Having a celebrity endorse a product or brand is not a guarantee of success in this day and age. In this discussion we explore various aspects of using a celebrity to endorse products. (Some aspects to consider in celebrity endorsements.)
A Celebrity Isn’t Going to Salvage a Poor Product
No amount of celebrity exposure is going to make a poor to marginal product rise to the top. If you are lucky enough to secure a celebrity for a mediocre (or worse) product, the best case scenario is that you see a surge and then a sudden drop in sales. What follows this is likely going to be some serious bad PR when the users of your product pan your product by reviewing it online with less than glowing remarks. This not only hurts your company, but it can also damage the reputation and the credibility of the celebrity. Something he or she is not going to appreciate.
If you are going to spend the capital on a celebrity marketing campaign, make sure that the product you are sending out into the world warrants the seal of approval of a celebrity. If your product has yet to be test marketed, it is probably a better investment of funds to find out how the public at large reacts to your product than to find out once a huge advertising, social media and marketing campaign is underway. This also allows an opportunity to work out the kinks before they permanently damage a brand that could be the best thing since sliced bread.
Just Because Your Love the Celebrity Doesn’t Mean It’s a Good Fit
You can hire the best celebrity endorsement that money can buy and still not get the results that you hoped for. Just because you love and admire a celebrity doesn’t mean that they are the right fit for your brand.
It is important not to make assumptions about whether or not a celebrity is suitable for your brand. Here is an opportunity to do a fair amount of market research and ensure that the celebrity that your have in mind aligns with the public perception of your brand. Celebrity alone is not a guarantee of attention and the increase in sales that your company is looking for.
Celebrity endorsements can be a costly endeavor and ensuring that the personality and the product are the best fit possible makes sense when you are looking for return on investment. It is better to take the time and find the right match than to stab at it in the dark, after all, you may only have one shot at it in the budget.
Keeping It Real – Credibility
Credibility and a perception that an endorsement is genuine cannot be stressed enough. If you have done your market research and are moving forward with a celebrity endorsement, make sure that the campaign itself lends itself to the star power of the celebrity you will be hiring. The campaign should capitalize on whatever it is about the celebrity that is going to make the campaign as authentic, genuine and therefore, credible as possible.
It may help to have the celebrity’s input on the campaign. What would the celebrity say about the product if he or she were talking to their friends? In what kind of setting would the celebrity actually use the product? This doesn’t necessarily mean that you let the celebrity be the advertising and marketing exec, but it can provide direction and ideas that capitalize on authenticity.
You are Going to Have to Sell the Agent or Manager
Celebrity’s have agents and managers for a reason. They are the gatekeepers and provide a layer of protection against slimy deals and unwanted and unfounded grabs for their client.
If you want to get to the celebrity, you are not only going to have to sell yourself, but you are going to have to hustle your product. Making friends with the celebrity’s management team is the first step, be friendly and polite. Make them like you, don’t just pitch within the first fifteen seconds of the conversation. Take a little time to cultivate a relationship so that the person on the other end of the conversation is genuinely interested in the product because they actually like you.
This doesn’t mean that you should spend fifteen minutes talking about cats (unless this is what the agent or manager wants to talk about). It is also important not to waste the time of the agent or manager. They are busy people and they have a job to do. It’s a bit of a balancing act of taking the time to cultivate a relationship and ensuring that you are being respectful of the time constraints of someone else.
Get Creative on How to Get Your Product Into the Hands of a Celebrity
You may need to get creative on how to get your product into the hands of a celebrity. This might take a little research to find out what has been going on in the life of a celebrity recently and make an attempt to align your product with something that might be appreciated. How about a unique wedding gift, or a something that might enhance the celebrity’s life? A good agent is going to know what is current and relevant for a celebrity or what they might find appealing.
Make sure that the presentation generates enough interest to get noticed. Sending a gift in a brown cardboard box probably isn’t going to cut it. A little flourish and proper presentation can go a long way towards getting you in the door.
You can also alert the press that you have gifted the celebrity. While giving a gift and alerting the press might not earn you attention from the target celebrity every time, it is an investment and it very well could pay off in the end.
If you are looking to simplify the process, CelebrityCred.com can help you find the right celebrity and cut through the complications. For more information on securing a celebrity endorsements, contact CelebrityCred.com at 1(888)359-4521 or visit CelebrityCred.com.
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