on the minds of consumers with

the lowest mean of 3.50.

SECTION D

SECTION D is the last section, and it addresses the third research objective; which sought

to analyse responses to questions in relation to the extent to which Celebrity Brand Ambassadors

affect the Purchase and Re-purchase behaviour of consumers of beverages.

4.5 The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase

behaviour of consumers of beverages

i. Factors that affect the purchasing decision of consumers: There are many factors that affect

the purchasing decision of consumers. In this regard, the respondents were asked to indicate the

main factor that affect their purchasing behaviour. The responses are presented in Figure 4.9.

57

Figure 4.9: Factors that affect the purchasing decision of consumers

Source: Survey Data, 2020

It can be seen from the Figure 4.9 that, the main factor that affects the purchasing decision

of the respondent was the quality (32%) of the product. This was followed by the price (23%) of

the product. The next factor that affected the purchasing decision of the respondents was

advertising (20%) and this was followed by the packaging (16%) of the product. The last factor

that affects the purchasing decision of the respondents was reference by relatives and friends (9%).

ii. Celebrity Influence: One of the reasons why celebrities are used for advertisement is to

influence consumers. The respondents were therefore asked whether they have been influenced or

felt influenced by any celebrity in connection with any beverage product. The responses are given

in the Table 4.8 below.

32%

23%

20%

16%

9%

Quality

Price

Advertising

Packaging

Reference by relatives and friends

58

Table 4.8: Have you been influenced by any celebrity

Frequency Percent (%)

Yes 65 62.5

No 39 37.5

Total 104 100

Source: Survey Data, 2020

Table 4.8 shows that, majority (62.5%) of the respondents have been influenced or felt

influenced by a celebrity in connection to a beverage whilst about 37.5% of the respondents

revealed that they have not been influenced by any celebrity in connection to any beverage. The

respondents who indicated that they have been influenced by celebrities to purchase a beverage

mentioned the likes of Nana Ama McBrown, Akwasi Boadi (Akrobeto), Richard Kingson, Shatta

Wale, Kwame Eugene, Majid Michel, Kwabena Kwabena, Stonebwoy and Strongman Burner as

some of the celebrities that had influenced their purchase decisions.

iii. Celebrity Brand Ambassadors affect the Purchase and Re-purchase behaviour: Celebrity

brand ambassadors play a major role in influencing the purchase and repurchase behaviour of

consumers of beverages. It occurs in various ways and their impact is felt differently by different

customers. In this regard, the respondents were asked to state their level of agreement to statements

that looked at how celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and repurchase behaviour of

consumers. The results of the responses are presented in Table 4.9 below.

59

Table 4.9: Celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase behaviour

Statement Strongly

Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

Agree

Mean

Value

I am encouraged to

buy products that are

advertised by famous

people

10 18 9 43 24 3.51

Percentage 9.6% 17.3% 8.7% 41.3% 23.1%

For a familiar product,

the famous person

used in the ad

influences my

purchase decision

10 21 37 24 12 3.07

Percentage 9.6% 15.0% 35.6% 23.1% 11.5%

For an unfamiliar

product, the famous

person used in the ad

influences my

purchase decision

18 16 17 19 34 3.34

Percentage 17.3% 15.4% 16.3% 18.3% 32.7%

Celebrity credibility

influences purchasing

decisions

13 9 21 34 27 3.51

Percentage 12.5% 8.7% 20.2% 32.7% 26.0%

If I had no previous

desire for the product,

a famous person

increases the

possibility that I will

buy the product

20 13 35 23 13 2.96

Percentage 19.2% 12.5% 33.7% 22.1% 12.5%

I will stop buying a

brand if my favourite

celebrity endorsing it

got involved in a

scandal

28 21 36 11 8 2.52

Percentage 26.9% 20.2% 34.6% 10.6% 7.7%

I will purchase the

products endorsed by

my celebrities if they

themselves use the

products they endorse

9 17 18 38 22 3.45

Percentage 8.7% 16.3% 17.3% 36.5% 21.2%

Source: Survey Data, 2020

The Table 4.9 reveals that, celebrity credibility influences purchasing decisions and I am

encouraged to buy products that are advertised by famous people were ranked by respondents as

60

the most significant factor that affect the purchase and repurchase behaviour of consumers since

they both had the highest mean value of 3.51. I will purchase the products endorsed by my

celebrities if they themselves use the products followed with a (mean value=3.45).

The fourth factor as ranked by the respondents was the fact that for an unfamiliar product,

the famous person used in the ad influences my purchase decision (mean value=3.34). This was

followed by for a familiar product, the famous person used in the ad influences my purchase

decision (mean value=3.07). The sixth factor was the fact that if I had no previous desire for the

product, a famous person increases the possibility that I will buy the product with a mean value of

2.96. And the last factor that affects the purchase and repurchase behaviour of consumers as ranked

by the respondents was I will stop buying a brand if my favourite celebrity endorsing it got

involved in a scandal (mean value=2.52).

4.6 Chapter Summary

In summary, respondents have provided responses to answer the three questions that were

posed. The responses revealed that, celebrity brand ambassadors were very important in the

promotion of soft drinks as all the responses to indicators gauging their importance had a mean

value above 3. Celebrity brand ambassadors were found to be of great help in brand recall and

brand awareness as all the respondents were able to link at least one of the identified brand

ambassadors to a particular brand they represent as brand ambassadors. Finally, celebrity brand

ambassadors have affected the purchase and re-purchase behaviour of the respondents as majority

(62.5%) of the respondents indicated that they have ever been influenced by celebrities to purchase

a soft drink.

61

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.0 Introduction

Chapter five comprises of the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations arising

from the research that sought to investigate the role of celebrity brand ambassadors on consumer

buying behaviour in the beverage industry in Ghana. The summary, conclusions and

recommendations were based on the analysis of returned one hundred and four (104)

questionnaires from the respondents.

5.1 Summary

The main objective of the study is to examine the role of celebrity brand ambassadors in

influencing the buying behaviour of consumers in the beverage industry in Ghana.

The specific objectives are:

i. To examine the importance of celebrity brand ambassadors in the promotion of a

product.

ii. To determine the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and

brand awareness.

iii. To access the extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-

purchase behaviour of consumers of beverages

The demographic characteristics of the respondents revealed that, majority (59%) of the

respondents were females, and the rest (41%) were males. In addition, majority (67.3%) of the

respondents were below the age of 30 years, and the rest (32.7%) of the respondents were above

the age of 30 years. On the issue of marital status of respondents, 77% of the respondents were

62

single, 20% were married and 3% were either divorced or separated. On the educational front, all

the respondents have had some form of formal education.

Regarding total time spent on television, internet, newspaper, magazine and radio in a day,

the results revealed that 53% of the respondents spend less than 30 minutes on all the five media

outlets, 19% of the respondents spend between 31 minutes to an hour on all five media outlets and

28% of the respondents spend more than an hour on all five media outlets. Also, about ninety-

seven percent (97%) of the respondents were aware about celebrities promoting products in

advertising. On the other hand, only three percent (3%) of the respondents were not aware about

the use of celebrities in the promotion of products. The results also revealed that, 87 of the

respondents were attracted to celebrity endorsed advertisement as compared to only 7 respondents

who were attracted by non-celebrity endorsed advertisement.

On the matter of how advertisements are watched or listened to on television, internet,

newspaper, magazine and radio, the results revealed that, about 34% of the respondents indicated

that they often watch adverts on all five media outlets and only 5% indicated that they have never

watched any advert on any on the given five outlets. With regards to the most appropriate medium

for advertisement, the respondents believe that the most appropriate medium for celebrity

endorsement advertisement is television (43%) and the least appropriate medium were magazine

and newspaper which had six percent (6%) each.

The perception of respondents was also sort on the importance of celebrity brand

ambassadors in the promotion of soft drinks. The results revealed that majority of the respondents

believe celebrity brand ambassadors play important roles in the promotion of soft drinks; various

factors contribute to the assertion with the first factor being: because of their popularity and status,

celebrity brand ambassadors make marketing of the product easier (mean value=3.72). And the

63

least important reason was celebrity brand ambassadors create a good image/impression on the

minds of consumers (mean value=3.41).

With regards to how celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness,

respondents agree that the first contribution comes from the fact that celebrity endorsed

advertisements create faster awareness about the product (mean value=3.81). The last contributor

to brand recall and brand awareness as indicated by the respondents came from the fact that

celebrity brand ambassadors create a good image/impression on the minds of consumers with the

lowest mean of 3.50. The results also revealed that, out of the respondents who revealed the correct

brands for each celebrity that was mentioned, Nana Ama Mcbrown had the highest (23%) correct

mentions with Stephen Appiah having the least (6%) correct mentions.

The results also revealed that factors that affected the purchasing decisions of consumers

are many. However, the main factor that affects the purchasing decision of the respondent was the

quality (32%) of the product with the last factor being reference by relatives and friends (9%). In

relation to whether they have been influenced by a celebrity before, majority (62.5%) of the

respondents have been influenced or felt influenced by a celebrity in connection to a beverage

whilst about 37.5% of the respondents revealed that they have not been influenced by any celebrity

in connection to any beverage.

Finally, with regards to how celebrity brand ambassadors affects purchase and repurchase

behaviour, the results revealed that, celebrity credibility influences purchasing decisions and I am

encouraged to buy products that are advertised by famous people were ranked by respondents as

the most significant factors that affect the purchase and repurchase behaviour of consumers since

they both had the highest mean value of 3.51. However, the last factor that affects the purchase

64

and repurchase behaviour of consumers as ranked by the respondents was I will stop buying a

brand if my favourite celebrity endorsing it got involved in a scandal (mean value=2.52).

5.2 Conclusions

The business environment today has been very competitive. As such, it is not enough for

companies to only sell products but also find ways through which they can sustain their growth in

sales and profit. Many organisations in their marketing activities see the opportunity in using

celebrity brand ambassadors in influencing the purchase behaviour of their consumers. From the

results that of the study that was conducted, it can be concluded that celebrity brand ambassadors

play a very important role in the promotion of beverage (soft drink) products, help in brand recall

and brand awareness and hence do influence the purchase and repurchase behaviour of beverage

consumers.

5.3 Recommendations

The study gives the following recommendations

First, organisations are encouraged to intensify the use of celebrity brand ambassadors in

marketing the products since respondents have identified this as an important strategy to beat off

competition from competitors.

Second, it is better for organisations to use celebrity brand ambassadors for their products

since the celebrity’s popularity, status and credibility can increase brand recall and brand

awareness thereby leading to increase sales. However, in an attempt to use these celebrity brand

ambassadors, some form of priority can be given to female celebrities who have wide audience as

it was shown that Nana Ama McBrown was the celebrity with the correct mentions as a brand

ambassador.

65

Third, although there are numerous means through which organisations can advertise, it is

recommended that most of the advertisement should be on television as most of the respondents

were highly in favour of watching advertisement on television as compared to the other forms of

media.

Fourth, because not all consumers were affected by celebrities to purchase products, it is

important for organisations to conduct a cost benefit analysis to be sure that, the benefits they will

get outweighs the cost that they will incur in bringing on board a celebrity to advertise their

products.

Fifth, although the respondents largely agree that celebrity brand ambassadors influence

their purchase and repurchase decisions of soft drinks, they are also concerned with the quality

and pricing of the product. It is therefore important for organisations to take keen interest in quality

control and to come up with competitive prices for their products.

5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies

The following recommendations can be made with regards to further studies

i. The instrument that was developed was used to collect data from 104 respondents in the

Greater Accra region. A study may be conducted to accommodate the responses from other

parts of the country in order to have a comprehensive view of the topic for consumers in

Ghana.

ii. A study can also be done to look at whether demographic characteristics (age, gender,

education, etc.) can act as a moderating factor to the impact that celebrity brand

ambassadors have on purchase behaviour.

66

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74

APPENDIX I

QUESTIONNAIRE

INTRODUCTION

This questionnaire is meant to collect data on the topic “THE ROLE OF CELEBRITY BRAND

AMBASSADORS ON CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR IN THE BEVERAGE

INDUSTRY IN GHANA.” All views expressed here would be used for academic purposes only;

you are thus implored to earnestly express your opinion and be assured that it would be handled

with utmost confidentiality.

Please write in the given spaces and tick in the given boxes the option that best answers the

question(s).

A) Demographic Characteristics

1. Gender of respondent

1) Male [ ] 2) Female [ ]

2. Age of respondent

1) 18-29 [ ] 2) 30-39 [ ] 3) 40-49 [ ] 4) 50-59[ ]

5) 60 years and above [ ]

3. Marital status

1) Single [ ] 2) Married [ ] 3) Divorced/Separated [ ]

4) Other (Specify)…………………………………………………………………………

4. Highest educational level

1) No education [ ] 2) Basic [ ] 3) SHS[ ] 4) Tertiary [ ]

5) Others (Specify)…………………………………………………………………………

5. What is your occupation

1) Student [ ] 2) Private sector [ ] 3) Public Sector [ ]

4) Unemployed [ ]

75

B) Importance of Celebrity Brand Ambassadors in promotion of products

6. How much time do you spend daily towards the following Media? (Tick √ for following

options)

Media Less than 30 Minutes 31 Minutes to 1 hour More than 1 hour

Television

Magazine

Internet

Radio

Newspaper

7. Are you aware about celebrities promoting products in advertising?

1) Yes [ ] 2) No [ ]

8. How many times do you watch advertisements on following media? (Tick √ for following

options)

Media Often Occasionally Rarely Never

Television

Magazine

Internet

Radio

Newspapers

9. What attracts you more?

1) Celebrity endorsed advertisement [ ]

2) Non-celebrity endorsed advertisement [ ]

10. Which of the following medium do you think is more likely to convey Celebrity

endorsement advertisements?

1) TV advertisements [ ] 2) Magazines [ ] 3) Internet [ ]

4) Radio [ ] 5) Newspaper [ ]

76

11. Have you been influenced or felt influenced by a celebrity in connection with a certain

beverage product?

1) Yes [ ] 2) No [ ]

12. If Yes to Q.11, please indicate the celebrity and the beverage.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………

13. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statement as the reasons why

celebrity brand ambassadors have become very important in the promotion of soft drinks

using a scale of 1 to 5. Where 1=Strongly disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree and

5=Strongly agree (Tick √ for following options)

Reason 1 2 3 4 5

Because of their popularity and status, celebrity brand

ambassadors make marketing of the product easier

Celebrity brand ambassadors create a good

image/impression on the minds of consumers

Words of endorsement about a product from a

favourite celebrity is accepted as a testimonial by the

consumers

Celebrity brand ambassadors create or lead to huge

sales of product/services

Using celebrity brand ambassadors serves as a

marketing strategy to beat off competition from

competitors

77

C) The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand

awareness

14. (i) Please indicate the beverage (soft drinks) brands for which these celebrities have been

selected as brand ambassadors in Ghana.

Celebrity Beverage Brand(s) (Soft Drink(s)

Nana Ama McBrown

Shatta Wale

Stonebwoy

Kuami Eugene

Stephen Appiah

Kwabena Kwabena

Jackie Appiah

(ii) Please indicate any other beverage (soft drink) brand ambassador(s) in Ghana if any that

have not mentioned above

Any Other Celebrity Soft Drink Brand

Ambassador in Ghana

Beverage Brand(s) (Soft Drink(s)

1.

2.

3.

i. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statement as the extent to

which celebrity brand ambassadors help in brand recall and brand awareness using a

scale of 1 to 5. Where 1=Strongly disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree and

5=Strongly agree

78

Statement 1 2 3 4 5

Celebrity endorsed advertisements create faster

awareness about the product

Celebrity brand ambassadors create a good

image/impression on the minds of consumers

Celebrity endorsed advertisement creates a long

lasting impact in the consumer’s mind.

Consumers have a better brand recall at the point of

purchase when celebrities are present in the

advertisements.

Consumers have a better brand recognized at the point

of purchase when celebrities are present in the

advertisements

A famous person in an advertisement gets my

attention more than the other product/brand being

advertised

D) The extent to which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase

behaviour of consumers of beverages

15. What is the main factor that affects purchasing decision?

1) Quality [ ] 2) Price [ ] 3) Advertising [ ] 4) Packaging

5) Reference by relatives, friends [ ]

16. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statement as the extent to

which celebrity brand ambassadors affect the purchase and re-purchase behaviour of

consumers of beverages using a scale of 1-5. Where 1=Strongly disagree, 2=Disagree,

3=Neutral, 4=Agree and 5=Strongly agree (Tick √ for following options)

79

Statement 1 2 3 4 5

I am encouraged to buy products

that are advertised by famous

people

For a familiar product, the

famous person used in the ad

influences my purchase decision

For an unfamiliar product, the

famous person used in the ad

influences my purchase decision

Celebrity credibility influences

purchasing decisions

If I had no previous desire for the

product, a famous person

increases the possibility that I

will buy the product

I will stop buying a brand if my

favourite celebrity endorsing it

got involved in a scandal

I will purchase the products

endorsed by my celebrities if

they themselves use the products

they endorse

THANK YOU