Celebrity endorsed products more reliable, say 70% of Mumbai’s teens
Actor Ranveer Singh
If you thought the exorbitant spending by brands on celebrity endorsements was nothing more than a gimmick, think again. A new survey has shown celebs majorly influence the purchase decisions of adolescents in the city.
The survey was conducted by the department of mental health & behavioural sciences at Fortis Healthcare under the supervision of Dr Samir Parikh. It was taken by 760 students, primarily from private schools from Mumbai.
According to the survey results, near 70 percent of the respondents aged between 14 to 17 years felt that celebrity-endorsed products were more reliable than their counterparts.
Almost half of all respondents also admitted to being bullied or having bullied someone on social media.
Key Findings:
# 69 percent of respondents felt that when it came to making a purchase, celebrity-endorsed products were more reliable than others.
# 77 percent of respondents felt that their purchase decision is influenced by the product’s projection in media.
# 59 percent of respondents felt bad about their looks when they compared themselves to a celebrity.
# 69 percent of respondents felt compelled to stay up to date and follow the latest fashion trends.
# 81 percent of respondents felt social media was the best platform for getting factual information about current events.
# 50 percent of respondents said they were either bullied or had bullied someone on social media.
# 30 percent of respondents said they enjoyed reading.
“Students need to be made aware of the various tactics and techniques used to sell products or message through sent out through advertisements, so that they can learn to make informed decisions on the same,” Dr Parikh told TOI.
“Children and adolescents are regularly exposed to social media without equipping them with the tools to protect themselves. As a result, they can also fall prey to peer pressure, especially in the use of various platforms of the social media. Such pressures can hamper the child’s social development as it could impact self-esteem and interpersonal well-being,” he added.
