The Risky Business of Celebrity Endorsements

Using a celebrity to market brands can and has taken them to a whole new levels. Nike’s decision to snap up Michael Jordan very early on in his career to endorse their shoes has resulted in the Jordan brand grossing over $2 billion for the company. There are many who would say it was Jordan’s backing that brought Nike to where they are now. Right here at Delucchi Plus, we recently saw an example of just how big an impact a celebrity can have when an appearance by Matthew McConaughey helped raise big money for a fundraiser at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

While there may be several positive examples of celebrity endorsement, they may not always be the right answer for every brand. Not unless it’s desirable for that brand to take on the personality of the chosen star, says Kevin Harrington on Forbes. It’s easy to spot the danger of allowing that to happen. Say a wildlife conservation organization wanted to launch a campaign to raise awareness for endangered species all over the world. Naturally, they would want to get the word out so suppose they pump in a whole lot of money and land Mike Tyson to be the spokesperson for the project. Mike Tyson’s face is soon splashed all over the place along with the campaign’s mission statement. Then say Mike wakes up one morning and decides to get the three Bengal tigers that he famously owned, one of which was even featured in “The Hangover.” Everyone would be talking about his new pets and the organization’s credibility would take an astronomical hit because in the public eye, they are one with Mike Tyson.

The Miss Dior fragrance was launched soon after the birth of the iconic design house in the mid-1900s; Christian Dior himself told the story of its creation lovingly in a 1951 biography. Robert Klara, however, writes in a recent article for Adweek, that Miss Dior has come a long way from the classic status it once used to occupy, and that this can be attributed in part to their decision to make Natalie Portman to be the face of the fragrance. Perhaps having a celebrity, something fleeting in nature, takes away from the timelessness of the brand. By disassociating the perfume from the years of history attached to it and instead bringing it into the here and now, celebrity goes up against classic and wins.

When Beyonce signed a deal with Pepsi in 2012, people were quick to criticize and call her a hypocrite because this was coming right after she helped promote Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign against childhood obesity. After becoming the face of the soda brand, would she have any credibility to stand up and encourage healthy eating? While it may be tempting to shell out money and get a celebrity name to market your product, brands need give some serious thought to whether or not it’s a smart move. The answer may not always be yes.