Big River on….. Celebrity Endorsement

When people talk about celebrity endorsement, it is always on either its advantages or foibles. Perhaps, it is much more important to discuss what you ought to be doing to get the best out of any endorsement.

1. It’s about the face

More than anything else, looks are everything when it comes celebrity endorsement. Forget ‘attitude’, ‘accomplishments’ or ‘embodiment’. A face is tangible, it can be seen. It is the first thing that will struck the hearts of customers and more often than not the make or break factor in any campaign. But it is not just the face that wears the latest super luscious mascara that matters; the face of the whole campaign must count as well. From the copy, the theme, objective of the campaign and everything else must revolve around the celebrity of choice and the offering at hand. It goes beyond what is visible and should encompass every aspect of the campaign strategy. Yes, face matters but it should be more than just the face on billboards, hoardings and at the side of buses and commuter trains.

2. Product first…. Always

Ray Ban never wears Horatio, it is Horatio that wears Ray Ban. Well, CSI Miami’s top gun is not on Ray Ban’s payroll but you get the drift. However hot the celebrity is, the product must come first. Remember, a campaign where the product means more to the celebrity will probably be more effective that a campaign where the celebrity means more to the product. You want to feel like a real woman (if you are a women that is) when you wear Armani Diamond perfume but do you really want to be Beyonce? It is good to know that she has the same taste as you but the customer will always be her (or his) own self. Putting product first in any endorsement strategy means putting the most important person in any business first, your customers.

3. Get the most out of the deal

Forget clichés. Picture of some old duffer from an old television series with a thumb up holding your product is just boring. Make them do more. You are paying big bucks so use them for personal appearances, a lot of them. Estee Lauder showed how it should be done. A celebrity in her own right she often conducted product demonstration herself and that was a great hit among customers. When it comes to celebrities, people like to be seen with them so give ‘em the chance. Add that to your campaign and you will have a more personalized touch to the whole strategy.

So, that’s about it for now. There will be further discussion on the subject later. Perhaps though, the best form of celebrity endorsements is the ones that are serendipitous in nature. My all-time favorite is when Steve McQueen wore a blue strap Tag Heuer Monaco wristwatch in the movie Le Mans. That marked a beginning of a campaign that is still ongoing long after McQueen’s death. Like I said earlier, its always about the face, but coolness helps as well.