When endorsers behave badly: consumer self-expression and negative meaning transfer

How do consumers adjust their public and private self-expression through a brand when an endorser attached to the gets involved in scandal? Building on theory of meaning transfer congruity theory, authors propose demonstrate that contrast extant literature, negative prevails over high self-brand barriers managers attempt build by employing endorsers positive meanings brands. Using three pre-studies experiments involving fictitious real-life celebrities, effect consumers’ domain attitude becomes more prominent with increasing endorser-self congruity. Additionally, pronounced for celebrity compared expert celebrity-expert combined endorser. The findings offer novel implications selection marketing campaigns management.Supplemental data this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2021.2016267 .