Did Snickers sell any more candy bars because of Betty White's Super Bowl commercial? Does anybody really care that Adrien Brody is pushing Stella Artois beer? What about Jennifer Lopez in those Venus commercials for Gillette?
As you probably know, having famous celebrities pitch products is nothing new. Remember Billy Dee Williams in those "cool" Colt 45 commercials? How about MJ for Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, etc.? I've seen conflicting case studies on this, some saying brands receive significant incremental sales, and others saying the majority of consumers surveyed denied that celebrity spokespeople influenced there purchases. You want to know what I think? Yeah, I'm going to tell you anyway! Consumers are not always forthright when surveyed and in the case of celebrity pitchmen having an impact on their purchases, they are mostly fibbing when they say it has no affect on them. Do you really think brands would continue to shell out millions and millions of dollars on commercials and promotions if it wasn't working?!
The reality is, these celebrities and luminaries are seen by the world as role models, sometimes even heroes. Smart brands realize this and look to leverage their relationships with high profile celebrities. That is why product placement and brand integration has become an integral part of the marketing mix for small and large companies. Although not quite the same as hiring talent to pitch a specific product, the implied celebrity endorsement is sometimes priceless!
As you probably know, having famous celebrities pitch products is nothing new. Remember Billy Dee Williams in those "cool" Colt 45 commercials? How about MJ for Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, etc.? I've seen conflicting case studies on this, some saying brands receive significant incremental sales, and others saying the majority of consumers surveyed denied that celebrity spokespeople influenced there purchases. You want to know what I think? Yeah, I'm going to tell you anyway! Consumers are not always forthright when surveyed and in the case of celebrity pitchmen having an impact on their purchases, they are mostly fibbing when they say it has no affect on them. Do you really think brands would continue to shell out millions and millions of dollars on commercials and promotions if it wasn't working?!
The reality is, these celebrities and luminaries are seen by the world as role models, sometimes even heroes. Smart brands realize this and look to leverage their relationships with high profile celebrities. That is why product placement and brand integration has become an integral part of the marketing mix for small and large companies. Although not quite the same as hiring talent to pitch a specific product, the implied celebrity endorsement is sometimes priceless!
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