The influence of endorser credibility and brand credibility on consumer purchase intentions: Exploring mediating mechanisms in the local apparel sector

Abstract

Due to high competition in the fashion sector, apparel companies employ various strategies to articulate distinct marketing approaches aimed at attracting more valuable customers and increasing purchase intention among them. The current study investigates the influence of endorser credibility and brand credibility on consumer purchase intention in native apparel company brands in Pakistan. This paper also scrutinizes the mediating role of attitudes towards brand credibility and attitudes towards the brand. The sample size is 353, and data was gathered through a structured survey. For data analysis, structural equation modeling was utilized to identify the relationships among variables. The findings of this study indicate that endogenous variables (endorser credibility and brand credibility) have a significant and positive influence on the exogenous variable (consumer purchase intention). Additionally, endorser credibility and brand credibility are positively related to the mediators, namely attitudes towards brand credibility and attitudes towards the brand. The bootstrapping procedure reveals that both mediators have a favorable and significant effect on endorser credibility and brand credibility in altering consumer purchase intention. The results of the study are discussed, and suggestions for the targeted sector are provided. Such findings are particularly expected to be beneficial for the sector under study and for other sectors of the economy in general.