Research highlights strategies for transforming celebrity status into credibility for a cause of public interest. So, do these opinion leaders enable charities to raise more donations? Do they influence our generosity? Explanations in graphs.
Celebrities, and more recently influencers, no longer just entertain: they guide our choices. From the brands we buy to the positions we take on ethical issues, their influence is everywhere. They have established themselves as genuine sources of information for consumers.
Their influence doesn't stop at consumer decisions. Actors, comedians, and streamers shape our generosity and the causes we choose to support. Many celebrities highlight their charitable commitments: Pierre Garnier with Imagine for Margo, Florence Foresti with the Fondation des Femmes, and Omar Sy with the Restaurants du Cœur. On the influencer side, the ZEvent 2025 made a lasting impression: in a three-day marathon on Twitch, more than €16.2 million was raised thanks to figures such as ZeratoR, Kameto, and Baghera Jones.
To better understand these mechanisms, we conducted a series of studies to determine whether the aura of celebrities lent credibility to the cause being supported. Specifically, we presented consumers with several celebrities who were ambassadors for a cause and analyzed whether they had a positive impact on the credibility of causes of general interest.
Transforming aura into credibility
Our first, intuitive approach is to choose a personality whose story is directly linked to the cause. For example, personalities such as Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga can be credible ambassadors for causes related to mental health in young people, given the traumas they experienced in their youth. The same is true of Emma Watson's fight for gender equality, reinforced by her experience of the treatment of young women and girls in the film industry.
The second study is based on what researchers call meaning transfer. In this process, the symbols associated with a person are transferred to a product, brand, or organization. In this way, a celebrity can bring their cultural aura, worldview, or symbolic values to a cause, even if there is no apparent direct link.
When fame becomes expertise
In a study involving 200 respondents, we tested the impact of an ambassador's personal appeal on their perceived credibility in relation to the cause and the number of donations generated.
To this end, we told study participants that tennis player Andy Murray was the new ambassador for “Let's Green Up!”, a fictional NGO. In the first group, we described the tennis player, emphasizing his attractiveness and charisma. In the second group, we presented a more neutral description of the athlete. We then measured the perceived credibility of the personality using statements such as “This influencer is a reliable source of information” or “I can trust this person.”
Finally, respondents had the opportunity to make a donation to the proposed NGO. The results are unanimous: the presence of this aura is an essential condition for the success of fundraising campaigns. It increases the likelihood of making a donation from 43% to 54%.
A past that carries weight
Beyond their aura, some celebrities reinforce their credibility by highlighting a personal connection to the cause they support. When Mika commits to associations helping Lebanon, his message gains strength because it emphasizes his attachment to his country of origin.
To test this hypothesis, we conducted a second study with 402 respondents. They could support a cause associated with a celebrity, with different types of causes and celebrities. To do this, we compared the effectiveness of the ad when the cause was supported by Leonardo DiCaprio, a celebrity known for his star power, and Greta Thunberg, who is better known for her activism. We first compared groups where these celebrities supported an environmental campaign, in line with both celebrities' pasts, and another campaign supporting access to education. We then measured the credibility of the celebrity ambassador.
When this link is highlighted, the credibility of the celebrity or influencer towards the cause increases even more.
The power of symbolic transfer
Even when they have no direct connection to a cause, celebrities can lend it credibility by associating their symbolic universe with it. A comedian who lends their image to a charity campaign, or a pop singer who supports medical research, is not necessarily an expert on the subject. This transfer of meaning, described above, allows associations to reach the public indirectly, by capitalizing on the cultural image of the personality.
We conducted a third study with 400 respondents. The idea was to invite participants to support an environmental charity. In one group, the ambassador was Keanu Reeves, and in the other, Eminem. We were able to establish in advance that Eminem had greater symbolic capital than K. Reeves. In both cases, we varied the attractiveness and aura of the ambassador by presenting them in a favorable or neutral light.
The results show that a personality with greater symbolic capital, such as Eminem, is perceived as more credible, which increases their ability to generate generosity.
This article by Étienne Denis, Assistant Professor, EDHEC Business School, Thomas Leclercq, Full Professor of Marketing, Head of Marketing and Sales Department, IÉSEG School of Management; and Steven Hoornaert, Professor of Digital Marketing IÉSEG School of Management, has been republished and translated from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
