How to Get Celebrity Endorsements — Even if You're Not a Huge Brand
By Tina Aita
As a marketer and pop-culture fanatic, I am fascinated by celebrity marketing. I love seeing a new ad or social media campaign featuring the biggest pop stars and actors and observing how their brand aligns (or doesn’t) with the company they endorse.
If you‘re a small or upcoming brand, you may think celebrity marketing isn’t possible for you now. Getting icons like Beyonce or Taylor Swift to endorse your product or service can’t be easy, right?
While it‘s not always simple, even smaller brands can leverage celebrities in their marketing campaigns. Here’s how you can get big-name celebs to promote your products, plus some celebrity endorsement examples to inspire (or warn) you.
Table of Contents
- What is celebrity marketing?
- Is celebrity advertising effective in 2024?
- How to Get Celebrity Endorsements
- How to Leverage Celebrity Marketing for Your Brand
- Social Media Celebrity Endorsements
- Celebrity Endorsements Gone Wrong
- Successful Celebrity Endorsements
What is celebrity marketing?
Celebrity marketing involves using celebrities to promote, endorse, or act as ambassadors for a brand‘s products or services. The idea is to use the celebrity’s influence and public favor to shine a positive light on a brand.
Celebrity marketing can take on various forms, such as:
- A social media shoutout, such as pop star and actress Ariana Grande mentioning Ralph Lauren in her Instagram caption.
- Celebrity appearances, such as the annual Met Gala, where celebrities gather to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Advertisements, such as Zendaya and Anne Hathaway’s appearance in ads for the jewelry company Bulgary.
Is celebrity advertising effective in 2024?
Celebrity advertising is still effective in 2024 but looks different from previous years. Look at this 2008 L’oreal hair dye advertisement featuring Beyonce and Solange Knowles.
Now, compare that to the 2024 ad for Beyonce’s hair care line, Cecred.
Do you see the difference?
Both advertisements feature Beyonce narrating, but the Cecred ad is more personal. In it, we see Beyonce using the products as she washes her hair while candidly explaining her process.
Furthermore, the ad is clearly shot from her phone. The video is authentic and makes the audience feel like they’re watching a friend share her haircare secrets.
In contrast, the 2008 L‘oreal ad is less relatable and is clearly shot on a curated set with cameras and glossy lighting. Most importantly, we don’t see Bey use the product or explain her process.
These ads are a prime example of how celebrity marketing has changed.
Before the rise of social media, celebrities were just names and faces on a TV screen or magazine. There were few pathways or incentives for celebrities to have genuine, authentic interactions with consumers.
Since the creation of platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok, the divide between celebrities and …read more
Source:: HubSpot Blog
