Consumers would rather keep up with the Joneses than the Beckhams, suggests a U.K. study measuring the influence of celebrity endorsements.

Researchers at the University of Bath, U.K., and the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, polled nearly 300 students, asking them to evaluate two magazine advertisements for a digital camera. One advertisement featured a fictional student while the other featured a German celebrity.

'[Consumers] like to make sure their product is fashionable and trendy among people who resemble them.'—Brett Martin, University of Bath

The study found that students who made purchases to impress their peers were more likely to be influenced by the student testimonial than the celebrity endorsement.

"This is because many people feel a need to keep up with the Joneses when they buy," researcher Brett Martin, a marketing professor at the University of Bath's School of Management, said in a release.

"They like to make sure their product is fashionable and trendy among people who resemble them, rather than approved by celebrities like David Beckham, Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt or Scarlett Johansson. So they are more influenced by an endorsement from an ordinary person like them," he said.

The U.K. survey found that 56 per cent of respondents said they bought products that would impress their peers while 20 per cent said they were won over by a celebrity testimonial.

Celebrity endorsements like a 'status symbol'

The rise of the celebrity spokesperson has continued in recent years, with Hollywood glitterati and sports stars promoting everything from designer handbags and cosmetics to running shoes and fast food.

In 2005, actress Gwyneth Paltrow bumped longtime Estée Lauder spokesmodel Liz Hurley. At the time, Paltrow noted that "years ago, endorsing a product was considered something a movie actress shouldn't do, but now having a contract is almost like a status symbol."

But recently, some companies have changed their marketing approach. Clothing retailer Gap dumped actress Sarah Jessica Parker less than a year into her three-year contract after their high-profile commercial campaign failed to connect with consumers.

Designer fashion house Louis Vuitton also dropped actresses Uma Thurman and Jennifer Lopez in 2006 in favour of models including Kate Moss and Daria Werbowy.

Marketers should focus on technical data

Martin said marketers might want to reassess how they spend their advertising budgets. They might want to emphasize technical aspects of a product, he said.

The study found respondents who said they were not influenced by their peers or trends said technical details for utilitarian products like garden tools or home appliances were the most influential element of an advertisement.