We all love celebrities. Whether they’re film and TV stars, athletes, comedians, or real-life heroes, we want to wear what they wear, eat what they eat, and drive what they drive. Advertisers have long been paying celebrities serious coin to endorse their brands—here’s why:
The qualities of the celebrity transfer to the brand
Famous actors and actresses convey glamor, beauty, style, and charisma. Superstar athletes represent strength, speed, grace, willpower, and victory. Who wouldn’t want these attributes associated with their brand?
Celebrities give the brand credibility
People often don’t just admire celebrities—they idolize them. They figure that if a millionaire sports/media figure supports a product or service, then it has to be great. Celebrity support = trust. And trust = loyalty.
Famous spokespeople expand a brand’s reach
If you’re a fan of someone, you’re probably willing to try a brand he or she endorses that you may not have cared about previously. A star attracts greater prospect interest and initial trial.
So what’s the downside of celebrity endorsement?
Lance Armstrong. Gilbert Gottfried. Tiger Woods. Paula Deen. Jared Fogle.
Celebrities are human—and demonstrate that by saying and doing terrible things at times. Any brand associated with a celebrity tainted by scandal or even crime will be linked, however unfairly, to those misdeeds as well—and will have to go through the embarrassment of distancing itself from its former pitchperson.
Famous names don’t come cheap
There’s a reason you typically only see celebrities endorsing brands with tens or hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue—those companies are the only ones that can afford them. If you want a well-known spokesperson, be prepared to pay a lot.
Serial endorsers lessen their impact on each brand
The more brands a celebrity endorses, the smaller the impact the endorsement carries for each brand. Everyone recognizes and likes David Beckham. However, his deals with Adidas, Coty, H&M, Samsung, Sainsbury’s, Breitling, and Sprint make it difficult for each individual brand to claim him. In fact, those brands almost seem to take a back seat to the David Beckham brand.
As you can see, there are both rewards and risks that come with celebrity endorsements. If your brand can secure one, congratulations…and good luck.