Archive for the 'Sponsorship' Category

06
Apr
11

celebrities and social media — puppets on a string?

By Matrix Advertising Leave a Comment
Categories: Accountability, Branding, Communication, Consumer Relationships, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking and Sponsorship
Tags: , , , , ,

Some companies give so much attention to how they should (and should not) present themselves on social networking sites that they end up with little time or energy to figure out how best the celebrities they sponsor should present their brand online.

The same way that it can be frustrating for consumers to try to connect with a brand that is obsessed with pushing sales and getting more followers, so too can it be disheartening when a favorite celebrity seems more focused on pushing a new fragrance, CD, or apparel line.

And then to further complicate matters, there’s always the issue of PR — of a celebrity, say, tweeting about things that are viewed by some as controversial, inappropriate, or not in line with the beliefs of his or her business partners. Seems like actor James Franco, whose public Twitter account suddenly went private less than a week ago, didn’t appreciate being told what he could and couldn’t tweet about online — “My thought was ‘this is my Twitter. I can do whatever I want.’ But certain companies I work with contacted me about what I was saying.”

A balancing act for all involved, that’s for sure. So it’s nice when celebrities are able to succeed in establishing a presence on social networking sites that works for their business partners, fans, and, of course, themselves.

Have any examples to share of celebrities who’ve nailed it?

Photo credit: Sarah G

09
Jun
10

celebrity endorsements — a potential minefield

By Matrix Advertising Leave a Comment
Categories: Accountability, Advertising, Branding, New York City, Sponsorship and Strategic Planning
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

All it takes is a leisurely walk through the streets of Manhattan to see the many ways in which celebrities are being used to market products — they’re on outdoor billboards, they’re working on sets, they’re walking around flashing the clothing and jewelry that they endorse, they’re attending gala events. But market research has long questioned the benefits of using a celebrity to endorse a product. Will the target audience be able to relate to the celebrity, and stay focused on the brand and core message? Will the large sums of money paid out to the celebrity prove to be a worthwhile investment in improved brand image and increased brand awareness and sales? These are difficult questions to answer, especially when each endorsement opportunity brings with it a unique set of circumstances.

And to complicate things further, the marketing decision makers have to take everything they’ve ever learned at the poker table and use it to judge whether or not the celebrity has a high probability of staying out of trouble. Celebrities are human and, therefore, just like the rest of us, are going to make mistakes. But unlike the rest of us, they’ll always have the paparazzi lurking in the shadows waiting to get it all on camera. And while the majority of Americans claim that a celebrity scandal does not affect how they feel about the brands that the celebrity endorses, most brand executives are not going to sit around waiting to see if this is the case in reality.

So with there being no guaranteed way to predetermine whether a celebrity endorsement will be a hit or miss, perhaps it’s time for more brands to consider in earnest the other options out there.

- Natsai Mandisodza

Photo credit: richkidsunite

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