What is Celebrity Marketing?

What is Celebrity Marketing?

Celebrity marketing" or endorsement refers to communication campaigns involving well-known personalities (actors, singers, athletes, chefs, journalists and other experts).

Through this collaboration, companies seek to associate themselves with the image and values of these celebrities by exploiting their notoriety through different communication tools, in order to promote their products, services or brands to a target audience of potential buyers. The celebrity who participates in this type of project is called, in turn, muse, ambassador, or icon.

The global celebrity marketing market currently represents more than $24 billion.

History of celebrity marketing

Companies have been using celebrities to boost their communication campaigns since the 19th century. The presence of celebrities in advertisements is therefore not a new phenomenon, but their appearances are increasing (campaigns involving celebrities have doubled between 2010 and 2015). Among the first cases recorded, reference is often made to Sarah Bernhardt who promoted La Diaphane rice powder in 1890 or to the Queen of England who was the ambassador of Cadbury brand confectionery. The endorsement by sportsmen and women began at the beginning of the 20th century and can be explained by their professionalization and extensive media coverage. Baseball player Honus Wagner was the first sportsman to be associated with a brand in 1905 (Hillerich & Bradsby).

At that time, however, celebrity marketing was not well received. Indeed, public figures did not want to tarnish their image by associating themselves with a brand, thereby losing their freedom. But the growing interest in the media, especially cinema, has inexorably led celebrities to advertising. Celebrity marketing then develops and its negative image gradually disappears.

While it has long been restricted to the advertising context, celebrity marketing has nowadays invested in many communication uses and is experiencing new forms of development with the advent of social networks and video sharing platforms (product placement, sponsored posts...). 

In 2016, 4.7% of French advertising campaigns used celebrities in the press (compared to 6.5% in 2015) and nearly 11% on television (compared to 9.9% in 2015). It can be seen that the share of celebrity marketing in the press has decreased in favour of television. In addition, 12% of outdoor advertising used celebrities in 2016.

In comparison, celebrity marketing's share of advertising is 11% in the United Kingdom and even more than 47% in Japan.

The different celebrity marketing devices

Brand ambassador: fame becomes the face of the brand, which can then use its image rights on any type of communication medium (press, radio, television...);
Conference or company seminar: a personality, expert in a field, intervenes for a thematic speech on the occasion of a conference or company seminar;
Sponsored posts on social networks: a personality or influencer publishes a message on his social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat...) as part of a brand's digital communication campaign;
Product placement: a brand makes products available to celebrities so that they can promote them on social networks, in real life, in a music video....;
Event animation: a public personality animates the event (convention, conference, plenary...) of a company, a brand or an institution;
Event sponsorship: a celebrity is hired to appear on an event (trade show, fair, inauguration, award ceremony, etc.);
Show: a well-known artist (singer, comedian, magician...) hosts a public or private event (gala dinner, convention...) organized by a company;
Cook show: a culinary event is organised with the participation of a famous chef (this event can be public or private: demonstration, workshop, card signing...).

How to choose the right celebrity for your brand?

It is essential that brands carefully select celebrities. The ideal celebrity is the one who shares the same values as the brand (we speak of "congruence"), who is credible and whose attributes are in adequacy with the personal image of consumers (or at least the ideal image towards which they tend).

It is also important to choose a celebrity who is appropriate for the communication device. Celebrities are selective in what they transmit and not all are relevant to celebrity marketing campaigns.

Why use a celebrity for a communication campaign?

The objectives of celebrity marketing Modify marketing Companies favour the use of celebrities in their communication campaigns for several reasons:

Embody values (those of celebrity are then associated with the brand)
Reach a new target Increase consumer buying intentions and sales Increase awareness and increase positive opinion Attract the public, participants or journalists to an event Generate engagement and online traffic Boost or change your brand image or positioning
Passing messages through the guarantee of an expert Offering a unique experience to consumers, customers, partners, collaborators....

Studies

A scientific study has shown that a consumer pays more attention to a known person than to an anonymous person. The ACE Metrix study also shows that celebrity ads are 16 to 18% more effective than traditional advertising campaigns.

Among the four favourite French television campaigns in 2016, two feature a celebrity (Johnny Depp for Dior and Laetitia Casta for Nina Ricci). In the same year, the three most popular YouTube ads featured celebrities.

Some examples of celebrity marketing campaigns

• Jean Dujardin and George Clooney, Nespresso brand ambassadors
• Novak Djokovic, ambassador for Gerblé gluten-free products]
• Shakira, muse for Activia by Danone
• Rachel Bilson and Karl Lagerfeld for Magnum
• Thierry Marx for Les 4 Temps