J ÖNKÖPING I NTERNATIONAL B USINESS S CHOOL JÖNKÖPING UNIVERSITY Exploring Value Creation Derived from Celebrity Consumption: The paradiGmatic elements of Celebrity Negative Information Master Thesis in Business Administration Author: Aarón González 860102-6977 Tutor: Erik Hunter and Bejamin Hartman JönköpinG 2011-02-22 Abstract The celebrity status is seen in a wide variety of domains that ranGes from entertainment, to sport, to politic communities. It operates as a way of providinG distinctions and definitions of success within those domains (Marshall, 1997). The purpose of the thesis is to investiGate the paradiGmatic elements of celebrity negative informa- tion across different celebrity domains. The word paradiGmatic is used because over the years we have seen celebrities killinG their careers as consequence of their wild behavior. In the other hand we have also seen celebrities boominG their careers. This thesis is an attempt to improve our under- standinG on which factors are of relevance when celebrities’ meltdown causing potential sources of troubles to stakeholders related with them. In summations the objective is findinG patterns amonG the paradox and inconsistencies over the years of real life celebrity cases. We first analyze how the consumptions of celebrity offerinG yields different type of values to con- sumers that construct an OVP optimal value point. This OPV can be seen as a combination of enabl- ing attributes and enhancing attributes. EnablinG attributes such as “quality and efficiency” are a must for a human brand to even achieve celebrity status. The enhancinG type of attributes such as “ethics or charity” brinG that extra mile or added value not necessary to obtain success but beneficial to their overall imaGe. In addition a discussion if celebrity negative information caused by illegal or immoral behavior can lead to value destruction affectinG consumption patterns is presented whereas a qualit- ative study based on real life cases was carried out. The results showed that “consistency” with the celebrity previous behavior and imaGe are crucial to anticipate how the consumers will react to a case of negative celebrity information. The celebrity “domain” revealed some tolerance bringing or blockinG effect towards negative celebrity informa- tion. In conclusion this exploratory study is a Good startinG point to prove that not all negative celebrity information is negative to a celebrity and thus there is no General recipe to study these incidents. By brinGinG a framework like the one presented it is easier to isolate and study one case at a time. At the end of the paper we applied the framework and anticipated the response of Swedish consumer’s to a real druGs case scandal involvinG a sinGer. Keywords: Celebrity consumption, celebrity negative information, value creation, human brands. 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................. 3 1 Introduction .................................................................................. 6 1.1 Creation of value through celebrity consumption ................................... 6 1.2 Background ............................................................................................ 7 1.3 Problem Discussion ............................................................................... 8 1.4 Purpose.................................................................................................. 9 1.5 Research Questions ............................................................................ 10 2 Frame of References ................................................................. 11 2.1.1 Human Brands as Insurances .............................................................. 11 2.1.2 Paradox & Celebrity Negative Information ........................................... 13 3 Consumer Value: A Framework for Analysis ......................... 15 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 15 3.2 The nature of consumer value ............................................................. 16 3.3 The types of consumer value ............................................................... 16 4 Blame and its implications ....................................................... 20 5 Model Integration ....................................................................... 21 5.1 Premeditations on the Integrated Model .............................................. 23 6 Method ........................................................................................ 24 6.1 Qualitative Approach ............................................................................ 24 6.2 An interplay of Deductive and Inductive Reasoning ............................. 24 6.3 Choice of Data Collection..................................................................... 25 6.3.1 Open and semi-structured Interviews .................................................. 25 6.3.2 Sampling .............................................................................................. 26 6.4 Secondary Data ................................................................................... 27 6.5 Quality in the Qualitative Research ...................................................... 28 7 Empirical Results & Analysis ................................................... 29 7.1 The case of Entertainers ...................................................................... 29 7.1.1 Optimal Value Point ............................................................................. 29 7.1.2 High Blame scenario ............................................................................ 32 7.1.3 Complex Blame scenario ..................................................................... 33 7.2 The case of Sports-Athletes ................................................................. 34 7.2.1 High and Complex Blame scenario ...................................................... 36 7.2.2 Low Blame scenario ............................................................................. 38 7.3 The case of Politics .............................................................................. 38 7.3.1 High Blame, Low Blame, and Complex Blame scenarios .................... 40 8 Conclusion ................................................................................. 41 8.1 Key Contributions and Managerial Implications ................................... 42 8.2 Suggestions for Further Research ....................................................... 42 3 9 References .................................................................................. 43 10 Appendix................................................................................... 47 Tables Table 1 The Typology of Consumer Value………………………………………….17 Table 2 Celebrity Negative Information-Filter……………………………………….26 Table 3 Participant Historical Schedule……………………………………………...27 Table 4 OVP for the Entertainment Domain…………………………………………31 Table 5 OVP for the Sports Domain………………………………………………….36 Table 6 OVP for the Politics Domain…………………………………………………39 Figures Fig.1 Visual Representation of an OVP……………………………………………….22 Fig.2 From General to specific domain modeling……………………………………22 4 Definitions Concept Definition Source Celebrity Someone known to be known Andersson & Andersson, 2006 Human Brand Individual subject of marketinG Thomson, 2006 communications efforts Role Models Successful individuals within a Lockwood & Kunda 1997 domain that we care deeply about Optimal Vale Point (OVP) An ideal point of maximum Holbrook (2006) consumer value based on a combination of attributes. Some needed and some bring- inG added value. 5 1 Introduction This section discusses how celebrities’ consumption yields different type of values to consumers; it concludes that celebri- ties perform experience-bringing services. The section ends with a brief discussion if celebrity negative information can lead to value destruction. 1.1 Creation of value through celebrity consumption Consumer value plays a vital function at the heart of all marketinG activity and thus deserves the at- tention of consumer researchers (Holbrook, 1999; Kotler, 2002). ImprovinG our understandinG on the dynamics of consumer value derived from celebrity consumption is relevant because to a larGe extent the success of the 190 billion U.S entertainment and media industry depends on the auspi- ciously positioning one of its vital assets, the celebrity (Thomson, 2006). “Celebrity is a system for valorizinG meaninG and communication. As a system, the con- dition of celebrity status is convertible to a wide variety of domains and conditions with- in temporary culture. Thus, the power of celebrity status appears in business, politics, and artistic communities and operates as a way of providinG distinctions and definitions of success within those domains” - Marshall, 1997 Celebrity is commonly defined as someone known to be known (Andersson & Andersson, 2006). They are often persons subject to marketinG communications efforts which make them qualify for the term Human Brands (Thomson, 2006). They are successful individuals within their domain. If that domain happens to be one that we care deeply about we will look up to them as Role Models (Lock- wood & Kunda1997). Independently of the categorization Given to them they have always been a source of different types of consumer values attainable throuGh consumption experiences (Hol- brook, 2006). They provide us with a source of constant