A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ENDORSEMENTS BY CELEBRITY OF CRICKET AND BOLLYWOOD AND ITS IMPACT ON CONSUMER’S PURCHASE DECISION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO INDORE REGION

“Celebrity” refers to an „individual who is known to the public, such as actors, sport figures, entertainers‟ and others of the like for his or her achievement in areas other than that of the product class endorsed (Friedman and Friedman1979). Brand image, these days, is usually identified by the face of a known celebrity. In the face of cut throat competition, it has become a necessity to involve a celebrity in promotional activities. Marketers also claim that celebrities affect the credibility of the claims made, increase the memorability of the message, and may provide a positive effect that could be generalized to the brand: Copper (1984). Therefore, companies adhere to the newest trend of marketing i.e. endorsements. There have been various studies and researches based on the aspect of celebrity endorsement. This paper focuses on the impact of product endorsement by bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan and famous cricketer M. S. Dhoni. The scope of the study is limited to the geographical boundaries of Indore city. Consumers feel associated and helped in influencing the demand of products. The paper is based on the study derived from primary data of a questionnaire. The study is supposed to generate research interest because of its novelty of its idea.