A well-known brand recently announced the launch of its new spring campaign – featuring none other than Britney Spears. Given all of the negative publicity recent celebrity endorsements have generated – Michael Phelps, Alex Rodriguez and Chris Brown come to mind – I only have one question:
What were they thinking??
Britney Spears would be the last person I would ever consider to represent my brand if I were to even consider a spokesperson at all. Her life over the past couple of years has been riddled with disaster and controversy – in and out of rehab and court, drastic changes to her appearance, public meltdowns and even allegations of child neglect; her own father was appointed as the conservator of her affairs since a judge determined she was not competent to manage her personal life and professional assets herself!
Celebrity endorsements are a risky business and if you ask me should only be used as a last resort when a brand has lost its luster or identity with the consumer. C’mon, we can do better! Time and time again, companies have seen their celebrity spokespeople quickly fall out of favor with the public as a result of a blunder or misstep. Some companies decide to stand behind their celebs; other companies opt to not renew their celeb’s contract or even to terminate the contract early. The common denominator in almost all of these cases is that the endorsement hasn’t done the brand any favors – and that’s the best-case scenario. Worst-case scenario is that the brand actually suffers as a result.
Don’t get me wrong: celebrity endorsements can be a good thing. Look at Tiger Woods and Magic Johnson. However, these “clean” spokesmen are the exceptions to the rule. Instead of blindly throwing wads of money at celeb endorsements, most of which end up doing more harm to the brand than good, companies should focus instead on other marketing efforts in their business model. Agencies should research and advise clients on how to launch or revitalize a brand that has relevance and difference to a consumer without the simple glitz and glamour of a celebrity. If we do all that, we may actually connect with consumers and drive the bottom line through results. And if you decide that partnering with a celeb is the way to go, at least be awake when you make the choice – do your homework.
LINKS
Media Post: Candie’s Kicks Off Britney Campaign
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