Hello! This week we discussed how marketing campaigns that have used Twitter and blog headlines to grab the attention of busy people. I wrote about CoverGirl and their partnership with Zendaya in their new Super Sizer Fibers Mascara.
This got me thinking, what is the impact of using celebrity endorsements for brands and products?
Perception of Celebrity and Brand
Celebrities are putting their reputation on the line when agreeing to sponsor products and brands. When people see a respected celebrity appearing in a respected brand’s ad, there is a mutual perception that the brand can be trusted. A great example of this is Jennifer Aniston for Smartwater. Aniston has been the face of Smartwater for years. Her personal brand as a celebrity has remained in high standards, and Smartwater’s brand has managed to do the same. This is a mutually beneficial partnership.
Partnering Gone Wrong
Endorsements and partnerships can be a risky decision. If a company selects a celebrity or person to be their spokesperson and he or she winds up in a controversial situation that’s picked up by the media, this is instantly bad news for the brand, and especially the spokesperson. Usually the brand isn’t involved in the controversy, so the spokesperson takes the most heat, but the brand has to do the “clean up.”
Take “former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle” for example. After losing 200 pounds on a Subway diet, Subway immediately fired Fogle last year after he received multiple federal charges against him. Although “the Subway guy” is still associated with Subway just out of habit, Fogle has been removed from any marketing tactic distributed by Subway.
Overexposure
Do you sometimes feel as if you’re seeing the same celebrities over and over endorsing different brands? How does this make you feel about the celebrity or the brand? “At the height of Tiger Woods’ popularity, he endorsed over ten companies at once.” His credibility began to suffer. Some may think the celebrity is desperate to endorse any brand that will pay them. This also looks bad on the brand, because they can’t obtain a more unique spokesperson. Below is an ad from whenTiger Woods as a spokesperson for Sol Republic Headphones.
Celebrity Association
When you see a celebrity in a TV show or movie, do you immediately associate them with the brand they endorse? This is a positive aspect of celebrity endorsements. For example, “when people would see or hear Dennis Haysbert on the show ‘24,’” they associate his voice with Allstate. Good news for Allstate, that’s for sure!
Who are some of your favorite celebrity brand endorsers and why? What does their partnership with the brand make you think about both the brand and the celebrity? Are there any celebrities that would make you not want to purchase from a brand, and why?
Thanks for your feedback!
Claire
Emerging Media Blog 
Hello Claire,
Great post! Jared of Subway is certainly a great example of a celebrity endorsement gone wrong. One of my favorite celebrity endorsements is Ellen for Covergirl. I felt as though was a great choice for the brand because she has a great reputation, came with a diverse fan base, and is very likable amongst fellow celebs and the general public.
Covergirl’s endorsement with Ellen assisted in making me believe that they were open minded in their understanding of beauty and lifestyle – which turned them into a brand that I wouldn’t mind supporting.
At the other end of the spectrum, a few celebrities that would make me not want to purchase from a brand are the Kardashian clan (specifically Kim, Khloe, and Kylie). I am not a fan of their brand or the way that they have chosen to carry themselves – hence why I am not willing to support them.
Again, this was a great read!
Katra
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Hi Claire,
Great blog post! Just the other day I was binge watching a TV episode online and saw the Olympian gymnast, Simone Biles, in an advertisement for Tide. The advertisement can be seen below.
As you mention, celebrities are putting their reputation on the line when they agree to do these advertisements and they are earning some extra money as well.
Just the other day I heard that news leaked about Simone Biles having ADHD. The hackers who found out that she had the stigma tried to question her credentials as to whether or not she deserved her medals. This isn’t right in anyway, but I’m sure it did hurt her reputation a little.
All in all, I’d have to say that my favorite brand endorsers are Olympians, because they deserve to be put on the spotlight. They worked years to get a medal and should be recognized in TV ads. To me personally, I don’t care what celebrity is in an ad for a brand name product or service, because at the end of the day I will continue to buy that product and/or service if its working for me.
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