The halo effect: The pros and cons of celebrity endorsement by Katie Matthews
If the Kate Moss scandal of 2005 showed anything, it was the power of celebrity endorsement and celebrity PR. After a British tabloid snapped a photo of Moss ‘allegedly’ snorting cocaine and published it as the cover story, a dilemma emerged between moral and commercial responsibility. Three of her largest brand contracts including Chanel, Burberry and H&M dropped her like a shot, amid panic that she would bring their brands down on her fall from grace. However she was able to hold on to contracts with companies like Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, and this partnership has since only heightened their global brand image.
As society has become increasingly obsessed with every possible permutation of fame, companies have woken up to the power of celebrity endorsement for their brands. They see how celebrity can brush off on a brand, making it hit the headlines as a result – and they all want a piece of it. It’s known as the ‘halo effect’ because the aim is for some of the celebrity’s glamour to rub off on the product, and when it does, the result is quite simply, a huge upturn in sales.
Over the last 10 years deals between brands and celebrities have become far more sophisticated. In Consumer PR, particularly fashion PR or beauty PR, especially it is no longer enough to simply pay for a celebrity to cut the ribbon at a store opening, or give your brand a quote of support – core to any endorsement now is the successful transfer of values from the celebrity to the brand.
In the Fashion and Beauty industry, PR consultancies must tread very carefully when pairing a celebrity with their brand to maximize consumer interest, and ultimately sales. Brands want consumers not to be asking ‘what style will suit me?’ but more ‘How can I be more like Victoria Beckham?’ with the answer simply being, ‘by buying our jeans’.
Examples of successful relationships that marry brand values with celebrity persona include Kate Moss for Topshop as she is a 21st century style icon and epitomizes Topshop’s unique, fun and experimental take on fashion. Scarlett Johansson for Dolce and Gabbana Make-up has also worked beautifully, cemented by the similarities of Scarlet to Marilyn Monroe and the old-school effortless glamour she exudes. Both brands have celebrated sell-out collections and demonstrate effective PR strategies combined with successful advertising campaigns.
We live in a much more celebrity-led culture than ever before and as such there is constant demand for brands and Public Relations Agencies to keep up with celebrity news, emerging talent and the latest offerings from the world of Reality TV. Recently top stylist Nicky Hambleton-Jones was axed from hit TV programme ‘10 Years Younger’ and replaced with the fresh-face of Myleene Klass. Myleene’s stint in the ‘I’m a Celebrity’ jungle turned her from yet another by-product of Reality TV to the nations favourite ‘girl next door’ and an endorsers dream. The reasons? Many women across the UK felt they could relate to Myleene’s friendly persona and her wholesome family image. Her hard-working attitude and personable character has translated well into brand endorsements and she is currently enjoying profitable relationships with high profile brands including Pantene, Marks & Spencer and Mothercare. In these current challenging financial times, it is celebrity endorsements like these that appear to be standing the test of time. Other examples of brands which have re-thought their celebrity endorsement strategies to keep up to date with the changing times include Alexa Chung’s new collection for New Look, Holly Willoughby for Littlewoods and Vanessa Hudgens for Neutrogena – all of which are currently enjoying commercial success.
Nothing highlights the ‘halo effect’ more than the conveyor belt of celebrity fragrance. Everyone from Jennifer Lopez and Paris Hilton to Jade Goody and the ‘Samanda’ twins have jumped on the ’scent’ bandwagon and launched their own perfume. Some have remained firmly on the store shelves, while others, mainly Jade and Jordan’s have sold out – usually closely followed by another subsequent line of fragrance, launch of a beauty range or another, autobiography. But what all these products have in common is the idea that by spraying the perfume, reading the book, or wearing the lipstick any consumer can have a slice of the glamorous lifestyle and for an instant be transported to a world where the ‘credit crunch’ simple doesn’t exist.
About the Author
Katie Matthews is working in a PR Agency in UK and recommends you to visit http://www.pha-media.com/
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