The Innocent Pleasure of Celebrity Gossip
It's been estimated that people spend an average of 52 minutes a day discussing famous individuals outside their social circle, an activity that allows them to navigate complex social environments, learn norms and assess reputations. While gossip can be spread about anyone, from loved ones to colleagues, the industry that has sprung up around the lives of celebrities has reached colossal proportions: already over a decade ago, the value of celebrity gossip-related publicity was set at $3 billion. But what drives us to share this kind of information so readily?
A new research study ("What Makes People So Prone to Share Celebrity Gossip? A Combination of Less Guilt and More Excitement") published in Psychology & Marketing provides the answer, analyzing the phenomenon with social psychology insights and assessing managerial implications. The authors are Andrea Ordanini (Bocconi Department of Marketing), Gaia Giambastiani (ESCP Business School, Turin) and Joseph C. Nunes (University of Southern California).
Parasocial Relationships
The starting point is a concept familiar to those versed in media psychology: parasocial relationships. These are one-sided bonds that people establish with public figures, resulting in a feeling of familiarity, nearly equivalent to a friendship, even in the absence of real reciprocity. As Andrea Ordanini explains, "Parasocial relationships are most commonly established through media exposure and are based on the illusion of intimacy."
This illusion profoundly changes the emotional dynamics of spreading gossip. Sharing information about a real acquaintance can generate feelings of guilt for fear of harming someone. With celebrities, however, social distance reduces the moral unease one can feel about gossiping. This dynamic explains why celebrity-related content circulates more quickly, attracts more interactions and goes viral more easily.
In other words, because celebrities are perceived as distant and uninfluenced by our behavior, the moral weight of gossip drops dramatically. We don’t have to fear damaging a real bond, something which allows us to enjoy the thrill of the story unburdened by the remorse we would feel if we were talking about a friend.
Marketing and Human Brands: The Affinity Economy
The research by Professor Ordanini and his colleagues — five studies conducted with over 2,100 participants — effectively demonstrates that gossiping about one's favorite celebrity evokes less anticipatory guilt and more excitement than chatting about friends or acquaintances. The data from the experiments clearly show how the nature of the bond influences our desire to talk.
The propensity for gossip peaks when the target is a favorite celebrity (72%), and decreases significantly for acquaintances (50%) and close friends (32%).
The study also reveals an important finding for brands: the act of sharing gossip about a favorite celebrity, especially of a neutral or informative nature, increases one’s willingness to pay for content related to that celebrity (such as a video) compared to someone who hasn’t shared it. Sharing information about celebrities isn't simply a matter of entertainment; it can also act as a signal of affinity that conditions consumers, making them more likely to open up their wallets.
Contrary to what one might think, scandal isn't the only thing that generates attention. Neutral gossip (the kind simply talking about new facts and curiosities) can be an exceptional tool for strengthening parasocial bonds, since it keeps curiosity alive without the reputational risks associated with online mudslinging.
From a marketing perspective, therefore, gossip shouldn't be seen as a kind of background noise that needs be managed, but as an extension of the brand itself.
The Strategic Value of Gossip for Companies
Companies that use celebrity endorsements should therefore look favorably to organic conversations generated on social media. According to Gaia Giambastiani, "Gossip about a sponsored celebrity generated by their following can have positive effects on marketing results."
In practical terms, this means that the value of a human brand (i.e. the celebrity as a brand) lies not only in a glossy image, but in the celebrity’s ability to remain at the heart of consumers' daily conversations. Gossip reduces perceived distance, engendering what the authors of the study call an illusion of intimacy that can translate into monetary value for the associated brands.
