Moderating Effect of Trustworthiness on the Relationship between Celebrity Attractiveness and Consumer Purchase Intention among Students of Kaduna State University

This study examined the moderating effect of trustworthiness on the relationship between celebrity attractiveness and consumer purchase intention among students of Kaduna State University. The specific objectives of the study are to investigate the effect of celebrity Attractiveness on consumer purchase intention and to determine the moderating effect of trustworthiness on consumer purchase intention. The study is underpinned by commitment trust theory as well as source trustworthiness theory. The research adopted a survey research design and collected primary data through structured questionnaires administered to the collages in Kaduna state university. A stratified sampling technique was employed, and data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via Smart-PLS 4. The measurement model was assessed for reliability and validity using composite reliability, average variance extracted, HTMT, and the Fornell Larcker criterion. Findings from the structural model revealed that celebrity attractiveness had a positive and statistically significant effect on consumer purchase intention (T = 6.344, p < 0.000), trustworthiness had a positive and significant effect on consumer purchase intention (T = 5.308, p < 0.000), while trustworthiness does not significantly moderate the relationship between attractiveness and purchase intention (T = 1.004, p = 0.316). The study recommends that since trustworthiness does not strengthen or weaken the effect of attractiveness, firms may treat attractiveness and trustworthiness as independent drivers rather than interactive factors in endorsement strategy.