The marketers worldwide will be keen to know the answer to the following question: In a country where superstar worship is in abundance and superstar endorsement of products in movies is expensive, are the superstars really delivering better than an actor in brand placement? This paper investigates whether there is any difference between the impact produced by a superstar and an actor on brand placement with respect to unaided and aided brand name recall and attitude of a salient and non-salient brand. In this study of experimental design, the stimuli are pre-identified movie clippings representing two brand placements, one with a superstar and the other with an actor. Questionnaire is used as a tool for data collection. This study finds that there is no difference between a superstar and an actor with respect to brand placement effectiveness. This paper also finds that even an actor associated with a non-salient or unknown brand may be as effective as a superstar associated with a salient brand. There seems to be more to brand placement than just superstar association and brand salience. This paper opens up areas for further research to examine the theoretical links, including the effect of elaboration theory, dual mode and brand identity theories which may throw light on what leads to brand placement effectiveness.

Can a non-salient unknown brand be equally effective as a salient brand in brand placement in movies? Can an unknown brand associated with an actor be equal in effectiveness with a salient brand associated with a superstar?

Answers to such questions will be of great help to overcome brand pressures faced by marketers in the emerging markets today due to increasing advertising clutter, increasing advertising costs, decreasing advertising credibility, weakening of brand recalls and customer attitude.

The marketers worldwide will be keen to know whether in a country where superstar worship is in abundance and superstar endorsement of products is expensive, the superstars are really delivering better than an actor. This paper investigates whether there is any difference between superstar and actor in brand placement, with respect to unaided and aided brand name recall and attitude of a salient and non-salient brand.

Marketing Management Journal, Guest Delight, Hotel Industry, Customer Delight, Customer Loyalty, Customer Satisfaction, Reliable Reservation System, Convenient Payment Method, Hotel Management, Disconfirmation Theory, Data Collection.