IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jobman/v28y2021i2d10.1057_s41262-020-00218-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A spokesperson with any name won’t be as charming: the phonetic effect of spokesperson name and gender on personality evaluations

Author

Listed:
  • Alicia Kulczynski

    (University of Newcastle)

  • Stacey Brennan

    (University of Sydney)

  • Jasmina Ilicic

    (Monash University)

Abstract

We examined the effect of vowel sounds contained in spokesperson names and spokesperson gender on consumer perceptions of spokesperson personality and brand personality evaluations. Using an experimental design across three studies, we found that when gender of the spokesperson is known, the vowel sounds contained in a spokesperson’s name only influenced personality traits when the spokesperson was a male. For example, a male spokesperson with a name that contained back vowel sounds (i.e. Odyn Tolley) was perceived as more charming, outdoorsy, and tough. The effect of vowel sounds in a spokesperson’s name on personality perceptions attenuated when the spokesperson was female. Further, the phonetic meaning derived from sounds in male spokesperson names was found to exert a greater influence on brand personality perceptions than phonetic meaning derived from sounds in brand names. Advertisers and marketing managers are advised to strategically name created spokespeople in line with desired personality perceptions and with careful consideration of spokesperson gender.

Suggested Citation

  • Alicia Kulczynski & Stacey Brennan & Jasmina Ilicic, 2021. "A spokesperson with any name won’t be as charming: the phonetic effect of spokesperson name and gender on personality evaluations," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 28(2), pages 221-239, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jobman:v:28:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1057_s41262-020-00218-2
    DOI: 10.1057/s41262-020-00218-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41262-020-00218-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41262-020-00218-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stacey Baxter & Jasmina Ilicic & Alicia Kulczynski, 2015. "What’s in a name? Examining the effect of phonetic fit between spokesperson name and product attributes on source credibility," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 525-534, December.
    2. Tina M. Lowrey & L. J. Shrum, 2007. "Phonetic Symbolism and Brand Name Preference," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(3), pages 406-414, June.
    3. Burroughs, W Jeffrey & Feinberg, Richard A, 1987. "Using Response Latency to Assess Spokesperson Effectiveness," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 14(2), pages 295-299, September.
    4. Laure Ambroise & Noel Albert & Pierre Valette-Florence & Gaelle Pantin-Sohier, 2014. "From endorsement to celebrity co-branding: personality transfer," Post-Print hal-02128446, HAL.
    5. Richard Klink & Gerard Athaide, 2012. "Creating brand personality with brand names," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 109-117, March.
    6. L. Ambroise & Gaëlle Pantin-Sohier & Pierre Valette-Florence & N. Albert, 2014. "From endorsement to celebrity co-branding: Personality transfer," Post-Print halshs-01064057, HAL.
    7. Nathalie Fleck & Géraldine Michel & Valérie Zeitoun, 2014. "Brand Personification through the Use of Spokespeople: An Exploratory Study of Ordinary Employees, CEOs, and Celebrities Featured in Advertising," Post-Print halshs-01897868, HAL.
    8. Baxter, Stacey & Lowrey, Tina, 2014. "Examining children's preference for phonetically manipulated brand names across two English accent groups," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 122-124.
    9. Misra, Shekhar & Beatty, Sharon E., 1990. "Celebrity spokesperson and brand congruence : An assessment of recall and affect," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 159-173, September.
    10. Baxter, Stacey M. & Kulczynski, Alicia & Ilicic, Jasmina, 2014. "Revisiting the automaticity of phonetic symbolism effects," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 448-451.
    11. McCracken, Grant, 1989. "Who Is the Celebrity Endorser? Cultural Foundations of the Endorsement Process," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 16(3), pages 310-321, December.
    12. Keith S. Coulter & Robin A. Coulter, 2010. "Small Sounds, Big Deals: Phonetic Symbolism Effects in Pricing," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 315-328, August.
    13. Shrum, L.J. & Lowrey, T.M. & Luna, David & Lerman, D.B. & Liu, Min, 2012. "Sound symbolism effects across languages: Implications for global brand names," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 275-279.
    14. Laure Ambroise & Gaëlle Pantin-Sohier & Pierre Valette-Florence & Noel Albert, 2014. "From endorsement to celebrity co-branding: personality transfer," Post-Print hal-01963442, HAL.
    15. Aaker, Jennifer & Benet-Martinez, Veronica & Garolera, Jordi, 2001. "Consumption Symbols as Carriers of Culture: A Study of Japanese and Spanish Brand Personality Constructs," Research Papers 1668r, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stacey M. Baxter & Jasmina Ilicic & Alicia Kulczynski & Tina M. Lowrey, 2017. "Using sublexical priming to enhance brand name phonetic symbolism effects in young children," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 565-577, December.
    2. Stacey Baxter & Jasmina Ilicic & Alicia Kulczynski, 2015. "What’s in a name? Examining the effect of phonetic fit between spokesperson name and product attributes on source credibility," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 525-534, December.
    3. Daniel Kaimann & Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru, 2023. "Sounds too Feminine? Brand Gender and The Impact on Professional Critics," Working Papers Dissertations 107, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    4. Richard R. Klink & Lan Wu, 2017. "Creating ethical brands: the role of brand name on consumer perceived ethicality," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 411-422, September.
    5. Lynch, John G. & Bradlow, Eric T. & Huber, Joel C. & Lehmann, Donald R., 2015. "Reflections on the replication corner: In praise of conceptual replications," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 333-342.
    6. Johannes Knoll & Jörg Matthes, 2017. "The effectiveness of celebrity endorsements: a meta-analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 55-75, January.
    7. Jasmina Ilicic & Stacey M Baxter & Alicia Kulczynski, 2016. "The impact of age on consumer attachment to celebrities and endorsed brand attachment," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(3), pages 273-288, May.
    8. Imene Becheur & Oula Bayarassou & Hela Ghrib, 2017. "Beyond Brand Personality: Building Consumer–Brand Emotional Relationship," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 18(3_suppl), pages 128-144, June.
    9. Zhang, Yicong & Guo, Xiaoling, 2023. "“New and old†: Consumer evaluations of co-branding between new brands and Chinese time-honored brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    10. Abhishek Pathak & Carlos Velasco & Charles Spence, 2020. "The sound of branding: An analysis of the initial phonemes of popular brand names," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(3), pages 339-354, May.
    11. Baxter, Stacey & Lowrey, Tina, 2014. "Examining children's preference for phonetically manipulated brand names across two English accent groups," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 122-124.
    12. Weeks, Jessica Babin & Smith, Keith Marion & Hulland, John, 2021. "Consumer brand curation on social shopping sites," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 399-408.
    13. Baxter, Stacey M. & Kulczynski, Alicia & Ilicic, Jasmina, 2014. "Revisiting the automaticity of phonetic symbolism effects," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 448-451.
    14. Eunah Yu & Junghyun Kim, 2020. "The Relationship between Self-City Brand Connection, City Brand Experience, and City Brand Ambassadors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, January.
    15. Richard Klink & Lan Wu, 2014. "The role of position, type, and combination of sound symbolism imbeds in brand names," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 13-24, March.
    16. Tijo Thomas & Johney Johnson, 2019. "The Effect of Celebrity Trustworthiness on Endorsement Effectiveness: A Comparison of Congruence and Hybrid Model," Vision, , vol. 23(3), pages 275-286, September.
    17. Ilicic, Jasmina & Webster, Cynthia M., 2011. "Effects of multiple endorsements and consumer–celebrity attachment on attitude and purchase intention," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 230-237.
    18. . Abhishek & Arvind Sahay, 2013. "Role of Culture in Celebrity Endorsement: Brand Endorsement by Celebrities in Indian Context-A Review, Synthesis and Research Propositions," Working Papers id:5432, eSocialSciences.
    19. Erfgen, Carsten & Zenker, Sebastian & Sattler, Henrik, 2015. "The vampire effect: When do celebrity endorsers harm brand recall?," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 155-163.
    20. Ilicic, Jasmina & Webster, Cynthia M., 2013. "Celebrity co-branding partners as irrelevant brand information in advertisements," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 941-947.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:jobman:v:28:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1057_s41262-020-00218-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.