Celebrity endorsements have been around for a long time now. With modern innovations such as social media, it has become even more apparent. There are many benefits of having a ‘well known’ person endorse your product or service due to something called “positive association.”
Consumers tend to trust brands that are ‘familiar’ to them. By associating a familiar face [The Celebrity] with your name, you create a subconscious link between the product and the celebrity endorsing it.
While all of this may sound incredibly fantastic, it’s not all flowers and sunshine either.
Today, we’ll be discussing some of the pros and cons of getting the celebrity endorsement. We also need to explain the ‘type of celebrity’ available in our current global environment.
PROS of Celebrity Endorsements
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CELEBRITIES ALLOW YOU TO TAP INTO NEW MARKETS
The first pro and probably one of the more beneficial ones of the lot is that stars allow you to reach new markets. People who are ‘fans,’ who may have never heard or considered your brand would instantly become curious about trying it.
Think of it this way, would you instead believe a close friend on a restaurant recommendation over a stranger in the street? Odds are you will go with the opinion of your friend.
Similarly, when a brand associates with a “trusted representative” in the eye of the consumer, they are likelier to consider your name or service merely because the celebrity they respect and admire suggested it.
It suffices to say that depending on the level of fame of the celebrity will influence the reach of the marketplace.
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CREATES A FACE FOR YOUR BRAND
People tend to remember faces more than concepts. When you personify anything, there is a higher chance of tapping into the emotional aspect of a consumer. When you attach a celebrity to your brand, you exemplify it.
In essence, you’re telling the marketplace that your brand is like “X” celebrity. If you’re a brand trying to tap into the ‘counter-culture,’ you would look for celebrities that share the same values and characteristics. You’d most likely choose Tony Hawk over Taylor Swift to endorse your product.
It establishes a framework for the consumer to understand and in turn, the consumer will associate the characteristics of the celebrity to your brand.
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CELEBRITIES ESTABLISHES CREDIBILITY
Another aspect of having a personality on board is that you establish trust and credibility. It’s a form of social proof. Your business is so good that you can afford a celebrity endorsement. People won’t look at a product endorsed by George Clooney and think, “It’s a cheap product.”
Just take a look at the Nespresso commercials. To consume those products you need to buy a particular device which is roughly $100. For your average coffee drinker, dishing out $100 for a machine and then having to buy individual packages is quite costly.
However, attach Clooney to the brand, and suddenly it’s “prestigious” to buy it, and the consumer happily does it.
The Cons of Celebrity Endorsements
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CELEBRITIES MAKE MISTAKES
Celebrities could be at the height of their careers, but then do something irresponsible that results in a declining limelight. Let’s create an example, shall we?
Let’s take Michael Richards as an example. Cosmo Kramer was probably one of the most memorable characters from the sitcom Seinfeld. Utilizing Kramer’s role to promote a quirky product or service would be an obvious win for any brand. That was until Michael Richards went on a racist rant that shot him into the darkest corners of fame.
If your brand associated with Richards during his decline, then all the negative press would hound your name and ultimately hurt your public image. Thus celebrity endorsements can be risky.
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CELEBRITIES MIGHT BE TOO BIG FOR YOUR BRAND
It’s essential to align your brand with a personality that won’t be ‘too big’ for your name. If their fame eclipses your brand and all the focus is on the celebrity and not your product or service.
You need to have your brand recognition increase, not pay the celebrity to be more famous. In many cases, an excess stars fame could make the consumer market see past your brand and only look at the glory of the celebrity.
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IT’S DAMN EXPENSIVE
Finally, this is a no-brainer. Celebrities that are getting paid millions per movie deal won’t be doing endorsements for cheap. Brands typically spend millions on celebrity-endorsed campaigns, especially if the star is famous.
Fortunately, a new kind of celebrity is on the rise. The “Internet Celebrity” is also coming into play and in many cases have better market potential than A-listers.
Not only are they cheaper, they tend to have more defined followers, meaning that you can align your brand with a specific marketing profile, giving you higher returns for fewer dollars spent.
About author: Terence Hudson is a recognized academic tutor, writer and proofreader. Currently retired, he finds his inspiration in memories: sharing his valuable teaching and writing experience with the readers of MastersThesisWriting.com blog. Personal life hacks, useful references and practical advice – that’s what you can find out of Terence’s hand.
