The effect of customers' perception of celebrity online branding on customers' purchase intention with the moderating role of perceived product quality

In the era of competition, one of the marketing communication strategies is to use celebrity endorsements on social networks. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of customers' perception of online branding of celebrities on customers' purchase intention with the role of moderator of perceived product quality. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive in nature, survey. The statistical population of the study was Iranian users of the Instagram social network in the whole country, and 384 people were selected in a non-random way through Cochran's formula. The main tool of data collection was a questionnaire, and its validity was confirmed by using scientific components by experts, and its reliability was confirmed by using Cronbach's alpha test. The findings showed: customers' perception of online branding of famous people has an effect on customers' purchase intention with the moderating role of perceived product quality. The effect of virtual interaction, ideal match and actual match with oneself on customers' purchase intention was confirmed. Also, perceived product quality moderates the effect of virtual interaction, ideal self-congruity and actual self-congruity on customers' purchase intention.