The Beckham Effect: The effect of change on celebrity endorsement and purchase intention

Celebrity endorsement and player sponsorship have become regular themes in contemporary business sporting practice, as players' images and actions now have major impacts on their clubs' success. The most successful and arguably most marketable football player in the contemporary game is David Beckham and a wide range of brands including Vodafone, Adidas and Police Sunglasses seek to reap the benefits of positive associations with the football star. The positive link between celebrity endorsement and effects on brand image and intention to purchase has been explored in the extant literature, as has the negative impact on a brand when a celebrity receives adverse publicity for perceived “bad” behaviours. This paper explores an underdeveloped area, the effect of change on purchase intention, and does so by examining the effects on purchase intention of major changes that have recently affected David Beckham, including changes in sponsored brands, a change in the club for whom he plays football and resultant move to Spain, and change in public perception following negative media allegations.