A master’s thesis titled “The Use of Digital Advertising Featuring Sports Celebrities on Social Media and Its Role in Purchase Decision-Making” was discussed at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad. The thesis was submitted by Hussein Salam Amanah, a researcher in the Department of Public Relations.
The discussion committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Baqir Mousa, with Assistant Professor Dr. Jassim Tareesh as supervisor. Committee members included Lecturer Dr. Rana Abdul Latif and Assistant Professor Dr. Laith Sabbar, who served as an external committee member.
The thesis aimed to examine the influential role of sports celebrities in digital advertising and analyze how such advertising affects audience purchasing decisions, whether through engagement with digital content or responses to direct promotion of products and services. The study focused on the use of sports fame, particularly that of football players, in digital advertising.
The study reached several findings, most notably that persuasive advertising is the most prevalent form of advertising used by sports celebrities. Advertisers rely on offers, incentives, and price discounts to attract audience attention and motivate purchasing decisions, while highlighting the features and benefits of products.
The findings also showed that entertainment-oriented advertisements, particularly those associated with games, are more appealing to younger audiences. Advertisements for sports-related goods and services were also widespread, accompanied by sports values and messages of social responsibility, such as promoting national products.
Instagram was the most widely used platform for following digital advertisements, followed by TikTok, while YouTube ranked first as a platform for viewing sports celebrity advertisements. The findings also indicated that individuals are exposed to such advertisements several times a day.
The study recommended increasing the use of sports celebrities in digital advertising campaigns in ways that suit the nature of the products, given their potential to strengthen credibility and attract audience attention. It also called for improving advertisements in terms of design, content, and messaging, with greater reliance on visual and interactive content that is more appealing to users.
The study further recommended tailoring advertisements to audience interests on social media platforms to enhance engagement and improve targeting, with particular attention to young people, especially those aged 21–25, who showed the highest levels of following and engagement with sports celebrity advertisements.
