| "> | | | | brand: aspiration and credibility. Many people aspire to |
| | | | live like a celebrity and pour over publications |
| Learn how to get your product or service used by a | | | | such as People and USWeekly that provide them |
| celebrity to create the perception of an | | | | with countless bits of information about what |
| endorsement. A celebrity association with your | | | | celebrities are wearing, what products they are using, |
| brand will increase press coverage and drive more | | | | where they are traveling, eating, shopping etc. This |
| sales. | | | | makes it very easy for the general public to mimic |
| Our celebrity culture is incredibly pervasive. The media | | | | the lives of celebrities — and patronize the |
| is dominated by coverage featuring celebrities and | | | | very same brands that celebrities are using. |
| their controversial lives. They’re already some | | | | There also seems to be a universal belief that if |
| of the highest paid people in the world, so why | | | | Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are using this product, |
| would it make sense to send your product or service | | | | then it must be good. The cache and credibility of |
| to a celebrity — for free? The answer is | | | | having the right celebrities associated with |
| simple, really. Get your product or service used by a | | | | your brand is priceless. |
| celebrity — and therefore create the | | | | Here are the main credibility enhancers of having a |
| perception of an endorsement — by someone | | | | celebrity associated with your brand and how it can |
| famous, and you’re in big business. | | | | take your business to the next level: |
| How big, you ask? | | | | - An A-list star wearing or using your product or |
| Well, even very famous people eat, drink, travel, go | | | | service gives your brand immediate credibility in the |
| shopping and generally behave like normal consumers, | | | | eyes of the consumer and can immediately stimulate |
| albeit ones with much greater spending power and | | | | sales |
| the ability to influence the buying decisions of others | | | | - A celebrity name associated with your brand earns |
| simply by what they choose to buy for themselves. | | | | the respect of the media and almost always |
| This aspirational effect, whereby people seek to | | | | guarantees media coverage |
| emulate their favorite celebrities, presents a golden | | | | - Retail stores and buyers are much more likely to sit |
| opportunity for brands. | | | | up and take notice and take you more seriously |
| Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Eva Longoria and Tony | | | | when you have a celebrity clientele |
| Parker are photographed vacationing at the St. Regis | | | | - From a style and design standpoint, celebrities give |
| Bora Bora within days of each other and the resort is | | | | trends (and the products and services they use) |
| booked for months afterwards. Gwyneth Paltrow | | | | validation. |
| wears her favorite pair of Blue Cult jeans with front | | | | - In our celebrity-obsessed culture, celebrities grab |
| pockets and it sells out of every store from NYC to | | | | attention-getting headlines more than anything else |
| LA, causing retailers and buyers to name the style | | | | The bottom line: celebrities sell. When a star wears it, |
| The Gwyneth. Jennifer Aniston cuts her hair | | | | uses it or promotes it, the world follows. Nothing |
| while starring in the television sitcom Friends | | | | creates more excitement and desire than the |
| and thousands of women run to their hairstylists with | | | | aspirational lives that celebrities lead. If a fan can |
| tearsheets from magazines, requesting The | | | | wear exactly the same dress that Halle Berry wore, |
| Rachel cut. | | | | eat at the restaurant that she frequents, take a |
| In fact, some of the biggest brands with the biggest | | | | yoga class at the same studio or use the same color |
| budgets already understand the power of celebrity. | | | | lipstick, then she is able to recreate a little bit of that |
| Penelope Cruz and Cindy Crawford sell lipstick for | | | | perceived glamour and inspiration for herself. |
| Revlon, Ellen Degeneres sells membership to | | | | In today’s cluttered and competitive |
| American Express, Kate Walsh sells Cadillacs, and | | | | marketplace, a perceived celebrity endorsement can |
| Tiger Woods used to sell numerous brand names | | | | give your product or service the instant recognition |
| before the public became privy to his salacious | | | | and legitimacy that would normally take years to |
| affairs. | | | | earn. From a marketing perspective, it remains one of |
| Having a celebrity associated with your product or | | | | the best ways to build name recognition, get publicity |
| service provides two very important things to your | | | | and skyrocket sales. |
