Survey Looks At How Celebrities Affect U.K. Consumer Purchasing Decisions

Results of a survey conducted by Kantar Media revealed that 5% of adults or respondents aged 15 years and older in U.K. believe that celebrities influence their purchasing decisions. Over 60% of respondents who acknowledge celebrities’ influence are younger than 30; almost 50% are less than 25 years old. Location is also a factor: London residents are 41% more likely than the average adult to admit celebrities’ influence. The survey also included the young and found that 45% of 11-14 year olds said they want to be famous, compared with 49% three years ago. The 7-10 and 15-19 age groups also displayed similar declines, showing perhaps children’s growing awareness of some of the potential downsides of fame. Marketers should keep in mind that some celebrity relationships are seen in bad light: for example, 44% of 11-14 year olds said they hate Paris Hilton, while more than half of the 7-10s admire Ant & Dec and Cheryl Cole.