The Influence of Thai Airasia’s Celebrity Advertisement on The Purchase of Cmu Students

The purchase of CMU students on Thai AirAsia Airline depends on the use of celebrity on advertisement which it creates the attractiveness, credibility, good reputation, and motivation on a brand or products for them.

Theoretical Framework

Advertisement Theory

Advertisement is a medium which is paid to be announced by a sponsor for gaining attention from viewers to have an interest in idea, products, or services. Most of advertisements need the advertiser, sponsor, to support them by paying in creating an advertising message, buying the advertising slot, and monitoring advertising efforts. It is also one way communication which leads viewers know the products or information conveyed in the advertisement. Nonetheless, advertisement can be briefly grouped into five groups.

1. The mediation of reality. The advertisement is an intermediary which is persuasive for receivers to define the enjoyment since it is the way which viewers can repeat and spend time of excitement.
2. Shifting Loyalty. It can change and shape viewer’s mind because of hidden power from the message of the advertisement upon the particular product or brand.
3. The magic of meaning. Meaning from the message or products is used to infuse through the advertisement. It shapes viewers’ mind after they perceive, and they will create their own new belief in purchasing.
4. The hidden message. Viewers can be manipulated and misunderstood the reality by the advertisement since they use psychology to create the hidden message and convince viewers which can change their thought and purchasing behavior. Hence, viewers can be able to believe in what is set in the advertisement.
5. Imitative desire .The advertisement also creates the possessive desire in viewers to wish or be something that they wish for since their role model is powerful, respectful, and good-looking.

Celebrity Endorsement Theory

The credibility is the positive feature in which creates the acceptation of consumers through the message

•  Trustworthiness: The ability to be relied on as honest or truthful The trustworthiness and attitude of consumers towards the brand is automatically increased when they like the endorser because they view the endorser as their role model.
• Expertise: A high level of knowledge or skill. Used to create assertion in viewers because it shows how professional of the endorser is which creates the credibility and believability of consumers.

Consumers usually have a positive stereotype about attractive people, so the attractive endorser could impact consumers’ purchasing better than the unattractive endorser.

•  Similarity: The state in which both particular thing are almost the same Consumers can identify and be influenced themselves easier when they and the endorser have the similar interest and lifestyle.
• Familiarity: Relaxed friendliness or intimacy between people A positive feature used to create the liking in the endorser.
• Liking: A feeling of regard or fondness. When the consumers like the endorser presented in the advertisement, they will also like the brand or product automatically.
• Attractiveness: The quality of being pleasing or appealing to the senses. The endorser establishes their attractive appearance or skill which attracts the consumers. It can be less important when the endorser comes with the brand or product.

Miciak and Shaklin define that FREDD Principle is the attribution in which the endorser presented in the advertisement should have

• Familiarity The endorser should be recognizable, likeable, and amiable.
• Relevance. The endorser’s lifestyle should be relevant with the product to create the believability for consumers.
• Esteem. The endorser’s successful life can be considered as high regard which create the credibility for consumers.
• Differentiation. Distinction creates the identity for consumers to remember easily.
• Deportment. The endorser’s behavior creates the credibility and reputation well which impact to the brand or product that he or she is presented in.

Purchasing Decision Theory

Purchasing decision process explains stages in which consumers will get through before making their final decision.

• Need Recognition

The first stage from all purchasing process. It occurs when consumers identify their need or products that they want. The hierarchy of needs by Maslow is also introduced because the need at a certain stage of people should be fulfilled before moving to the next step.

• Information Search

Consumers search information for their best choice to answer their desire or problem which they have in the first stage.

• Evaluation Alternative

This is also the important stage for consumers since they have to evaluate the alternative choices they have from searching them. Influenced by consumers’ attitude or experience, they will evaluate the function, advantages, or even brand which fulfill their need for highest benefits.

• Purchase

Consumers settle on their choice and form the intention to buy the most preferred product or brand. Their intention can be disrupted by negative feedback or unexpected situation which their intention can be changed.

The last process of purchasing behavior will let the consumers assess their satisfaction from their chosen choice which it can also affect their purchasing decision in the future.

Current Practice: Thai AirAsia

History

1. Thai Airasia is cooperation of Malaysian low-fare airline and Thailand's Asia Aviation. They have served the domestic and international flight from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand.
2. Thai Airasia fleet consists of Airbus 320-200, Airbus 320neo, and Airbus 321neo for 58 aircraft in total which head to 48 destinations. On June 2016, the chief executive, Tassapol Bijleveld said that Thai AirAsia will continuously grow and invest as planned, also, our new 51 aircraft and the existing will be available to serve 17 million passengers to various destination.
3. Thai AirAsia launched operations on 4th February 2004, which has the hub at Don Mueang International Airport and secondary hub at Chaing Mai International Airport, Phuket International Airport, Krabi International Airport, U-Tapao International Airport, and Hatyai International Airport.

Marketing

1. Thai AirAsia has been using celebrity endorsement for their marketing, such as Mum Jokmok, Pleumjit Thinkaow, Aed Carabao, Nadech Kugimiya.
2. The latest brand ambassador of Thai AirAsia is Nadech Kugimiya who the chief executive of Thai AirAsia, Tassapon Bidleveld, said that he contributes to strengthen the airline’s brand awareness.
3. He also said that Mr Nadech has a friendly and trustworthiness image which are recognized by Thais, especially upcountry. He also shares the similar characteristics with Thai AirAsia in which helps people to keep us in their mind.

Previous Study

“The Effects of Celebrity Endorsement in Advertisement” written by Mwendwa Mildred Zipporah and Dr. Hellen K. Mberia in 2014

1. The aim of the study was to identify the influence of the celebrity used on audiences who perceived the advertisement and to examine the impact of celebrity endorsement in advertisement on consumer habits.
2. The methodology were qualitative and quantitative.
3. The results were shown into two sides.

a. Using the celebrity endorsement on advertisement improve the sale instantly since it created the credibility.

b. The audience left their normal living way: moral, norms, and behaviors, to follow the celebrity in the advertisement.

“The Use of Celebrity Endorsement as Marketing Communication Strategy by Turkish Airlines” written by Ahmet Salih Kansu and Agim Mamuti in 2013.

1. The aim was to illustrate the application of celebrity endorsement as a branding tool in Turkish Airlines.
2. They pointed out that the airlines used celebrity endorsement along with their strategy, global branding, by signing the sponsorship with two renowned football clubs.
3. The result showed that Turkish Airlines proved their strategy since sport is a universal language which people can be able to approach.

Conclusion

This study is similar to two previous studies in terms of the focus on using the celebrity endorsement in advertisement. Particularly, in the research “The Use of Celebrity Endorsement as Marketing Communication Strategy by Turkish Airlines” which used renowned football players promoting the Airlines along with their strategy. It shows that this strategy impacts the marketing result in a positive way and, also, prove their sales. Nonetheless, some aspects of this study and previous studies are different since they more focus on the effect and the adaptation of using the celebrity branding with their strategy.