Scandals, sports and sponsors: what impact do sport celebrity transgressions have on consumer's perceptions of the celebrity's brand image and the brand image of their sponsors?

Abstract

While the positive benefits of sport sponsorship have been well researched, the potentially damaging effect of sport celebrity transgression on their own brand image and the image of their sponsors has largely been ignored. This paper reviews the literature surrounding positive brand image transfer, on which sport sponsorship is dependent, and asks how negative images resulting from transgression might impact on the brand image of the celebrity and subsequently their sponsors. Marrying principles from sport sponsorship and celebrity transgression literatures, this paper presents a potential model of the factors impacting consumers‟ attitudes towards sport celebrities and their sponsors following transgression, and recommends four research propositions to guide future research.