Celebrity Endorsement, Message Framing, and Online Social Support: The Gateway Bug to Edible Insect Consumption

Author Bios (50 Words for each Author)

Melissa A. Baker, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Massachusetts. Her research and teaching focuses on service experience management, service failure and recovery, and appearance and impression formation.

Tiffany Shin Legendre, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management at the University of Houston. Her research focuses on branding and sustainability and her teaching concentrates on food and beverage management and research methods.

Abstract (150 Words)

While world organizations stress the importance of edible insect consumption as a sustainable, nutritious, and vital initiative to population growth and future sustainability, there remains resistance in adoption. Based on the academic and managerial gaps, this study examines how the marketing techniques of social support, celebrity endorsement, and message framing serve as the gateway to tourists trying local edible insect foods, product advocacy, and increasing future purchase intention through a 2 (message framing: hedonic vs. utilitarian) x 2 (celebrity endorsement: present vs. absent) x 2 (social support: high vs. low) between-subjects experimental design. The findings show that celebrity endorsement presence, social support and message framing interact to significantly affects behavioral intentions. Results expand upon theoretical gaps and serve as a critical piece in enticing Westerners to adopt this crucial sustainability initiative for the changing times and greater good of humanity and the planet.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 

Celebrity Endorsement, Message Framing, and Online Social Support: The Gateway Bug to Edible Insect Consumption

While world organizations stress the importance of edible insect consumption as a sustainable, nutritious, and vital initiative to population growth and future sustainability, there remains resistance in adoption. Based on the academic and managerial gaps, this study examines how the marketing techniques of social support, celebrity endorsement, and message framing serve as the gateway to tourists trying local edible insect foods, product advocacy, and increasing future purchase intention through a 2 (message framing: hedonic vs. utilitarian) x 2 (celebrity endorsement: present vs. absent) x 2 (social support: high vs. low) between-subjects experimental design. The findings show that celebrity endorsement presence, social support and message framing interact to significantly affects behavioral intentions. Results expand upon theoretical gaps and serve as a critical piece in enticing Westerners to adopt this crucial sustainability initiative for the changing times and greater good of humanity and the planet.