Are you swayed by celebrity endorsements?

Surprisingly, many consumers are.

If you've been following the presidential election, Hillary Clinton has gotten the backing of high wattage celebrities including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, and Lebron James.

And you've likely lost count of the many advertisements you've come across -- whether on TV or in magazines -- where a celebrity promotes a brand of lipstick, shampoo, or jeans as if it were the best thing since sliced bread.

But are such endorsements effective?

That, of course, depends on the person. If you're a hardcore Paty Perry fan, for example, you'd probably be more likely to buy a product she endorses or vote for Hillary Clinton.

Since I'm not a big fan of any of the high-profile celebrities endorsing Clinton, it didn't make me any more inclined to vote for her.

Celebrities don't hold much sway over my purchasing decisions unless they're people I genuinely admire and respect. For instance, if it's someone known for being intelligent (e.g., Natalie Portman and Jodie Foster, both ivy leaguers), charitable (J.K. Rowling, who lost her billionaire status thanks to her largesse), an animal lover (Kristen Bell), or their rags-to-riches story that tugs at the heartstrings (Viola Davis grew up in poverty), I might be disposed toward forking money over for the product.

Otherwise, I place more of an emphasis on other more conventional factors, like product features, ease of use, and price.

Still, several people I know admit that celebrity endorsements do exert some influence on their purchases. Thus, it comes as no surprise companies spend big bucks on these high-profile brand boosters.

What kind of effect do endorsements have on you?

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