Exploring the influence of sports celebrities on Generation Y behavioural intentions

Generation Y are considered to be a vital and highly sought after segment for marketers and organisations. Members of Generation Y are also important to the sports marketplace. Within this marketplace, athlete endorsement strategies are common practice in advertising and promotion. Athletes are paid large sums of money to endorse products and brands. However the impact of sport celebrities on Generation Y is relatively unknown in Australia. This Honours thesis explores the concept of sport celebrities as role models for Generation Y and investigates the influence of sport celebrities on Generation Y consumer-related behaviour and purchase intentions. Results from a survey containing 250 members of Generation Y revealed that Generation Y consider sport celebrities as role models. Sport celebrity role models were found to be important in influencing Generation Y to switch products and engage in complaint behaviour, express favourable word-of-mouth behaviour and enhancing brand loyalty. The findings indicated that marketing-practitioners and advertisers should utilise sport celebrities to endorse products and brands when targeting Generation Y. Additionally, marketing-practitioners and advertisers who target Generation Y and specifically seek to influence this generation to switch products, spread positive word-of-mouth or enhance their loyalty should use sport celebrities in promotional material. Areas of further research should focus on identifying which sport celebrities Generation Y consider to be role models and should also explore the influence of sport celebrities on Generation Y from multiple geographical locations across Australia as this study analysed the perceptions of Generation Y from one university in Melbourne.