A Theoretical Framework of the Relationship between Celebrity Endorsement and Charity Donations

This preprint develops a conceptual framework on the impact of using celebrities on the attitude and actual behavior of donating to a charitable organization. Most studies on donation behavior were conducted in commercial settings; few studies have been interested in examining the use of celebrities in the advertisements of charitable organizations on the intention to donate. Therefore, this preprint aim at comparing the impact of using celebrities, using no celebrities (regular person), and having no personal figures at all in the ad on attitude and donation attention. The paper hypotheses are derived from the TEARS (Trust, Experience, Attractiveness, Respect, and Similarity) model.