PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Dirham Ameen Al-Wurafi in Public Relations and Advertising

Mr. Dirham Ameen Ahmed Al-Wurafi was awarded a PhD degree in Public Relations and Advertising for his dissertation titled: The Credibility of Celebrity Advertising on Social Media and Its Relationship to Purchasing Behavior of Yemeni Consumer, which was submitted to the Faculty of Mass Communication – Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

# Committee Members Designation Position
1 Prof. Hassan Abdullah Dajrah ‎ External Examiner Chair
2 Prof. Abdulrahim Al-Shaweri Main Supervisor Member
3 Prof. Omar Abreen Internal Examiner Member

The dissertation aimed to:
 Examine the perceived credibility of celebrity advertising on social media from the perspective of Yemeni consumers.
 Identify the impact of the dimensions of celebrity credibility (expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, similarity, and popularity) on the stages of purchasing behavior.
 Measure the relationship between the credibility of celebrity advertising and the consumer’s final purchasing decision.
 Compare the influence of local and non-local celebrities in shaping cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses among audiences.
The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:
 A statistically significant relationship exists between the credibility of celebrity advertising and the stages of consumer purchasing behavior.
 The influence of celebrity advertising follows a staged process, beginning with attention and interest, moving to desire, and ultimately leading to purchasing behavior.
 Emotional responses (the desire stage) were the most influential factor in determining final purchasing behavior compared to other stages.
 Differences were found between local and non-local celebrities: non-local celebrities were more effective in attracting attention, whereas local celebrities generated stronger emotional and behavioral impact.
 Respondents showed preference for specific celebrity figures, confirming that advertising effectiveness depends not merely on fame, but on the audience’s perception of the celebrity’s credibility.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended:‎
 That advertisers adopt credibility-based criteria when selecting celebrities for advertising campaigns, rather than relying solely on fame.
 Designing advertising messages that foster emotional engagement, given its direct impact on purchasing behavior.
 Encouraging future research on celebrity advertising across different cultural and social contexts using staged analytical models.
 Enhancing the role of local celebrities as influential figures in building trust and psychological closeness with audiences.

The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and specialists, media professionals‎, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.