But are they effective? In recent posts, I've discussed firms' desire to humanize their brands in the hopes of forging an emotional bond with consumers. The message for the brands mentioned in my earlier post about anonymous spokespeople is something like "If our brand was a person, this is what he/she would be like."
For firms that use celebrity endorsers, however, the message is a little different. It reads more like "If Dwayne Wade were a drink, he would be Gatorade".
This is a potent message, but also a dangerous one. Firms which lean too heavily on their celebrity spokespeople expose themselves to factors beyond the firm's control, such as criminal activity, immoral conduct, poor performance and other events which damage the celebrity's, and therefore the brand's, public image . While paid actors can be controlled, the firm has very little power over its celebrity endorsers.
The stories of Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, and many others should serve as cautionary tales to potential celebrity-seeking brand managers.
Even once brand managers have managed to see past the inherent risks in celebrity endorsement, another hurdle remains: the cost. Some endorsers, such as Tiger Woods, command 7- or 8-figure salaries. This is an enormous sum, even for companies like Nike and Gatorade.
At the end of the day, it is important for brand managers to realize that celebrity endorsers are not a cure-all for stagnant sales. They come with a set of costs and risks which must be carefully weighed against their potential benefits.
Want to see what a bad celebrity spokesman looks like? Please enjoy the example below.
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