How does a scandal damage the sponsor? (2015)

The use of celebrity endorsers for brands and the risks involved with this have given rise to academic interest. One of the risks is a scandal around the endorser. This study maps a few consequences of such a scandal. It examines the effects of a sports scandal on purchase intention and communication intention. This study considers the moderating role of sport activity involvement and brand commitment and the mediator role of brand attitude on the two main effects. The method used in this study is an experiment, among 190 participants. The condition group has read a neutral article about a fictitious ice skater sponsored by the brand Activia. The experiment group read an article where a doping scandal around this same ice-skater was introduced. Findings showed a weak positive effect of a scandal on purchase intention and communication intention. Unexpectedly, sport activity involvement and brand commitment increased the positive effects of both main effects. However, this study did not find a mediator effect of brand attitude on purchase intention and communication intention. Overall, this study makes a contribution to the knowledge about the consequences of a celebrity endorsement scandal. Limitations and practical implications are discussed.