Does Celebrity Really Sell?

Marketing a product to the correct niche is no easy task. When it comes to choosing a celebrity spokesperson, it’s worth remembering that just because  they have a  famous  face and a  famous name  doesn’t  necessarily make  them  the  best person for representing a product. 

The names Kirstie Alley, Ty Pennington and James Earl  Jones  don’t  exactly  ooze  sale  appeal ,  but according  to  the celebrity endorsement  survey from the NPD Group (conducted in 2006), these celebs are among those at the top of the list when it comes to selling products.  

Of  al l  celebrities  tested  in  the  survey,  home improvement  guru  Ty  Pennington  ranked  the highest  on  positive  purchase  impact  among consumers who know each celebrity. In addition, Olympic medal ist Summer Sanders, actor James Earl Jones, chef Emeril Lagasse  and musician Carlos Santana had strong influences on consumer purchasing for the products they represent. The survey found that although these spokespeople may  not  have  the  highest  overall awareness levels or be recalled as pitching the most brands or products, they are very effective in leveraging their  fame  to  increase  the purchase  intent of consumers who know them.

Marketers take note: more recognizable stars such as Kobe Bryant, Donald Trump, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton may all have very high overall recall or ad awareness among consumers, but they appear to have a negative influence on purchasing. In these cases, consumers who said the celebrity’s association with a product made them less likely to purchase outnumbered those who said it makes them more likely to buy.

A celebrity’s integrity and credibility are key elements of an effective celebrity endorsement. Lance Armstrong, George Foreman and Kirstie Alley all score highly among NPD’s list of celebrities as being “someone I trust.” As one consumer commented, “I believe Kirstie Alley is working hard to lose weight, that George Foreman knows about healthy grilling and that Ty Pennington knows his way around home improvement – they are al l believable.”

On the other hand, celebrities featuring in ads for products they don’t actually appear to use or believe in spells big trouble. As another consumer stated, “They tend to appear fake or rehearsed.  I wonder if they actually use the product.”

“Celebrities  appearing  in  endorsements  or advertisements for a product is like a double-edge  sword,”  says  chief  industry  analyst, Marshal  Cohen.  “They can cut through the clutter of competition, but they can also cut the brand power in half. If the wrong celebrity is  used,  or  the  celebrity  does  something  to disenchant the public, then their association with  a  brand  can  backfire. Marketers need to choose wisely, since today’s hot celebrity can become tomorrow’s worst marketing nightmare.”