Overview: Be it a toothpaste or a body mist, hiring a celebrity in marketing has a unique psychological affect on us regulars. Let’s find out how!
Whether it’s a pop singer promoting a fragrance brand or a celebrity showcasing makeup products, celebrity branding in marketing always catches attention. With the fourth industrial revolution expanding, there’s been a drastic change in consumer marketing, and featuring known faces continues to be a successful marketing strategy as people lean towards brands that are supported by their favorite celebrities.
WHAT IS CELEBRITY BRANDING IN MARKETING?
These days, celebrities promote everything on social media from skin-care products to baby diapers and even social disruptions. While it could be frustrating for users to constantly see non-regular people using “regular” products, it could also give credibility, as using a famous person for brand advertising is a powerful marketing tool since seeing a celebrity promote something typically creates a buzz for the service or a product.
During the humble beginnings of marketing, celebrity marketing was hosted through electronic media; however, celebrities engage with the masses through their social networks, or social media marketing.
>> Related Reading: 7 Effective Tips to Boost Your LinkedIn Business Marketing Efforts
Since celebrities have substantial social networks and a lot of fan following, people are interested in products that celebrities endorse.
HOW CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS AFFECT CONSUMERS PURCHASES:
Before choosing a product for a particular reason, consumers research to find some sort of validation or credibility for the product – and what better validation and credibility than to find their favorite celebrities using the same products! (Talk about neurological satisfaction.)
For instance, a self-proclaimed gym rat is looking for a new pair of athletic footwear. If they come across a famous person wearing a certain brand during matches or games, this will likely increase the buyers’ belief in the brand. The psychology is that: If this talented person is wearing this, it must be good! And the thought isn’t always wrong, either.
Take Nike, for example.
Nike is all-time the best example of taking advantage of celebrity marketing when it comes to promoting their athletic wear.
Its broad social network of celebrities helps reach many people via different mediums.
Neurologically, a known face makes the brand appear high-quality. Such endorsements give the product/brand credentials. Consumers assume that the beautiful celebrity appearing on the screen knows more about the beauty product – their hand automatically reaches the shelf where the same product is graced.
>> Recommended Reading: Online Star vs. Celebrity Endorsements: The Role of Self-Concept and Advertising Appeal in Influencing Purchase Intention
DO CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS REALLY BOOSTS SALES?
The key to selling your brand is to make customers feel like they need your product, so understanding your consumer’s pain points is essential. While celebrity branding is significantly seen to boost sales, social media marketing plays an essential role in helping brands grow – because, through social media, consumers already peep into the daily routine lives of celebrities and find it valid.
A report by Social Media Week outlines that the value of the stock increases sales by 4 percent and drives product sales when a celebrity endorses a product.
With E-Commerce stepping into the roots of our shopping lists and AI working smartly, we often come across a popping advertisement that showcases the product we’re exactly looking for. With an attention-grabbing heading, a full written caption, and a beautiful face endorsing the product – our neurons drive us into thinking: YOU NEED THIS.
>> Recommended Reading: A Guide to Augmented Reality: Can it Help Your 2022 Marketing Strategy?
CELEBRITY MARKETING – DOS AND DON'TS:
Warren Buffet says: “Look for three things in a person: intelligence, energy, and integrity. If they don’t have the last one, don’t bother with the first two.” Keeping this in mind, we’re listing some dos and don’ts before you get a celebrity onboarding for endorsement/marketing purpose.
Do Find the Right Match:
Ensure that the ambassador/celebrity’s personality aligns with your brand – that is to say, to ensure that their current popularity does not blind you. But also, the influencer should be able to resonate with and stand for the exact cause. For example, having a meat-eater endorse your plant-based product might not be a good option, and vice versa.
Do Communication Effectively:
The celebrity endorser will need to communicate with the audience, so this is where practical communication steps in. The chosen celebrity should be aware of the pros and cons of your product, and they must be in sync with your brand – so they create a positive perception aligned with your brand among the consumers.
Do Have a Solid Presence:
The celebrity should be present among the consumers, not physically but virtual. People look up to familiar faces for validation, so their presence is an essential factor. If consumers use Instagram, the celebrity should be someone with an established account and a strong relationship/bonding with them.
Do Establish Long-Term Plans:
To get good business out of the influencer, do some background checks – view how they responded to the activity in the brand-building exercise. This background check will establish the decision to hire them as the brand face.
Don't Prioritize Endorser Over Brand :
While choosing celebrities may increase sales, don’t forget that this has a dark side. One wrong decision and boom… the brand will be overshadowed. Besides, the harness should always be in the hands of the brand. Companies should ensure that they aren’t relying solely on celebrity branding to make sales; there should be other means of communication with the users outside of the celebrity.
Don't Association with the Similar Product:
This is an essential factor where the background check will help. The influencer shouldn’t be someone associated with similar product vendors, either directly or indirectly. Sounds easy, but many social media influencers will endorse multiple brands for a quick buck; be mindful of their resume of promotions and try to find an influencer who is more selective with their products.
Do Constant Monitoring:
Monitoring the endorser’s behavior, moral conduct, and public image will minimize potentially negative publicity. Observe their behavior towards the users when they ask questions and how they appear to portray a brand image.
Another factor is how they interact with the product/service. You don’t want them giving the impression that they aren’t genuinely interested. Make sure that you’re opting for a professional celebrity.
WHAT TYPE OF CELEBRITY BRANDING IS AVAILABLE?
With digitization taking control of everything, celebrities are either from traditional media or social media. While we all know who traditional media celebrities are (athletics, actors, and singers), social media celebrities are digital influencers who are way less costly and more effective in today’s world (because they’re relatable, duh).
Traditional media influencers are a great choice for advertisements; however, they demand high rates – that many standard businesses might find hard to keep up with. On the other hand, digital influencers don’t have the name recognition of traditional media stars, but they can be influential among their target group(s).
IN SUMMARY:
The business benefits of celebrity endorsement are both tangible and intangible. While celebrity marketing may help boost sales on a larger scale, there’s so much more that goes with this. The strategic plan, strong advertising team, and excellent product will take you to the heights of success either way.