Celebrity Endorsements--Worth the Cost?

A recent article in Ad Age said that recent studies have shown that hundreds brands have seen a 20% increase after beginning an endorsement deal. Some companies have seen a .25% increase the day the deal was announced.

The article explores the question of whether using celebrities to endorse a brand or product is worth the cost. We receive more than 3,000 commercial images a day--150 images reach our subconscious mind and 30 reach our unconscious. Therefore one the main goals of an advertising campaign is to cut through all of the clutter--find an ad that reaches the conscious mind of the consumer.

It is the belief that celebrities do just that. They stand out. It's people we admire, look up to, and try to emulate. We listen to their music and watch their movies. It's the idea of, "If they use this product, then I should too." So, there are benefits to using a celebrity to push a product. However, the article stated that the decision to use a celebrity as a spokesperson in the ad should be treated like a marriage in a way. It should add something and create a certain amount of benefits for the brand.

You have to choose the right person. They need to maintain the image that the product or brand is trying to reflect. For example, a wrinkle cream ad campaign for Revlon shouldn't hire someone young like Dakota Fanning to promote the product. Sure, the ad would stand out, but it wouldn't add any validity to the ad's message.


The marriage of the celebrity endorser and the ad campaign should have an "added creature comforts that make the partnership invaluable" (Crutchfield). Celebrity spokespeople are most beneficial if they do the following:

-They should have the opportunity to create new markets or tap into anactivation base of fans.Ex) Patrick Dempsey men's perfume for Avon



-It should be able to create a "brand halo," meaning it entices consumers to learn more about the brand.

-The ability to promote a new brand attribute that might be hard to attain otherwise that is unique, relevant and sustainable. For example, Nike was only able to see an extremely quick success rate and growth of their golf line by using Tiger Woods, the #1 golfer in the world.


-Also, a collaboration that can impact the business model of the partnership is also important criteria that can make a celebrity endorsement more successful for a brand. Sean Combs taking a 50/50 ownership of Ciroc vodka company is an example.

-Finally, if the use of a celebrity to advertise a product can innovate the product its offering, then the partnership can become invaluable. Look at the success of Totes' line of umbrellas endorsed my pop artist Rihanna. After Rihanna's famous performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards of her song "Umbrella," she helped design Totes' newest line sparking huge sales.



Overall, using a celebrity has many benefits including the ability to inspire, enlighten, and entertain consumers. It is a valuable way to market to consumers, but choosing the right celebrity to represent a brand might be the most critical part of the marketing process.