Trust-commitment as a mediator of the celebrity endorser-brand equity relationship in a service context

The current study extends the endorsement literature by examining it in the trust-commitment framework. Specifically, the trust-commitment framework is examined as a mediator of the effect of endorser credibility on consumer perceived brand equity as well as consumer expectations of relationship continuity. The current study is conducted within a pure service (i.e., telecom service) context; adding incremental value to the findings given the pivotal role of the trust-commitment framework. The conceptual model is estimated using a sample of 525 Indian consumers that evaluate some of the major Indian telecom sector brand-and-endorser combinations. The model fits the data adequately, and the analysis supports a fully mediated role of the trust-commitment framework in explaining the hypothesized outcomes. The study complements theoretical perspectives on endorser effects, and suggests a relationship facilitating role of celebrity endorsements. (C) 2012 Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.