Celebrity endorsements have become profitable and plentiful in our growing media society and it seems like all companies, even random ones, want to get in on the action.
Some of these promotional ad deals are obvious fits, like a woman for a MAC commercial (Nicki Minaj) and Joe Mauer for Kemps (strong bones for a MVP) but others leave us confused and questioning the marketing tactics that these companies are trying to use.
Some of these endorsement deals feature happy reality stars that are gawking at the featured product. They are getting a chance to make a quick million bucks but the borrowing of their famous names comes with ridicule depending on the product.
When I think of Jamie Lee Curtis I automatically think about digestive regularity. Activia has provided Curtis with a financial boost to the career which had been lagging in certain spots but also gives the consumers an image of a woman who can go to the bathroom regularly thanks to her yogurt. See Below.
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.. Something you put on your toast or something to get down disco-style in the refrigerator aisle? Well, Megan Mullally finds it best used as a dance partner compared to a toast condiment. Her greatest role was playing Karen Walker on ‘Will and Grace’ but she was signed on to get down with the butter with a goal of increasing sales. Dancing and butter? Maybe the company is trying to promote exercise after consuming fat. See Megan’s commercial below.
One celebrity endorsement that found me questioning my desire to purchase celebrity endorsed products was Claire Danes for Latisse. Claire Danes is serious about her acting career, but now she is serious about long eyelashes. She is a multiple Golden Globe winner and teen actress who is now the face of Latisse. I used to want to purchase this product when “normal” people were endorsing it because I trusted in their proven results and credible references, but after a big-time celebrity who can get fake eyelashes with the call of her make-up artist started the endorsement I realized that maybe this product is not as legit as I thought. See Claire’s video for Latisse below.
Do I think celebrity endorsements change consumer behavior? Absolutely. Consumers see the rich and famous endorse a product and don’t think twice about the millions of dollars these celebrities were paid to pretend to use the product (some may but in reality celebrities don’t eat carbs or butter). When you see a product on a commercial or in an ad you automatically want to be like the people representing the product. So, what do you do? You go to the store or research it online, follow the reviews and then purchase it. If it wasn’t for the celebrity catching your attention you would have most likely changed the channel or have not added it to your list of things to purchase. As much as we dislike it, as much as we want to tell ourselves that celebrities don’t make the different, the reality is they do. We want to live lives like the rich and famous, be regular like Jamie Lee Curtis or have amazing, long lashes like Claire Dunes. By using these celebrities as a form of “product placement” they are able to make the viewers feel as if they too can be part of the fabulous celebrity life. Just think companies like Kemps are even signing endorsement deals for celebrities’ moms. Joe Mauer’s mom, Theresa, is currently the face of Kemps (along with her son). By using celebrity endorsements consumers are made to feel less adequate about themselves while watching these commercials. Consumers then have the thought that by purchasing and using the product like these celebrities are advocating they will feel better about themselves. Celebrity endorsements are a marketing campaign for thousands of companies across the world and as the growing demand for elite status and self worth increase so will the celebrity endorsements.
If you take the time to look at old celebrity commercials you will find them extremely amusing. Below are two commercials, one endorsement by Johnny Cash for Taco Bell and the second is a McDonald’s commercial endorsed by Michael Jackson. See how much commercials and celebrity involvement has changed.
Blessings,
Tiffany
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