The lure of celebrity branding is undeniable. You see it everywhere. Brands get your favorite actress to endorse their product in a TV commercial, bring in a celebrity spokesperson, and even book professional players as speakers for corporate events.
Discover why people can’t seem to resist the appeal of celebrity endorsements.
Adds brand value
When a celebrity’s name is attached to a business, an element of legitimacy is immediately associated with the company. Take for instance the newly launched iWALK2.0, a hands-free crutch that Harrison Ford used after sustaining an injury on a movie set. Soon after Ford started using it, the product’s sales jumped more than 40 percent. Other celebrities followed suit in using the new product. Once a celebrity-endorsed product grabs the attention of a consumer, they are likely to become more interested in that compared to an unadvertised object.
Helps build trust and loyalty
Getting a personality to represent your brand also builds trust with your customers. Many people hold public figures in high regard, so seeing them endorse a product immediately increases their trust in that brand.
From the perspective of a consumer, a brand instantly becomes desirable when a celebrity they follow advertises its product. Recent studies indicate that businesses increased their sales up to 20 percent after engaging in an endorsement contract.
Celebrity branding also increases the likeliness of a consumer developing loyalty to a business. Some personalities have extremely devoted fans. If these loyal consumers see that their favorite artist is representing a certain brand, it’s possible that their loyalty will extend to that company as well.
Appeal to target audiences
Endorsements gain traction because they’re used strategically. The campaign is targeted at a public that the personality appeals to. If the product is a sports drink, the company will hire a professional athlete to endorse it. If they brought in a singer to promote the drink, the campaign may not be successful.
Targeting audiences accurately also helps build credibility for the personality and the brand. If the company hired an industry expert to give a speech at an event, this person will be perceived as an authority.
The Rise of Influencer Marketing
The beauty of the internet is that it has made everything virtually accessible; even ordinary people can become celebrities in their own right if they build enough following for brands to notice. Endorsing products and services is no longer the exclusive territory of Hollywood’s luminaries.
Enter the influencers, whose social media profiles are so significant that they’re able to sway followers to buy brands they use. With 67 percent of consumers turning to social media for shopping info, it’s no wonder this strategy’s gaining favor. Ninety-four percent of marketers who have applied use them to boost awareness and raise value for your business. Despite the potential of celebrity endorsements as a marketing technique, consider other channels and strategies as well. Every marketing plan benefits from a range of strategies to ensure favorable results.
