Introduction
Celebrity endorsements in political matters have rapidly increased over the years. Today, celebrities are an essential part of public identity, which extends further from their activity and goes deeper into their publicity and fame. Celebrities can share their political opinion and other shared concepts through popular culture. Flood (2019) noted that the comprehensive platform offered to people due to celebrity status gives them considerable ability or potential that must be addressed. Politics and celebrity culture are heavily intertwined. Due to individuals’ celebrity capital, they can gather a lot of media attention, allowing them to share their political opinions. Watts (2018) stated that celebrities’ political credibility is more than just attained through attracting attention. Therefore, this paper pays close attention to celebrity endorsements and how they influence political campaigns in the United Kingdom. While also analyzing whether celebrities can represent other people’s views and values, helping understand their exchangeability. It is essential to understand when celebrity claims can be accepted. This article analyzes the present research to fill the existing gap by offering adequate insight to help and come up with conclusive findings.
Research Question
Are celebrity endorsements effective for political campaigns in the United Kingdom?
Methodology
This research uses secondary sources such as journals, articles, and books to gather adequate information.
Background on Celebrity Political Endorsement
Friedrich and Nitsch (2019) noted that celebrity political endorsement is a common phenomenon that has gone global and has gained attention over the past years. Celebrity political endorsement is when a celebrity publicly supports a political candidate, particularly during election campaigns. These endorsements are used as a popular advertising method to help attract more people to vote for the preferred member. Hennayake (2017) stated that many notable advantages arise from celebrity endorsements, such as celebrities’ ability to attract new users and even gain traction on a commodity that has already lost market value. Celebrities are trusted members of society, and they make advertisements believable and enhance the message being spread. Therefore, regardless of politics, celebrity endorsement plays a considerable part in society. It is essential to analyze whether when celebrities endorse leaders, they become more trusted by the community, leading to more votes, which adds to their overall performance in an election.
Celebrity capital can be changed into other forms, such as political capital. Celebrity capital helps to illustrate that the value of celebrities can be used in exchange for something even more valuable. Celebrities can use their fame and turn it into political power. For a celebrity’s impact to be valuable, they need to have a positive relationship with the members of society. In a study, the authors found that when a brand is linked to a particular celebrity, consumers often feel a particular kind of connection to it and are more intent on purchasing it.
Celebrity political endorsement
Hennayake (2017) noted that there are three measures used to figure out the effectiveness of celebrity political endorsements: their credibility, their power, and their attractiveness. In the political world, winning or losing depends on an individual’s supporters. For a party or a party member to win an election, they need to increase the number of voters for their parties. For parties to attract more voters, they take many measures, including celebrity endorsement (Thirunavukkarasu & Katta, 2018). When celebrities endorse a party, they eventually have the ability to boost their publicity, which helps to grow their votes, increasing their chances. However, many empirical studies continue to analyze the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement. Hennayake (2017) noted that several studies have noted numerous advantages of using celebrity endorsements. However, this stems from the celebrities’ abilities and influence on the brands or parties they endorse. Celebrities have many people looking up to them, and they take whatever they say seriously. When celebrities endorse a particular party, the people who follow them are more likely to listen to them and value their opinions over everything else.
Friedrich and Nitsch (2019) even though most of the research on this matter comes from the United States, many nations worldwide deal with celebrity endorsement issues. However, the present evidence needs to be more consistent and limited, particularly for nations in Europe. Due to the increased number of inconsistent findings on the matter, this raises the question of whether celebrity endorsement influences election outcomes. Friedrich and Nitsch (2014) conducted an online study in five European nations to determine whether celebrity political endorsement interferes with the political outcome. Cooper et al. (2017) highlighted that President Putin is an example of one of the leaders who utilized elements of fame and being a celebrity. When he viewed the presidency, there was a movement called ‘brand Putin.’ The motive behind celebrity political endorsement is quite clear: they provide value to political parties. Stars can use their popularity to help candidates reach more people. In a society, people are likely to follow what the majority do. When a party endorses a celebrity, it can attract more members of the public. Thirunavukkarasu & Katta (2018) noted that celebrities have a strong influence on the psychology of individuals in that people would find it hard to focus on the negative aspects of a party as long as they are endorsed by a celebrity they like. Although a particular person loves the celebrity, this would greatly influence another person into going to that party, mainly not focusing on the party and where it might have fallen short.
The value of a celebrity is seen all over the globe in industries such as fashion, music, and television, among others. About political endorsements, value is seen when celebrities spread the word about a party. Their propaganda is an essential way for parties to reach more people. Political analysts are quite suspicious and critical of celebrities’ role in politics and are even willing to dismiss its importance altogether. However, political researchers advocate for it, highlighting that it is part of decentralized political communication (Barojan, 2023). Both parties state that they see it as part of a broader personalization of political trends and the destruction of trust for all political classes. Celebrities can take part in media performances, making their role quite significant in politics. Therefore, politicians must learn to be part of the more significant majority by being celebrities or taking their position from other celebrities. Barojan (2023) further noted that people’s trust in the government has continually decreased since the 1960s, making people have less trust. Friedrich and Nitsch (2014) highlighted that in a study by students at the University of Bath UK, evidence shows a higher political response from the public when a celebrity endorses a political party. Therefore, it is essential to pay closer attention to how political parties can use celebrity endorsement to help them win elections. The authors further noted that with higher celebrity endorsement, more voters become influenced to participate in elections.
Types of celebrity endorsements
Friedrich and Nitsch (2019) highlighted five types of celebrity endorsements: get-the-vote-out campaigns, celebrities supporting political candidates, celebrities supporting political parties, celebrities advocating for political issues, and politicians as celebrities. Every different type of celebrity political endorsement has its effect. This section analyzes the effect of the different celebrity political endorsements:
The impacts of celebrities supporting political candidates;
A majority of the studies majorly analyze the effects of celebrities endorsing individual candidates. All the different studies present different results. Several articles highlight the positive outcomes of celebrities endorsing politicians in Taiwan, the United States, and Canada. Some studies highlight that a politician’s image only sometimes benefits from celebrity endorsements. In many studies, it is clear that voters often overestimate the impact of celebrities (Friedrich & Nitsch, 2019). In a study by Nownes (2017), during the 2016 election campaigns, there was a significant decrease in negative emotions towards Hillary Clinton after she got endorsements from several celebrities.
The effects of get-the-vote-out campaigns,
Friedrich and Nitsch (2019) stated that only a few studies have adequately surveyed celebrity participation in campaigns to increase the number of voters. In many of these campaigns, celebrities are not responsible for supporting a specific candidate or party. However, these celebrities are responsible for ensuring that more people attend the voting activity. In other studies, there was a positive correlation between the Get the Vote Out campaign and the participation of younger voters, particularly during the 2004 election in the United States. Due to the differences and inconsistencies in all the different studies, the study must be carried out using a sample size demographic. However, much of the presented evidence suggests that celebrity political endorsement mainly resonates with people of the younger generation. This is because they relate to a majority of pop culture and celebrities compared to people from older generations.
The influence of celebrities advocating for political issues,
As highlighted by Friedrich and Nitsch (2019), there are no clear findings for this endorsement type. Different studies present varied and unassociated results. A study found negative influences of celebrity endorsement on military intervention. This resulted in more young people expressing less support for political issues. In other studies, young people showed more support for political issues whenever celebrities voiced their opinions and standpoints. For celebrities’ opinions to matter, they must possess many positive qualities. When the public views celebrities as credible, the people like them. The more a celebrity has a proven record of political activism, the more they are liked and listened to compared to when they are inexperienced.
The effects of celebrity endorsements being party-centered,
In a study in Great Britain, it was discovered that the more a party was celebrity-endorsed, the more people cast votes. In relation to the image of a party, there is mixed evidence (Friedrich & Nitsch, 2019). In Taiwan, celebrity endorsement was positively linked to party image. However, in another study in the United States, evidence showed that the party’s image depended on the likeability of the celebrity. Party endorsers who are not as popular often present a negative image of the party. For the effects of celebrity political endorsement to bring positive results, the celebrity must have a positive influence on the people.
There is mixed evidence on its impact on election endorsements. All the different types of celebrity political endorsements are presented. Thirunavukkarasu & Katta (2018) noted that for voters who are traditional and have an increased level of political interest, they are more likely to follow or believe in information that is party-specific. Therefore, this audience is not influenced by celebrities whom parties endorse. Additionally, more studies indicate that younger voters will likely be intrigued by celebrity political endorsements. Celebrity endorsement positively influences the intention of voters and helps to improve the viability of candidates, although the general image of a politician does not necessarily benefit. Younger voters are more likely to be pulled into participating in political elections. The image of the celebrity also plays a crucial role in the way a candidate performs in their elections. Generally, the majority of the evidence highlights that celebrity political endorsement has a lot of positive impacts all over the world.
The United Kingdom is a well-developed nation and one of the world’s superpower nations. In the United Kingdom, there are many acclaimed celebrities in all the different areas. From much of the data presented, advertising using celebrities in the UK has gained much traction. Social media platforms aid in accelerating hate and other negative attributes of a politician. However, even with celebrity endorsement, people from marginalized groups are able to acquire better insights into the politician they should vote for. It is, however, essential for researchers and scholars to analyze whether voter behavior can be conceptualized similarly to consumer behavior. According to information processing approaches presented in marketing concepts, it is denoted that under normal circumstances, people can act rationally when they depend on mental shortcuts to make political judgments. Other studies have highlighted that according to political psychology, voters who are particularly distant are more likely to be attracted by celebrity political endorsements. Compared to voters who are well-informed on the matter, citizens who pay little attention always tend to argue from superficial reasoning.
As mentioned earlier, an essential criterion for using celebrities is their credibility. Many celebrities’ endorsements often do not look at the physical attractiveness of a celebrity. Some of the essential factors that always come first are their trustworthiness and expertise. Friedrich and Nitsch (2019) noted that expertise is the degree to which people perceive information from a communicator as a source of valid information. Spokespersons who have a lot of political experience are expected than celebrities who do not have a voice in regards to political candidates. Even when a celebrity is politically educated, they also need to be trustworthy and likable so that their opinion holds weight in other people’s eyes.
Additionally, the qualities of a recipient heavily influence how they accept the information being delivered to them. Breslin (2015) stated that in 2016, Hillary Clinton was associated with pornographic actors publicly, which brought about a negative image. Many of her voters disapproved of her position, which made her lose a lot of votes and the overall election.
The theory of planned behavior
Sikorski et al. (2017) use the theory of planned behavior to explain why people often vote for a particular candidate. Many studies have additionally applied this theory to explain why voters chose to vote for a particular leader and not the other. According to this theory, it is assumed that the intention of a voter to choose a particular candidate can be influenced by 1) attitudes toward the candidate,e 2) social influences that relate to the candidate being chosen, and 3) the behavioral controls that are linked to voting for the candidate. Sikorski et al. (2017) further noted that social norms are not used as a prediction for people’s voting habits and voters’ intentions. Perceived behavioral control can also not be used to determine voter intentions. Therefore, a candidate’s attitudes make up a huge part of predicting the intention of voters. Research indicates that the level at which a voter is liked or disliked dramatically influences how people vote for a particular candidate. In many instances, voters choose the person they like best.
Fig 1: Voter’s intention to pick a particular candidate
Studies have often highlighted that when people have an emotional response to a situation, they have a particular condition to the object. Therefore,e, a psych, logical link exists to evaluate an issue with a degree of favor or disfavor. This knowledge can be used to fit and evaluate all aspects of life and all the different issues. Similarly, it can be used to analyze political candidates; when people have an emotional connection to a politician, they are likelier to choose them than when they dislike them. This is the planned behavior theory and how it relates to elections. Therefore, when a celebrity endorses a particular politician, it is likely that the people who watch the celebrity develop an emotional connection to them—particularly individuals who have a superficial understanding of matter politics. People with negative attitudes towards a politician will not vote for him. However, if this leader is endorsed by a celebrity they like, they will likely change their attitude and vote for that politician.
Discussion
This study analyzed different sources presenting different sets of evidence on the topic while paying closer attention to the influence of celebrity endorsement in the United Kingdom. The study utilizes different nations and their view on the matter to come up with empirical evidence, with significant evidence from the United States. The evidence presented shows no conclusive finding on celebrity endorsement for the United Kingdom. The evidence also shows that a politician is likely to face the adverse effects of celebrity endorsement if they have a negative image or attitude with the public. When people dislike a celebrity, they are likely to dislike the politician and not give him votes, impacting the politician’s public image and the number of votes they receive. It is, therefore, the responsibility of campaign managers all over the United Kingdom to carefully analyze whether it is necessary to utilize celebrity endorsements as their campaign strategy.
When a celebrity is not famous, they will likely damage their brand and the voting outcome. Other factors also influence an individual’s chances of voting for a particular leader. If well-educated on political issues, they are likely to rely on something other than a celebrity’s opinion; instead, they will analyze the pros and cons of voting for that leader. However, there are young people and those individuals who ignore political issues; they are likely to be swayed and move according to what their celebrities say is the right thing to do in terms of politics. In the study by Friedrich and Nitsch (2019), the authors found that students expressed high interest in politics in their samples. The authors highlight that this population is likely the target group to analyze whether celebrity endorsement would help low-involvement people develop an increased interest in political leaders.
When people believe a politician is responsible for a negative endorsement, they are likely to ignore them, feel less pity for them, and be more annoyed at them. Emotional responses also play an essential role in how a politician is viewed and the number of voters likely to be on his side. From the analysis, it is clear that the particular nation’s culture mainly influences celebrity political endorsements. Additionally, many studies state that for a celebrity endorsement to be practical, they must mirror the people’s culture and society’s present values.
Generally, it is clear that celebrity political endorsements play a significant role in the image of a politician, their political party, and the overall outcome of the election. There is also a lot of evidence, for example, that of Hilary Clinton, that depicts that harmful endorsements are possible today. Overall, negative endorsements are likely to take place a more significant number of times than with the presence of social media and other societies that help to promote hate speech and other hateful comments that can bring a politician’s image down—ruining his reputation and his party as well. Similarly, politicians are likely to face much competition from celebrities in terms of online competition, making it quite difficult for them to get their views and messages out.
Conclusion.
Overall, the findings presented in this study support the idea that celebrity political endorsement has positive and negative influences on the outcome of an election. Today, celebrity endorsement shapes the way politics is undertaken and plays a significant role in political campaigns that help determine the chances of an individual winning or losing. Their political party can also get the best image. However, celebrity endorsement can only sometimes be depended on because different individuals express different opinions about different parties. Different people have different opinions about an issue, and this opinion can hardly be changed if an individual has a negative emotion or feeling towards the politician. Young people and adults often find and look for celebrity advice to figure out the party they want to belong to. Therefore, to young adults, celebrity endorsements are essential and can help pull people together to help them make informed decisions depending on their celebrity of choice. It is essential to note that even with good endorsement, it only sometimes means that a politician has a higher chance of winning, although it may raise a reasonable possibility. There is a need for further research to be carried out on the issue and more data to be presented, particularly for the United Kingdom.
References
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Breslin, S. (2015). Porn Stars Endorse Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Marco Rubio for President in 2016. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/susannahbreslin/2015/07/24/porn-hillary-clinton/?sh=bf79af17cf33
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Flood, M. (2019). Intersectionality and celebrity culture. Women’s Studies in Communication, 42(4), 422–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/07491409.2019.1682917
Friedrich, K., & Nitsch, C. (2019). Celebrity Political Endorsement and Young Voters in Europe: A Five-Country Comparison on Celebrity Support Effectiveness in the European Elections. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336263210_Celebrity_Political_Endorsement_and_Young_Voters_in_Europe_A_Five-Country_Comparison_on_Celebrity_Support_Effectiveness_in_the_European_Elections
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Sikorski, C. V., Knoll, J., & Matthews, J. (2017, October). A New Look at Celebrity Endorsements in Politics: Investigating the Impact of Scandalous Celebrity Endorsers and Politicians’ Best Responses. ResearchGate. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15213269.2017.1378109
Thirunavukkarasu, M., & Katta, A. K. (2018, September). CELEBRITY INFLUENCE IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366905361_CELEBRITY_INFLUENCE_IN_POLITICAL_CAMPAIGNS
Watts, E. (2018). Celebrities as Political Representatives: Explaining the Exchangeability of Celebrity Capital in the Political Field. Royal Holloway Research Portal. https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/ws/files/33676686/Ellen_Watts_Thesis.pdf
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