How celebrity attachment influences event participation intentions: from the customer-relationship theory and attachment theory approaches

Purpose From the customer-relationship theory and attachment theory approaches, this study proposes a serial mediation model to examine how celebrity attachment influences event attendees' intentions in the celebrity endorsement process in the context of events. Design/methodology/approach Paper-based and online surveys were used to collect data from 759 Vietnamese respondents, aged 15 and above, who followed domestic or international celebrities and were interested in various events taking place in Vietnam. A serial multiple mediation model was evaluated through covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings The results confirmed the cognitive, affective and hybrid cognitive-affective pathways among antecedents, celebrity attachment and event participation intentions. Research limitations/implications Future studies need to validate these findings across diverse cultural settings and larger participant pools to enhance their applicability. Exploring celebrity endorsement for events from an international follower perspective could offer valuable insights. Future research should consider these factors when interpreting results. It may benefit from conducting longitudinal or mixed-method studies to improve generalizability. Additional moderating variables are necessary, as research on the celebrity endorsement process for events evolves. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on celebrity endorsement within event marketing, emphasizing the customer-brand relationship and attachment theory. It extends existing research that primarily examines how celebrity attachment influences event attendees' intentions in the celebrity endorsement process by validating a serial mediation model.