Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Earn an Accounting Degree Online 2019

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most cherished industries presently and during the next decade are employment services, health care, and consulting. Although these jobs may appear different they have one aspect that is common to all. All these professionals need an accounting professional. There is endless job potential for accounting professionals. An accountant can work in public accounting firms, government, or even large companies. An accountant may prefer to be on his own and can become an independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Other few responsibilities of an accounting professional are to carry out audits, formulate budgets, make financial statements and manage expenditure. All or any of the above mentioned could be an accounting professionals daily job. This field is rapidly growing. Accounting-related employment for individuals with a bachelors degree in accounting is predicted to increase by approximately 20% by the next few years. Converting statistics to figures, it means that over 200,000 new accountants will be required to meet the demand by the year 2017. .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8:active, .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8 .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .uf28dcdd401d43f91410a764b8d47c7f8:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Beliefs that are Hurting your CareerThe route to the degree is a long one, and need lot of on campus time, lot of classes to attend, pushing pencil and paper, and listening to a lecture, right? Wrong! Latest accounting classes are so nice you can attend them anywhere, classes at home, at a cafe; on the beach anywhere you find an internet connection. These on line programs let you finish your studies anywhere you feel comfortable. There are a number of online programs. They are very convenient to do also. This program is offered by many schools, and the student has a wide variety of options also. There are degree levels courses offered by some universities, such as: University of Phoenix Online (Associate of Arts in Accounting), Capella University (Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business – Accounting), Colorado Technical University (Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Accounting). All levels of accounting programs can be found online, Associates, Bachelors, and Masters. Coming to the main point: Salary Projections .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2:active, .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2 .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .uae4ca76d003605cff432334a19261dd2:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Bachelor Degree in Management Making a Career Out of Project ManagementAn accounting degree can be very beneficial. According to HotJobs.com the remuneration for an average entry-level accountant is $39,000. Armed with higher levels of accounting degrees the salaries may reach the $70,000 range. Based on the type of industry and experience, accounting professionals can earn easily up to six figures. How to find an Accredited Online Accounting Degree course There are many search tools available on the web. College-Pages.com, the leading education and career resource website, maintains a list of top accounting colleges and online degree courses. To obtain the details, fill a brief information request form for an on-campus or online accounting school. Next confirm if the school or university is accredited. Go to the schools website and search for accreditation. You can even call the schools admissions department and enquire about the accreditation and the name of their accreditation body. You may even search for the name of the school at the United States Department of Educations Office of Postsecondary Education Web site. .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568:active, .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568 .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u121065d4777115e8b92d673d4a62b568:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Programming in JavaWhat is accreditation, what is its importance? An accredited school is on which adheres to the required educational quality and operations, the school is also appraised frequently to ascertain it. This means that, graduating from an accredited online degree course enhances the reliability of the student in the job market. Finally, ask others about the prospective school. Better still take a virtual tour. Talk to the ex-students. Find out regarding the availability of financial aid and the procedure of its application. Now you can go forward and enroll. Study hard and believe in yourself. Achieve your dreams and secure your future. Related ArticlesAccounting Services for Small BusinessesAccounting Training Can Add Up to a Brighter Future for YouNonprofit Jobs Training to be a Fundraiser at a Nonprofit OrganizationOnline Associate Degree in Business Using an Associates Degree to Work as an Accounting TechnicianBuy and Sell Accounting BusinessesOnline Associate Degree in Criminal Justice Financing a Criminal Justice Degree

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Growing Popularity of Extreme Sports Essay - 1255 Words

Extreme Sports Over the past ten years I have noticed that my local snowboarding park has become more crowded every season, especially with younger kids. This has not only been the case for snowboarding, but for all extreme sports. I’ve noticed this trend at my local skateboarding park also. More so, there has been a noticeable increase of extreme sports being broadcast on television today than ever before. These changes caused me to ask the question: why have extreme sports become so popular to youngsters? It could be the appeal people have toward the imminent possibility that someone might get seriously hurt, but I doubt it. I think the media, especially television, has definitely increased extreme sports popularity. In this essay I†¦show more content†¦I remember going middle school and not being able to talk to the guys without the â€Å"X Games† being brought up. Not only has ESPN2 further popularized extreme sports, but so has NBC with the competition â€Å"Gravity Ga mes† and the â€Å"Gorge Games† and Fox Sports Net with â€Å"Fusion TV†, which contains a multitude of extreme shows like â€Å"Bluetorch† and â€Å"54321†. With the creation of the â€Å"X Games†, there has been a noticeable increase in popularity of these sports. This can be seen through the new market created by extreme sport companies. These can be associated with the letter â€Å"X† or the word â€Å"extreme† in there clothing line. â€Å"McCarthy suggested that extreme sports currently boast over fifty-eight million consumers who wield $250 billion in buying power†. (McCarthy) This new market place created by the television exposure of extreme sports is enough evidence to prove that extreme sports have increased in popularity. With the increase in popularity of extreme sports Bennet, Henson, and Zhang preformed an experiment with 367 middle and high school students to seek their perceptions toward extreme sports. In part of their conclusion they concluded that generation â€Å"y† (17- 7 years old) has a thirty percent more interest in extreme sports that generation â€Å"x†(18-28 years old). This proves that extreme sports have had an increase in popularity, but they weren’t satisfied. They went on to research which media type might be responsible for this and concluded that over videoShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of Extreme Sports1334 Words   |  6 Pagesmost paramount growing trend in the world today is the proliferation and integration of extreme sports. This is a very important trend, and I am going to talk about the reason why the trend has emerged through brief history, pros and cons. My goal is to make sure that this trend is well-understood. Extreme sports are more popular am ong young people; we could say that the spectacular stunts used in these wild sports attract mostly younger generation. Most participants in these sports put their livesRead MoreAction Sports and Television Essay1348 Words   |  6 Pages Action Sports and Television Actions sports have always been interesting to me. The way the athletes perform their tricks, how judges score them, and how the camera operators keep up with such a fast paced competition. The more I thought of my interest in this subject, the more I wanted to know. The growth of action sports on television follows the same pattern of any other type of show genre in its early stages. Documentaries, themed shows or movies, and especially the coverage on live televisionRead MoreSports And Education : Paving The Way For A New American Life995 Words   |  4 PagesSports Education: Paving the Way for a New American Life in North Carolina With the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865, the â€Å"New South† as the native folks of North Carolina began referring their state by, sought a new way of American lifestyle through the rapid growth and popularity of organized sports. A nation controlled by ideals of the racist white male suppressed the ability of women, the poor, and African Americans to create a prosperous life for themselves. Pamela Grundy is able to beautifullyRead MoreSwot Analysis for Adidas970 Words   |  4 PagesSWOT analysis for Adidas 1. For more than 80 years Adidas Group is involved in world of sport at every level. Specifically, providing sport people with footwear, clothing and great range of accessories. In addition it has a big portfolio of products which are available everywhere in the world. Company concentrates its strategy on strengthening their brands and products in order to improve competitiveness and financial performance. Their portfolio includes such brands as: Adidas - FootwearRead MoreWhy Is Drone Racing Is Different?1410 Words   |  6 Pagesfew weeks ago: popularity. Dubbed an aerial version of NASCAR by CNet, drone racing has become wildly popular in a very short amount of time. America’s first national drone racing championship was only held in summer of 2015, so the fact that ESPN is jumping on the sport during its infancy is impressive. As with video games, drone racing requires top-notch hardware, excellent skill and solid strategy to master. Unfortunately, the two fields are also similar in that they are often sports of the affluentRead More The Physics behind Daredevil Motorcycle Jumpers Essay951 Words   |  4 Pageswill be designed to prevent death or serious injury (crash padding). Daredevils will be able to launch further and higher than ever before because the technology of their day will allow them to do so. Although these improvements will help advance the sport of motorcycle jumping, there are still many factors involved. Safety is the most important thing, so riders still need to check all aspects of the jump. An important factor is the ramp itself; is the angle of trajectory right? If it is too high theRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs : Steroids, Androstenedione, And Ephedra Alkaloids996 Words   |  4 PagesPerformance Enhancing Drugs In today’s world, sports have become more and more about winning than the game itself. Success within sports not only comes with status, but popularity and fame as well. 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Performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids, androstenedione, and ephedra alkaloids are all used by athletes to ta ke the shortcut to success and bypass all the hard work that successRead MoreMixed Martial Arts : Boxing1205 Words   |  5 PagesThere is perhaps no other sport in the world that tests an individual’s will than Mixed Martial Arts. Unlike boxing or football that specializes in one discipline, Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA is a sport that incorporates a diverse of regime of preparation. A typical day for a this athlete begins early in the morning enduring grueling sessions of strength and conditioning and continuing on through the twelve hour day with practicing a multitude of martial arts like kickboxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsuRead MoreMountain Dew1446 Words   |  6 Pagesable to do well in suburban places as well. Context – The Do the Dew campaign which has been the main reason behind the success of Mountain Dew brand is entering into eighth Year. There is a growing threat from Non-Carbonated Soft drinks and also the company feels that they have oversaturated the extreme sports part in their campaign. The market Share of Pepsi is decreasing in all Categories except Dew , and so the company management feels that it’s the time to change the advertisement strategy in

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Market Entry Strategies Free Essays

Introduction Market entry strategies refer to modes of accessing a share of clients en masse in a new environment. This paper will give an overview of different market entry options available and their extent of applicability in the Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company’s effort to enter the US market. It will also evaluate Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company by considering indirect market entry options in entering the US market. We will write a custom essay sample on Market Entry Strategies or any similar topic only for you Order Now Market entry strategies Market entry strategies can be divided into two broad categories: indirect and direct market. In choosing either of these, one should have analyzed the company in context using various analytical tools. The analysis should focus on the companies’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities available and threats that the company might be experiencing. It also involves accessing balancing of costs, control and risks. A company should be determined to operate internationally before choosing a market entry strategy. It should also be convinced also understand that she is about to undertake a long term inflexible commitment whose withdraw would be costly. The results that these will deliver will determine, in the case of Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company, the best entry strategy (Jalan, 2004:234). Direct entry strategy. Exporting There are various modes of direct market entry. In the case, of Abu Dhabi Company exporting is not an option since it is a service delivery company. Besides, this strategy would result in reduced control and higher risks in investment. In addition, Abu Dhabi National has a higher asset base, therefore, can engage in a promising investment strategy (Jalan, 2004:234). Licensing and Franchising Licensing and franchising can be a viable alternative if the Company wishes to have minimal financial and control commitments. In licensing, Abu Dhabi National Hotels will purchase trading rights from a potential partner in the US. This means it may not retain its current trademarks and other intellectual property- it will outsource from the licenser. Licensing is whereby a local company grants a foreign company the right to use its intellectual property. In licensing, the Abu Dhabi Company will incur costs of purchase of third party rights of which it will operate under. Franchising is whereby; the Franchiser (parent company) grants a foreign company (franchisee) the right to do business in a prescribed way. In cases where a country restricts importation, licensing would be viable means of penetrating such a market for foreign investors (Jalan, 2004:235,236). Contract Manufacturing In search for a means to foreign markets, contract manufacturing may also be an alternative. In this strategy, a company operating multinational business will contract foreign companies to produce such goods while it retains the duty of marketing them. This would be unlikely option for Abu Dhabi National Hotels since it is a service based company (Jalan, 2004:235).. Management Contracting In Management contracting, the international firm supplies management knowledge for another in the foreign country. The technical advisory firm may not be stakeholder of the said company. Its role is to manage without the risk of loss and benefit ownership. This would be beneficial entry tool for the Abu Dhabi because the local knowledge adaptable to the new environment there can be outsources locally (Jalan, 2004:235). Indirect market entry strategy Indirect Exporting In indirect market entry, indirect exporting is one of the alternatives. In this method, a company manufactures its goods and allows other companies to export these goods to foreign countries. The main concern here is since expertise is necessary in penetrating the new market a hired firm will do it in precision to promote its client. The firms sought after in this strategy are those with longtime the experience. This method also involves the lowest risk factor for companies with no foreign experience like in this case of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (Giligan1986:101, Zisa, 2008:12). Direct Exporting This mode of accessing the foreign market involves high costs in transporting and marketing. The firm here manufactures goods in one country and then incurs the cost of marketing them abroad. This may take place through sales by foreign distributors, sales agents, overseas sales subsidiaries (Chee and Harris 1998:294). Strategic Alliance Another alternative would turn out to be strategic alliance. In this strategy, the company would form an alliance with its potential competitors in the working environment. Conclusion The US is one of the world’s economic towers. Abu Dhabi National Hotel Company rationale can be justified by the fact that there is a potential market in America. The state also enjoys stable politics although currently there are uncertainties linked to the politics of this world military superpower. That is why franchising or licensing would be a likely method for the Abu Dhabi Hotel Company. Besides, strategic alliance and creation of mergers would cushion the Hotel Company from uncertainties in the foreign market. By fact, market entry strategies have a profound effect on how a firm may access a given market in the globe. They also influence the profits made and the risks that may turn out to threats in the future. Making such a concrete decision requires evaluation of the company’s current strengths, asset base, bargaining power and foreign business policies. With these at hand, a firm can make such a longtime commitment in the foreign market once the marketer has arrived at an appropriate entry strategy. (Gillespie et al, 2011:247,248) References Andexer Thomas (2008) Analysis and Evaluation of Market Entry Modes Into the Asia-Pacific Region. Norderstedt, GRIN Verlag Chee Harold, Harris Rod (1998), Global Marketing Strategy. London. Pitman Publishers Gillespie Kate, Jeannet Jean-Pierre, Hennessey H. David (2011) Global Marketing. Mason OH. Cengage Learning. Gilligan Colin, Martin Hird, (1986) International Marketing: Strategy and Management Kent-Great Britain Mackays of Chatham Ltd. Jalan P. K. (2004) Industrial Sector Reforms In Globalization Era. New Delhi, Prabhat Kumar Sarma Tielmann Viktor (2010) Market Entry Strategies: International Marketing Management Norderstedt, GRIN Verlag Yoshino Michael Y. and Rangan Srinivasa U. (1995). Strategic Alliances: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Globalization Harvard, Harvard University Press Zisa Letizia (2010) Positioning and Opportunity Assessment Report with Main Focus on Germany, China USA, New Zealand. Norderstedt, GRIN Verlag. How to cite Market Entry Strategies, Essay examples Market Entry Strategies Free Essays Companies have a wide range of possibilities for market entry strategies; however, they need to choose the right one for each market, bearing in mind the particular circumstances (Johnston 1998:101). When making marketing decisions, the service exporter should keep in mind some universal characteristics of services that set them apart from goods: intangibility, degree of inseparability, human intensiveness, propriety knowledge, perishability, and heterogeneity (Reif 1997:19). Depending on the service, one particular quality may be more applicable than the others. We will write a custom essay sample on Market Entry Strategies or any similar topic only for you Order Now The combination of services’ intangible characteristics, along with other qualities, expand both the possibilities and obstacles for international market entry strategies of service providers, and any market entry strategy must be accompanied by a clear understanding of what delineates the difference between a service and a goods export (Reif 1997:20). There are several proven market entry methods and channels that a service exporter can utilize without the resource commitment necessary for foreign direct investment. Every service provider must decide which method of market entry will provide the greatest chance of market penetration. According to Reif, a service firm’s success will depend on four factors such as alliances with local companies, the ability to protect intellectual property, advertising, and marketing strategies and access to financial resources. Also, what marketing venue the firm decides to take will ultimately depend upon its internal capacity and creativity drive, and tenacity of its overseas partners. Market entry methods consist of all the possible alternatives to developing a business presence in a foreign market. Three major market entry strategies available for the service provider are exporting, contractual agreements and foreign direct investment (Reif 1997:21). A business deciding to offer its product outside its domestic home market has various entry strategy options such as: exporting the product already produced for the home market; licensing the product idea or production supplies to a third party who operates across national boundaries or in overseas markets; franchising arrangements – such as McDonald’s outlets in many countries; joint venture between a domestic company and a foreign company or government, or strategic alliance to form partnerships across national boundaries; the use of trading companies, that provide links between buyers and sellers in different countries; or foreign direct investment – possibly including the acquisition of an established business – which is long term commitment to a non-domestic market and is resource-demanding (Dibbs 2004:220). The degree of commitment begins, as it were, with direct selling overseas (exporting), and ends with a complex business investment in foreign markets such as a production facility or international joint venture (Copper 1998: 322). According to Copper, firms will engage heavily in international business operations tend not to make distinction between home and overseas business, just like for example, Zeneca, the major UK pharmaceuticals producer, which makes this a plank of its mission statement. Regardless of a firm’s market entry decision, the particular strategy that drives a services firm must correspond with the legal framework for business that exist in a targeted country, and the requirements concerning the scope of practice and legal structure of business should be carefully examined (Reif 1997:21). Choice of market entry depends greatly on variable factors such as current regulatory policy and the extent of domestic competition. Relationships are going to become increasingly international with inter-firm cooperation spanning a multiplicity of cultures, languages, and outlooks, thus, the international marketing in the future will almost need more competencies in communication and relationship management than even in the immediate past. List of References Cooper, C. L., Argyris, C.   (1998). The Concise Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management. New York: Blackwell Publishing. Dibb, S., Simkin, L. (2004). Marketing Briefs: A Revision and Study Guide. New York: Butterworth-Heinemann. Johnston, S., Beaton, H.   (1998). Foundations of International Marketing. London: Thomson Learning EMEA. Reif, J., Ditterich, K. M., Larsen, M. G., Ostrea, R. A.   (1997). Services–the Export of the 21st Century: A Guidebook for US Service Exporters. New York: World Trade Press. Stone, M. A., McCall, J. B.   (2004). International Strategic Marketing: A European Perspective. New York: Routledge.          How to cite Market Entry Strategies, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Critically Evaluate Effect of Celebrity Endorsement on Brand Affinity free essay sample

To begin with, this essay discusses the positive effects of celebrity endorsement on brand affinity in terms of reassuring consumers of the product qualities and differentiating a brand from its competitors, using Nike-Golf and Canon case studies. Then, the essay discusses hazardous effects towards brand affinity when using celebrity endorsement with reference to the Tiger Woods’ infidelity and David Beckham multiple images case studies. These effects include celebrities’ images changing and loss of public recognition, and public controversy. Finally, there is a discussion and an emphasis on the celebrity endorsement’s rewards that lead to the higher level of brand affinity. In this essay, the term celebrity is defined as ‘people who enjoy public recognition and who often have distinctive attributes such as attractiveness and trustworthiness’ (McCracken, 1989; Silvera and Austad, 2004 cited in Kumar, 2010, p. 5). As Schlecht (2003, p. 3) states ‘†¦Celebrities generally differ from the social norm and enjoy a high degree of public awareness’. There could be eight classical forms of celebrity which include actors (e. g. Pierce Brosnan, Angelina Jolie Pritt), models (e. . Naomi Campbell, Gisele Buendchen), sports athletes (e. g. Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, David Beckham), entertainers (e. g. Oprah Winfrey), singers (e. g. Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Jenifer Lopez, Black Eyed Peas), businesspeople (e. g. Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs), politicians (e. g. Barak Obama), and high-society people (e. g. Prince William, Victoria Beckham) (Schlecht, 2003, p. 3-4). Commonly, the brands have the distinct images and personalities that attract the consumers. The intense favorable emotional connection between consumers and the brands is taken to mean ‘brand affinity’ in this essay. The brand affinity is not usually logical, but it is powerful. It encourages consumers to view a brand as the representative of a personal aspect of their persona (DeGabrielle, 2011). To illustrate, ACNielsen (2006) states that Armani is a brand that stands for well-understood attributes as high quality, sophistication and style – timeless values with global appeal. Consumers tend to buy Armani because they would like to be part of that shared identity. DeGabrielle (2011) suggests that ‘†¦[Consumers] perceive the brand as representing their values – or believe being associated with these brands makes them more â€Å"cool†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. For Armani, the utilization of David and Victoria Beckham- who are suggested to have a glamorous lifestyle- in Emporio Armani underwear could be an example of endorsing the brand stylish and sophisticated images affect consumers by celebrities. It has been believed that celebrity endorsement could be a marketing communication tool that helps strengthen brand affinity to the brands. The meaning movement from celebrities’ qualities towards the endorsed products could be illustrated in figure1. Source: www. clothingbrands24. com Figure 1: Meaning Movement and Endorsement Process (Source: McCracken, 1989 cited in Kumar, 2010, p. 25) The first positive effect of celebrity endorsement on brand affinity is that celebrities could reassure product quality in consumers’ minds. Consumers are usually reluctant to believe in quality of product unless they have consumed it. For this reason, seeing celebrity reputation attached to the brands could mitigate some uncertainty and make it easier for the product to become the consumers’ brand choice (Elberse, 2009). For example, before 1996, although Nike appeared to be well-respected as a successful brand in mainstream sports apparel especially in footwear, it was generally considered to be less likely to be successful in entering the golf category because it had limited experience in an elite category. However, Nike decided to utilize its area of expertise to build the equity in golf arena by collaborating with the athlete stars similar to the successful platform made with Michael Jordan. Nike associated with world rising golf star at that time- Tiger Woods who appeared to be the symbol of fast success and endurance-and became an emerging successful brand in golf apparels, equipments, and accessories without actual proved qualities. The statistic in COMPUSTAT (cited in Farrell, et al. , 2000, p. 2) explains that after Nike signed a five-year contract worth approximately forty to sixty million dollars with Tiger Woods in 1996, the returns seemed to be instantaneous and lucrative. The golf apparel and footwear sales of Nike was double the contract fee to approximately one-hundred twenty million dollars on the fiscal year ended on May 31, 1997. Furthermore, the sales of the entire company in the following quarter rose by fifty-five percent as a result of Tiger Woods’ endorsement (Farrell, et al. , 2000, p. 2). Nike has appeared to be an admirable brand in sports apparel- ranked number one for the industry (Fortune on CNN Money, 2011). Source: www. theblemish. com Another reward of celebrity endorsement on brand affinity is the perceived brand differentiation by consumers. In this twenty-first century, there are thousands of brands worldwide. Consumers seem to be more selective and would prefer the brands with the outstanding images that help express their styles. For that reason, celebrity endorsement could convey distinctive attributes that differentiates the brand from its competitors. For instance, as Elberse (2009) explains that ‘Canons reason for turning to Maria Sharapova was her reputation as someone who plays aggressively but with precision, and who has a sense of style exactly the kinds of attributes it hoped to emphasize in marketing its line of PowerShot cameras’. The clear images of Sharapova lead to the distinct images of Canon to consumers. Consumers preempt those attributes and feel proud to use Canon PowerShot cameras as they see the difference of stylish Canon to static Nikon or the unclear image of Panasonic. Therefore, Canon appears to have higher number of referrals among consumers and is on the top rank for compact digital camera category, despite their actual qualities. Source: www. letsgodigital. org Source: www. coloribus. com Despite the fact that celebrity endorsement leads to stronger brand affinity, it conveys the potential hazard to consumers’ affection for brand as the celebrities’ images could change and lose public recognition. The lapse in professional performances may lead to lose in celebrities’ popularity. The preventive tactics for marketers are to study celebrities’ personal and professional life cycles and research on their possibilities to maintain or positively transfer the brand images. Take David Beckham as an example, since his movement from Manchester United to Real Madrid, AC Milan, and LA Galaxy, he has gradually declined in his top form as the professional football player. He could lose public recognition if he merely maintains a sole image because he is not anymore a representative of the successful athlete with high performance. However, David Beckham appears to convey multiple images such as Posh’s husband, fashion icon, father of four children, and football player, therefore, his life expectancy as brand endorser could be favorably extended (Vincent, et al. , 2009, p. 177). Consumers still appear to be attracted to Beckham’s endorsed brand as Adidas and Armani. Another potential damage to brand affinity results from celebrities’ public controversies. Rumors, and scandals caused by celebrities’ behaviors could be sources of negative brand images, thus they may ruin consumers’ affections for the brand. As Chung, et al. (2011, p. 4) states that ‘To name a few, Nike: Kobe Bryant when charged with rape, Pepsi: Mike Tyson when charged with beating his wife, Hertz: OJ Simpson and his ? rst degree murder charge, Prince tennis racket: Jennifer Capriati when charged with marijuana possession, [and Nike: Tiger Woods’ in? elity in November 2009. ]’. One study shows evidence that the negative publicity hitting a celebrity who endorses the brand leads to the decline in company’s stock price (Louie, Kulik, and Johnson, 2001 cited in Alsmadi, 2006, p. 73). For example, Knittel and Stango (2009 cited in Chung, et al . , 2011, p. 8) who study the negative impact of Tiger Woods’ infidelity scandal states that ‘†¦By looking at the stock prices of the ? rms that Tiger Woods endorses, they estimate that, after the event in November 2009, shareholders of Tiger Woods’ sponsors lost $5-12 billion relative to those ? ms that Woods did not endorse. ’ However, it is important to address that the negative effects are more likely to affect the brand in the short-term than damaging entire consumers’ brand choices. According to the Harris Poll (2010), ‘Three-quarters of Americans (74%) say when a celebrity endorser gets involved in a scandal, it doesn’t impact the way they feel about the brand or brands they endorse. ’ There is also an evidence to support that sales of Nike product were negative up to March before becoming positive in April 2010 since his public scandal revealed in November 2009 (Chung, et al. , 2011, p. 24). In conclusion, celebrity endorsement could strengthen the consumers’ affections for brands as it helps reassure product quality and well-portrayed distinct brand images to consumers. This is because the credibility and attractiveness embedded in celebrities are easy to access and approachable. Although there are potential hazard effects due to celebrities’ images changing and public controversies, they can be prevented and merely lead to the short-term affect on branding. All in all, celebrities’ roles as the endorsers in the commercials could create favorable emotional connection between the consumers and the brands. However, further cognitive research on the relationship between brand affinity and celebrity endorsement is worth undertaking, as it could examine the true value of celebrity endorsement programs given to the brands and companies’ investments.