Youngjin Hur
Choong Hoon Lim
Dong-Chun Won
and Sun-Yong Kwon

This study aims to examine the effects of types of brand transgressions and moral reasoning strategies (moral decoupling and moral rationalization) on consumers’ trustworthiness in and attitudes toward an athlete endorser when a brand company that sponsors the athlete commits transgressions. By using a professional research company, 440 individuals were recruited online. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) results reveal that consumers’ trustworthiness of and attitudes toward the endorser are likely to be lower for product transgressions than for moral transgressions. Higher levels of...Read more

Youngjin Hur
Choong Hoon Lim
Dong-Chun Won
and Sun-Yong Kwon

This study aims to examine the effects of types of brand transgressions and moral reasoning strategies (moral decoupling and moral rationalization) on consumers’ trustworthiness in and attitudes toward an athlete endorser when a brand company that sponsors the athlete commits transgressions. By using a professional research company, 440 individuals were recruited online. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) results reveal that consumers’ trustworthiness of and attitudes toward the endorser are likely to be lower for product transgressions than for moral transgressions. Higher levels of...Read more

Brody James Ruihley
Rodney C. Runyan
Karen E. Lear

The use of sport celebrities in advertising campaigns is an important aspect in marketing to a target market of sport fans. With many star athletes becoming increasingly involved in negative off-field issues, it is questioned whether ads featuring athletes have decreased over time. This study replicates, extends, and breaks new ground on the topic of sport celebrities in advertising. Using a content analysis, the study replicates the work of Stone, Joseph, and Jones (2003). By replicating the Stone et al. content analysis, we provide validation for the earlier work, as generally called for...Read more