The Application of Celebrity Effect in Brand Marketing Under the

New Media Model: STAYREAL as an Example

Kejing Xu

SHU-UTS SILC Business School, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 201800, China

Keywords: Celebrity Effect, Brand Marketing, New Media, Consumer Engagement.

Abstract: In the field of contemporary brand marketing, the development of new media has changed brand marketing

strategies and consumer interaction profoundly. This study investigates the application of the celebrity effect

in the brand marketing of STAYREAL, a trendy brand co-founded by musician Ashin, specifically through

platforms like Xiaohongshu, Weibo, and Instagram. The study used questionnaires, combined with online and

offline consumer surveys, to assess how celebrity endorsements increase brand awareness and influence

purchase intentions among young consumers. The results of the study show that through Ashin's influence,

STAYREAL's marketing effectiveness is significantly improved and consumers show higher brand loyalty

and engagement. The study concludes that combining celebrity endorsements with an innovative social media

strategy increases brand awareness and creates a deeper emotional connection with consumers.

1 INTRODUCTION

In today's business environment, brand marketing

methods and strategies are undergoing significant

transformations, including increased personalization

of marketing messages, enhanced interactivity

between brands and consumers, and a greater reliance

on data-driven insights. The new media model refers

to web-related technologies that enable interaction

between users and brands through platforms such as

social media and blogs (Yujie, Al Imran Yasin,

Alsagoff & Hoon, 2022). This model has become a

key force in change. With the rapid rise of new media

models, interactions between brands and consumers

have become more frequent and more direct. New

media has not only changed traditional marketing

strategies but has also redefined consumer buying

behavior and brand perception. Influenced by social

media, consumers are no longer passive receivers of

information, but have become important participants

in brand communication, which has fundamentally

changed consumption patterns (Zhou, 2021). The

new model of instant communication between brands

and consumers via social media, mobile apps and

digital platforms has significantly increased brand

visibility and awareness.

Celebrity endorsement is an important marketing

strategy that has become increasingly common in

brand communication in recent years. Celebrities not

only attract the attention of consumers effectively.

They also enhance the sense of trust in the brand.

According to relevant research, the celebrity effect

influences consumers' cognitive and emotional

perceptions, which in turn affects their purchasing

intentions and behavior (Piven & Breazeale, 2017).

This effect is even more pronounced in social media

communication. Through cooperation with brands,

celebrities not only promote brand exposure, but also

further enhance brand image through social

interaction with users.

STAYREAL is a trendy brand founded by the

famous musician Ashin. By making full use of

celebrity effects and the characteristics of new media,

it has effectively attracted the attention of a large

number of young consumers. The influence of AShin

and his band Mayday has made STAYREAL a

remarkable success in social media marketing.

Through the communication power of social media,

STAYREAL has not only increased brand awareness,

but also created a unique brand image and enhanced

consumer brand loyalty.

This thesis aims to explore the specific application

of celebrity effect in the marketing of the

STAYREAL brand on platforms such as

Xiaohongshu, Weibo, and Instagram, and to analyze

how it can enhance brand awareness through the

influence of Ashin and the band Mayday. Through the

Xu, K.

The Application of Celebrity Effect in Brand Marketing Under the New Media Model: STAYREAL as an Example.

DOI: 10.5220/0013986400004916

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication (PRMC 2025), pages 84-89

ISBN: 978-989-758-778-8

analysis of questionnaires on consumer attitudes,

brand awareness and purchase intentions, this article

will assess the actual effectiveness of the celebrity

effect in STAYREAL's marketing and how

consumers respond to the brand.

The following chapters will first define the

relevant concepts of the new media model, then

explore the theoretical basis of the celebrity effect,

and subsequently analyze the marketing strategy of

the STAYREAL brand and its application on new

media platforms. Finally, consumer feedback is

presented and analyzed using questionnaire methods,

and corresponding conclusions and recommendations

are proposed. Through this series of studies, this

article hopes to provide theoretical support and

practical guidance for brands to more effectively use

the celebrity effect in the new media environment.

2 THEORETICAL

FOUNDATIONS OF NEW

MEDIA AND THE CELEBRITY

EFFECT IN BRAND

MARKETING

2.1 Characteristics of New Media

New media has transformed communication through

key features such as interactivity, immediacy, and

personalization. Interactivity enables real-time

interaction between brands and consumers,

promoting deeper relationships and immediate

feedback (Yujie et al., 2022). Immediacy ensures the

rapid spread of information, allowing brands to

quickly respond to market trends and maintain a

continuous dialogue with consumers (Zhou, 2023). In

addition, personalized use of data analysis to target

marketing messages to individual preferences can

increase the effectiveness and engagement of

marketing activities (Yujie et al., 2022). These

characteristics require brands to adjust their strategies

to maximize the potential of new media.

2.2 Impact of New Media on Brand

Marketing Strategies

The rise of new media has transformed brand

marketing from one-way advertising to two-way

communication, cultivating consumer trust and

loyalty through increased engagement and user-

generated content, thereby enhancing brand

authenticity (Zhou, 2023). In addition, brands can use

data-driven insights and the immediacy of new media

to understand consumer behavior and interact in real

time, so as to create relevant and targeted content

(Bhatt & Jain, 2023).

2.3 Theoretical Foundation of

Celebrity Effect

The celebrity effect significantly influences

consumer behavior through cognitive, emotional, and

behavioral dimensions. Celebrities enhance the

credibility of a brand by associating positive

attributes with the brand, and promote consumer trust

and approval of the brand (Liu, 2022). In terms of

emotions, trusted celebrities generate a strong

emotional connection with the brand and promote

consumer loyalty (Qi, 2024). This interaction often

translates into a higher purchase willingness, as

consumers feel connected to the likeable celebrity

(Meng & Xia Hou, 2020). Social media multiplies

this effect. Direct interaction fosters parasocial

relationships, and fans feel a personal connection,

which increases the effect of endorsement (Chen, Xu

& Cai, 2021).

3 ANALYSIS OF STAYREAL'S

NEW MEDIA MARKETING

STRATEGIES

STAYREAL is a trendy clothing brand co-founded in

2007 by Ashin, the lead singer of the rock band

Mayday in Taiwan, and the famous illustrator Chen

Boliang (Wang & Lin, 2021). The brand name is a

play on the word ‘stereo’ and reflects the fusion of

rock culture with elements of innocence, humor and

realism. STAYREAL initially focused on T-shirts,

but has now expanded its product line to include a

range of clothing styles and accessories, dolls and

more, in collaboration with international brands and

popular cartoon characters.

The brand positions itself in the youth market and

uses Ashin's celebrity status and Mayday's cultural

influence to attract young consumers. This

positioning is reflected in STAYREAL's core values,

which emphasize authenticity, creativity, and a

connection to music culture.

3.1 Social Media Marketing

STAYREAL effectively harnessed the celebrity

effect through various new media platforms such as

Weibo, Xiaohongshu and Instagram. By leveraging

The Application of Celebrity Effect in Brand Marketing Under the New Media Model: STAYREAL as an Example

the influence of Ashin and the popularity of Mayday,

the brand developed a marketing strategy that

resonated deeply with the target audience.

STAYREAL maintains active accounts on platforms

like Weibo, Instagram, and Xiaohongshu, fostering

community by interacting with fans. The brand often

interacts with the official accounts of Mayday and

Ashin, which greatly enhances the connection

between consumers and the brand. This strategy not

only encourages fan participation but also strengthens

the overall engagement between the audience and

STAYREAL.

3.2 Influencer Marketing

The appearances by Ashin and members of Mayday

in the promotional materials have greatly increased

the brand popularity of STAYREAL. Concert videos

have a wide spread on social media platforms (Gao et

al., 2023). During the concert, the band members

often wore STAYREAL clothing, and the spread of

the concert video effectively increased the brand's

exposure. This linking enhances brand visibility and

establishes a direct connection between the celebrity

and the product.

3.3 User-Generated Content

STAYREAL employs user-generated content (UGC)

to cultivate fans' brand loyalty. By encouraging

customers to share their experiences of using

STAYREAL products and matching on social media

platforms, the brand has cultivated a group of

advocates. In addition, Ashin's personal involvement,

such as replying to posts and sharing fan content,

deepens the emotional connection. This interaction

makes fans feel noticed and valued, thereby

increasing the brand's affinity and loyalty among

consumers.

3.4 Event Marketing

STAYREAL also uses innovative marketing

strategies, such as pop-up stores and limited-time

events, to build enthusiasm for new product launches.

The STAYREAL PARK pop-up store is a prime

example of this strategy. It was opened in line with

the time and location of the Mayday concert, and it

offered exclusive merchandise and interactive

experiences to attract consumers. In addition,

STAYREAL actively monitors fan feedback on

social media platforms to adjust the quantity and style

of products to ensure that consumer needs are better

met. STAYREAL and STAYREAL PARK

consistently update their social media accounts with

news and promotions, effectively engaging

consumers through a dual-channel approach.

4 ANALYSIS OF THE

MARKETING

EFFECTIVENESS OF

STAYREAL UTILIZING

CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT

IN NEW MEDIA

This section presents an analysis of the results from

the questionnaire survey, focusing on consumer

perceptions of the STAYREAL brand. A particular

focus will be placed on the impact of the celebrity

endorsement by both Ashin and the band Mayday.

The analysis will explore key areas such as consumer

brand awareness, attitudes towards the brand and

purchase intentions. The analysis will also examine

the relationship between the survey results and the

marketing strategies discussed in the previous section.

It will explore the practical implications of celebrity

influence in the context of new media marketing,

highlighting how these endorsements can shape

consumer behavior and brand engagement.

This study adopted the form of online

questionnaire distributed through the Questionnaire

Star applet and offline questionnaire distributed in

STAYREAL's physical shop in Shanghai to conduct

a questionnaire survey to STAYREAL's consumers.

A total of 237 online and offline questionnaires were

distributed and invalid questionnaires were screened

based on respondents' response time and polygraph

questions. A total of 167 valid questionnaires were

collected online and 48 offline, with an effective rate

of 90.7%.

4.1 Consumer Perception of

STAYREAL

4.1.1 Brand Recognition

Figure 1 indicates that a significant majority of

respondents (37%) discovered the STAYREAL

brand primarily through Xiaohongshu, followed by

Weibo (18%) and recommendations from friends

(12%).

PRMC 2025 - International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication

Figure 1. Distribution of channels through which consumers discover the STAYREAL brand.

Alt Text for the figure: A pie chart illustrating the percentage distribution of various channels, with Xiaohongshu

at 37%, Weibo at 18%, and recommendations from friends at 12%.

This data suggests that social media platforms

play a crucial role in brand recognition and consumer

engagement. This finding shows that people

(especially younger people) rely heavily on new

media platforms to learn about brands, with 75.81%

of respondents under the age of 34. The survey results

show that STAYREAL's brand recognition is mainly

due to its success on digital platforms, with

Xiaohongshu and Weibo playing a leading role. The

engagement strategies adopted by STAYREAL on

these platforms resonate strongly with its target

audience, suggesting a successful adaptation to digital

marketing trends.

4.1.2 Brand Attitude

Figure 2. Perceived impact of Ashin and Mayday on

STAYREAL’s brand image.

Alt Text for the figure: A bar chart indicating that

87.44% of respondents perceive the influence of

Ashin and Mayday on STAYREAL's brand image as

'very significant', with an additional 11.16% rating it

as 'significant'.

Figure 2 shows that 87.44% of respondents

perceived the impact of Ashin and Mayday on the

STAYREAL brand image as 'very significant', with a

further 11.16% rating the impact as 'significant'. This

combined total of 98.6% underlines the significant

role that celebrity endorsements play in shaping

consumer perceptions of brand credibility and appeal.

This is consistent with the theory that celebrity

endorsement can enhance brand credibility and

attractiveness, making consumers more likely to trust

and relate to the brand (Liu, 2022).

4.2 Purchase Intentions

4.2.1 Influence of Celebrity Endorsement

STAYREAL's collaboration with Ashin and Mayday

has attracted significant attention on platforms such

as Xiaohongshu and Weibo, enhancing the brand's

marketing effectiveness.

Figure 3. Respondents’ purchase intentions after interacting

with celebrity-linked content.

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The Application of Celebrity Effect in Brand Marketing Under the New Media Model: STAYREAL as an Example

Alt Text for the figure: A bar graph showing that

95.82% of respondents are more likely to purchase

STAYREAL products after exposure to content

featuring Ashin or Mayday.

Figure 3 shows that 95.82% of respondents said

that they were more likely to buy STAYREAL

products after being exposed to Ashin or Mayday-

related content on social media. This suggests that the

celebrity effect significantly heightens consumers'

likelihood of purchasing products, reinforcing the

idea that effective celebrity endorsements can lead to

higher sales conversions (Meng & Xia Hou, 2020).

4.2.2 New Media Marketing Performance

Analysis of STAYREAL's marketing performance on

new media platforms demonstrates the significant

role that celebrity endorsements play in driving

engagement and strengthening brand presence.

Figure 4. Respondents’ purchase intentions when engaging

with STAYREAL’s new media

campaigns compared to

traditional methods.

Alt Text for the figure: A comparative bar chart

indicating that 95.82% of respondents express a

higher likelihood of purchasing STAYREAL

products after seeing content linked to Ashin or

Mayday on social media.

According to Figure 4, 95.82% of respondents

said that after seeing content related to Ashin or

Mayday on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and

Weibo, they are more likely to consider buying

STAYREAL products.

In addition, STAYREAL's new media campaign

has also achieved good participation indicators. In

October and November 2024, the official

STAYREAL Xiaohongshu account averaged 2,500

likes per post. Posts that featured Ashin or were

directly endorsed by him achieved an average of

6,500likes, a remarkable increase of 160%. This

shows that Ashin's celebrity status has a unique

influence in terms of expanding the reach and

influence of brand content.

During Mayday’s Shanghai concert series,

STAYREAL launched the SKY MOJO EXPO

campaign in collaboration with Shanghai Oriental

Pearl Tower. The related Weibo topic received 3.242

million views and 13,000 interactions, further

demonstrating the widespread interest generated by

celebrity-backed campaigns. The success of this

event highlights the synergy between STAYREAL’s

branding and Mayday’s cultural influence.

SKY MOJO EXPO and concert-related

promotional activities directly translated into sales.

STAYREAL's flagship product, MOJO CARROT,

sold more than 20,000 units through its Taobao

flagship store during the Shanghai concert,

accounting for an estimated 20% of total sales.

Offline sales at the STAYREAL PARK pop-up store

are expected to account for 80% of sales, reinforcing

the importance of combining online and offline

channels in event-driven marketing.

5 CONCLUSION

This study explores the application of the celebrity

effect in brand marketing, using STAYREAL as a

case study within the new media model. Analysis

shows that integrating new media platforms such as

Weibo and Xiaohongshu is crucial to improving

brand awareness and engagement with young

consumers. In addition, there is a significant

correlation between celebrity-related content and

increased consumer engagement and purchase intent,

supporting the hypothesis that celebrity endorsements

can lead to significant sales conversions.

Based on the research results, STAYREAL can

improve its marketing strategy to further strengthen

its marketing efforts. First, the brand should continue

to leverage Ashin's celebrity status and Mayday's

cultural influence to create more interactive and

engaging content on social media platforms, thereby

strengthening the emotional connection with

consumers. In addition, STAYREAL should consider

expanding its user-generated content activities by

encouraging fans to share personal stories and brand

experiences. This will foster a sense of community

and belonging among the audience. Finally, time-

limited collaborations or exclusive flash experiences

around concerts or cultural events can be launched for

more targeted marketing to better convert attention

into sales.

Overall, this study provides a fundamental

analysis of the celebrity effect in brand marketing and

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PRMC 2025 - International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication

will help to explore innovative marketing strategies in

the rapidly evolving digital environment.

There are also some limitations to this study. The

scope of the research was limited to a specific

population, focusing on young consumers who are

familiar with STAYREAL and its associated

celebrities. Future research could survey a wider

range of people to gain a comprehensive

understanding of the influence of brands across

different consumer groups.

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The Application of Celebrity Effect in Brand Marketing Under the New Media Model: STAYREAL as an Example