Post 1
Ever since the beginning of entertainment, celebrities have always linked their name to various goods and services. Celebrity endorsements have strengthened the branding process through “gaining and keeping attention and in creating favorable associations leading to positive brand knowledge and distinct brand images.” (Carroll 150) Celebrity endorsements help companies bring out the connection between the product and the consumer, as well as attaching a certain image to the product itself. According to Carroll, there are two models of the branding tool to consider before signing on with a celebrity endorser, which falls to The Source Credibility and The Source Attractiveness models. (Carroll 150) The attractiveness of the celebrity is not only referring to their physical appearance, but also their overall physical and mental competence. “Consumers generally have a more positive response to attractive people and the effectiveness of the message depends on the similarity, familiarity and liking of the endorser.” (Carroll 151) In terms of credibility, it’s necessary for such celebrity to hold a positive image through expertise and trustworthiness, so companies don’t look for endorses who are attached to a negative scandal (Tiger Woods, for example) The celebrity’s credibility factor has a huge influence over the acceptance of the product with consumers. “Trust is reflected in the confidence in the general believability of the endorser and message. Expertise refers to product knowledge and thus the validity of claims” (Carroll 150) Additionally, there needs to be a connection through identity, personality, and lifestyle--the audience needs to feel this connection in order to believe in whatever message the company is trying to sell through their product. For example, Nike is very well known for celebrity endorsements, such as Michael Jordan, who created an image with Nike through a consistent contract so much so that they launched Air Jordan’s, a line of Nike sport shoes. Are you more willing to buy a product based on the attractiveness of the celebrity endorser? How much does their attractiveness and credibility influence a consumer to buy a product, or do consumers not even find a connection between the celebrity and the product?
Celebrity endorsements can be placed under the fourth feature of the social marketing theory, explained by Baran and Davis, where endorsements are a successful method for cultivating images and impressions of people, products, or services. Solely attaching the name of a celebrity to a product will generate activity and business through a cultivated image of the product, if we remember that a certain celebrity uses the product and receives positive results, we are more willing to buy the product for ourselves. The findings of a Harvard Business School study found that advertisements of a celebrity of an endorsed company can go up as much as 20%. According to the article, “Celebrity Endorsements Carry Weight in Advertising”, celebrity endorsements have become such a stable branding tool that a Celebrity BDI was created. A Celebrity BDI is an “independent index for brand marketers and agencies that determines a celebrity’s ability to influence endorsements” that evaluates celebrities based on “their awareness, appeal and relevance to a brand’s image, and influence on consumers.” (Marketwire) Celebrities hold so much power in now the advertising industry, but what is it about celebrities that can sell more products than standard advertising? “The celebrity system is primarily an American cultural enterprise and that Americans identify especially strongly with celebrities and are thus more willing to accept and internalize endorsement messages” (Carroll 151) Why are we more willing to buy products that celebrities are endorsing? Can you think of any other company/celebrity endorsement contracts that have found to be successful? What about any celebrity endorsements that have had a reverse effect for the product?
(Post Continued in first comment)
Celebrity endorsements hold a strong influence in another aspect of the media through political campaigns. Especially in a time where unfortunately, not many people are up to date on current events, celebrity endorsements hold a significant importance in transferring awareness of political candidates to target audiences, which can be applied to the fourth feature of the social marketing theory: methods for cultivating images and impressions of people, products, or services. Celebrity endorsements are a great method for cultivating a certain image for a political figure, but its own legitimacy and long-term effect is often challenged. Celebrity endorsements took a turn in the 2008 presidential elections, where endorsing a presidential candidate was “the cool thing” to do in Hollywood. Some say that Obama only won the presidency because of Oprah Winfrey-- she seems to be the only influential and successful celebrity endorser in a political campaign. But what about other celebrities who endorse political campaigns—how much significance do they hold? According to John Tures, refers to the “Huck and Chuck” team of Mike Huckabee and celebrity Chuck Norris that helped win the Iowa caucus, when the presence of a “celebrity” figure such as Chuck Norris, who holds no political experience or credential could have the gravest possible effect in the GOP primary. Tures looked at the number of Yahoo and Google search hits for a presidential candidate, the term endorsed, and the particular endorser, and found that the support of an established political figure will help out a campaign more than a celebrity figure could. Earlier this month, Donald Trump proudly endorsed Mitt Romney, but his support, along with other celebrities who have chosen to endorse a candidate, won’t have a lasting effect on which candidate wins the nomination, says Booey Mittelstadt. The results of a Pew Research Center poll shows that 64% of Americans would not be swayed by Donald Trump affiliating with a candidate, and 26% say that a Trump endorsement would cause them to support a candidate even less. “The fact that less than one-tenth of Americans would choose to support a candidate solely based on the fact that a celebrity has done so is proof for me that Americans might be moving in the right direction in becoming a better informed citizenry.” (Mittelstadt) It’s comforting to know that most Americans will cast their votes based on the important issues of the actual race, and not which celebrities are attached to candidates.
ReplyDeleteAre you more swayed to support a political candidate based off of their celebrity endorsements? Better yet, do celebrity endorsements play any kind of significance when you are deciding on which candidate to support? How can celebrities play a more influential role in the presidential race? Should they concern themselves with politics to begin with, or stick to their own area of expertise? Are they any celebrities who have endorsed a celebrity in a positive way? What about any celebrity who has brought negative attention to a political candidate through their attempt of endorsement?
Baran, Stanley J. and Dennis K. Davis, eds. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future, 6th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012). Print. Pp. 281-291
Carroll, Angela, “Brand Communications in Fashion Categories Using Celebrity Endorsement,” Journal of Brand Management 17 (2009): 146 – 158
Mittelstadt, Booey. "Celebrity Endorsements Should Not Affect GOP Race." TCU 360. 8 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. .
Roll, Martin. "Branding Celebrities, Brand Endorsements, Brand Leadership." Martin Roll. Venture Republic. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. .
Tures, John A. "Do Celebrity Endorsements Outweigh Political Endorsements in the 2012 Election?" Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 02 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.
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Century Market Research. "Celebrity Endorsements Carry Weight in Advertising." Www.marketwatch.com. 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.
Emily Martin
ReplyDeleteI definitely believe that celebrity endorsements have the power to influence the public to buy a certain product. I was very fascinated with the results Rebecca stated from the Harvard Business School study. I wasn’t surprised when she wrote, “advertisements of a celebrity of an endorsed company can go up as much as 20%”. An example of a celebrity endorsing a product is Kim Kardashian and QuickTrim. I have a friend who is a huge Kim Kardashian fan. She adores everything Kim Kardashian does, and finds her to be one the most beautiful and attractive woman in the world. According to Carroll, “brand consumption provides an opportunity for individuals to express themselves not as they are, but as how they would like to be or be seen” (Carroll, 148). When Kim Kardashian started to endorse the diet regimen QuickTrim and claimed that she lost 15 pounds by using it, my friend bought the product immediately. She bought the product because not only does she trust what Kim says, she wants to look just like Kim as well. Clearly, Kim Kardashian has the required quality that allows her to connect with her fans for them to believe in the product she is endorsing.
When Rebecca wrote, “celebrity endorsements hold a strong influence in another aspect of the media through political campaigns”, the first thing that came to my mind was Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election. According to an article in the Huffington Post, the celebrity fundraiser Oprah Winfrey threw for Obama “collected an estimated $3 million.” (Huffingtonpost.com) Not only was Oprah Winfrey promoting Obama but also other celebrities like, Chris Rock, Kanye West, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Aniston were as well. Will.i.am, from the Black Eyed Peas, even wrote two songs for the former Senator, which generated publicity and expressed a certain message.
Personally, I am not swayed to support a political candidate based off their celebrity endorsements, but I do think many citizens are. You can’t help to become more interested in a candidate that celebrities support, whether you like them or not. According to Baran and Davis, “ A key first step in promoting ideas or candidates is to make people aware of their existence” (Baran Davis, 284). Celebrities had an enormous impact on informing citizens, especially young American’s, on who Barack Obama was. Many young adults may have even been aware of who the other candidates were, which could persuade them to vote for the only candidate they have heard of. If you are a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey, and agree with her opinions on most topics, wouldn’t you assume Barack Obama was worthy of your vote? I think voters were more likely to vote for Obama because of the publicity he had due to celebrity endorsements. Therefore, Oprah’s endorsements did bring Obama positive attention. I also believe not all celebrity endorsement will always generate good attention. For example, I don’t particularly care for Kanye West or anything he has to say, so his efforts to support Obama had no affect on me whatsoever. Other citizens may have even questioned Obama and what he stands for, because of certain celebrities that supported him.
Work Cited:
"Top 10 Celebrity Obama Supporters." The Huffington Post. HuffingtonPost.com, 20 Apr. 2008. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .
In my opinion, there’s not much of a connection between celebrities and presidential candidates. I think that political figures have their own agenda, and celebrities have their own agenda as well. The closest correlation I’ve seen between celebrities and political figures was when President Obama made a comment about Kanye West and his stunt at the VMA’s with Taylor Swift a few years back. Celebrities tend to not concern themselves with politics, except when they may be addressing an issue that is close to them, but what are the chances of someone like 50 cent being concerned with global spending?
ReplyDeleteIt is an open and closed topic for me when the question is asked if celebrity endorsements are impactful when deciding which candidate to support. Since I feel that there is no connection between the two, the answer to that is no. Chuck Norris was mentioned as having influence in the GOP primary, but Chuck Norris can’t really be compared to many of the celebrities that we deal with today on a daily basis. It’s safe to say that Chuck Norris is past his prime for the most part as a popular celebrity in the news, so he probably doesn’t have much influence on people anymore. According to Angela Carroll, in her article titled Brand Communications in Fashion Categories Using Celebrity Endorsement”, she states “Celebrity Endorsement has become a popular approach in the branding process both in terms of gaining and keeping attention and in creating favourable associations leading to positive brand knowledge and distinct brand images. This works fundamentally by creating a congruent image between brand and the consumer” (Carroll, 150). Here, Carroll is saying that celebrities may be useful when attempting to promote brands and products by creating and maintaining a favorable association between the celebrity and the brand. If a consumer sees a certain celebrity endorsing a product, they may be more likely to try the product. This technique is marketing 101, and it’s used by so many different brands.
It was also mentioned that Donald Trump was associated with Mitt Romney, but that’s also a different circumstance. Although Donald Trump may be considered a “celebrity” to some people, I think he has a little more influence when it comes to political agendas and the backing of presidential candidates. I guess he could be considered a celebrity because of the numerous appearances he’s made on television, but when I think of a celebrity I tend to think of someone like Kim Kardashian. Another thing that was discussed was a celebrity BDI, which is “an independent index for brand marketers and agencies that determine a celebrity’s ability to influence endorsements” that evaluates celebrities based on their “awareness, appeal and relevance to a brand’s image, and influence on consumers”. One of the most crucial parts of the definition of a celebrity BDI would probably be the part that mentions awareness, appeal, and most importantly, relevance. How is it relevant when Eva Longoria is endorsing Newt Gingrich?
(Continued)
ReplyDeleteUnlike the celebrity endorsement of political figures, celebrities on Twitter are something I can wrap my head around. It seems like almost everyone today is engaged in some kind of social media, especially Facebook and Twitter. Celebrities seem to constantly be Tweeting about random things, but what’s amazing is the amount of followers that they tend to have, and this is where celebrity influence is heavy. In the article “To See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on Twitter”, the authors say “Like other public genres of social media, Twitter requires celebrity practitioners to negotiate a complicated social environment where fans, famous people, and intermediaries such as columnists co-exist” (Marwick and Boyd, 143). To me, it makes sense when celebrities and people alike communicate via sources like Facebook and Twitter, as opposed to when they are associated with a political figure. Since media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are so popular among people, the fact that they are widely used by different celebrities makes the most sense in my opinion.
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ReplyDeleteIn response to Rebecca's question about the link between celebrities and presidential candidates, I do believe that certain celebrity endorsements can affect presidential campaigns. Let me be clear in that I do not believe celebrity supporters overshadow a nominee's political, social or economic endeavors; at the end of the day, I know that a nominee's beliefs and standpoints are what make or break a vote. However, I believe that Obama's 2008 campaign was positively affected by the support he got from certain celebrities, specifically because these celebrities attracted the type of voters Obama was aiming for--younger voters. His use of social media, combined with his acknowledgement of issues that appealed to younger voters, attracted a greater voting audience. Certain celebrities helped to reinforce campaigns because they were also able to successfully reach out to the same target audiences. Celebrities such as Will.i.am (who led the "Yes We Can" music video with Nick Cannon and Amber Valetta), Scarlett Johansson and Usher all advocated, raised funds and made speeches on Obama's behalf. Their appeal to younger generations, paired with Obama's reaching out to the same age groups, was beneficial to the outcome of his campaign if you ask me. As Angela Carroll writes, "The benefits of using celebrity endorsement to support a brand strategy can include increased attention, image polishing, brand introduction, brand repositioning and the potential to underpin global campaigns" (150). Likewise, Carroll associates a certain amount "trustworthiness" (150) within the celebrity endorsement. This is important to note, as young voters especially who see the celebrities they already buy into/look up to the most supporting a political campaign, they may be more inclined to listen. This may help them learn about the greater social, political and economic issues at hand, the ones that they would be voting for.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to celebrity endorsements with certain brands, the first brand that pops into my head is CoverGirl. Whenever print or television advertisements for this makeup brand come one, a viewer is immediately bombarded by fresh-faced, young and female celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Drew Barrymore. Neutrogena, a similar brand, promotes their skincare and makeup lines through celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens and Miranda Cosgrove to appeal to the younger girls and women trying to attain the ideal image of beauty in their own lives. These actresses work because, like Carroll has stated, promote attractiveness and fulfill the need for ‘’aesthetic expression’” (150). Celebrity endorsements satisfies Baran &Davis’ fourth component of social marketing theory because celebrities, to the modern consumer, encapsulate the look that most people want to emulate. I would venture to say that brands such as CoverGirl and Neutrogena benefit more that high-end makeup brands enlisting celebrities (such as Lancome or Chanel) because they are affordable. Celebrities who endorse drug-store brands that are accessible to the greater masses of society are always going to be wildly successful, as consumers will be gratified by the idea that recognizable celebrities use products that are financially available to them as well. The idea is simple: many Americans want what celebrities have, but often can’t afford the same products in reality. Thus, it is quite comforting to buy into a product that a consumer knows it can get, especially if it is worn or promoted by an admired celebrity figure.
Carroll, Angela, “Brand Communications in Fashion Categories Using Celebrity Endorsement,” Journal of Brand Management 17 (2009): 146 – 158
I agree with several points made by Rebecca however, I am not completely sold on the influential power of celebrity endorsements. I think that the social marketing theory discussed in our textbook and the branding theory discussed in Carroll’s article make some good arguments but my own personal experience with celebrity endorsements makes me question the extent to which they actual affect people. I agreed with Rebecca’s point that, “there needs to be a connection through identity, personality, and lifestyle--the audience needs to feel this connection in order to believe in whatever message the company is trying to sell through their product” when commenting on Carroll’s perspective of celebrity branding developing a trusting message between product and consumers . I think that branding strategy is only successful with the right combination of endorser and product. Carroll certainly makes some compelling arguments however I have a hard time believing that “Celebrity endorsement is recognized as a potentially potent tool in communications, with celebrities viewed as more powerful than anonymous models and campaigns tending to verbalise the meaning of the celebrity in relation to the brand” (Carroll, 146). I think that celebrities have the ability to appeal to certain viewers and consumers and that they have some influence but I think that there is more to consumerism than a familiar face endorsing a product. I think the extent to which a celebrity is able to influence consumers through product endorsement depends on the person watching the advertisement. I was very surprised to learn that according to the statistics Rebecca presented, the strategic presentation of advertisements including celebrity endorsers has proven successful in getting the attention of consumers. I was very surprised to learn that “the findings of a Harvard Business School study found that advertisements of a celebrity of an endorsed company can go up as much as 20%” (Rebecca).
ReplyDeleteIn addressing the findings from the Harvard Business School study I would be curious to know the demographics of the participants in the study. I only bring this up because as I mentioned earlier, I feel like the age of people, their economic status, and most definitely the amount of loyalty or importance they attach to certain celebrities can affect the influence and appeal they attach to a product being endorsed by a particular celebrity. In other words, I think that young kids can be easily influenced by celebrity endorsements. I know in last week’s class we talked about Disney and how successful it is in marketing products to young children. I think that if a child sees Hannah Montana strutting around in a certain shirt or with a certain type of phone that child would be very inclined to get it. I think that as people get old though the influence shifts from who the celebrity endorser is to a combination of factors. I definitely think that seeing a celebrity advocating a certain product creates greater appeal, after all, many celebrities are looked upon as being role models. However I think that it has to also be combined with peer influence and as the third feature of the social marketing theory mentions- the reinforcement of the message. According to the third point of the social marketing theory, “even vulnerable audience members are likely to forget or fail to act on messages unless those messages are
Part 2:
ReplyDeletereinforced by similar information coming from several channels. Various strategies have been developed to make certain that multiple messages are received from several channels” (Baran and Davis, 285). I don’t think something can be that influential and that effective unless it appears several times. One advertisement with a celebrity endorsing a product would not do the trick, it has to be shown over and over again so that audiences are constantly reminded of it. Furthermore, I think that a lot of times peer pressure can be just as significant as celebrity influence. In fact, I think it can be more influential at times. I have a brother in high school and every time he wants a new pair of sneakers, or a new gadget and I as why his response is never “well, Michael Jordan wears those shoes!” or “because such and such athlete has one”. It always comes down to what his peers have. I find that the fear of not fitting in, and not having the latest trend is what urges him to seek out certain products, not so much the celebrity he has seen wearing it or using it. Perhaps, this can come around full circle and one could argue that whatever it is that he wants became a trend because of a celebrity endorsement but my observations indicate that his desire to get a product is not directly correlated with celebrity endorsement or branding.
Baran, Stanley J. and Dennis K. Davis, eds. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future, 6th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012). Print. Pp. 281-291
Carroll, Angela, “Brand Communications in Fashion Categories Using Celebrity Endorsement,” Journal of Brand Management 17 (2009): 146 – 158
In Rebecca’s analysis of the social marketing theory, I was perplexed seeing Booey Mittelstadt’s statement, “Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mitt Romney won’t have a lasting effect on which candidate wins the nomination.” Personally I do not think his opinion will have a significant impact on Romney’s campaign however I do feel his public statement does influence some to a lesser degree. The hierarchy-of-effects model suggests that it is important to differentiate easier and more difficult methods of persuasion, and I see both within this example. He clearly voices his stand and support for Romney, an easier method of persuasion because the message straightforward. Most that became aware of this were most likely not phased by the more obvious persuasion strategy but it does circulate Romney’s name throughout the media. Trump‘s statement generates publicity for Romney and that is a more complex persuasion method which could absolutely raise awareness of his run for presidency to the less-informed. The goal to reach out to the less-informed is also exemplified in the second feature of the social marketing theory, “Limited-effects research demonstrated how to identify audience segments most vulnerable to specific types of messages (Baran, Davis, 285).” Trump’s intention may not have been to sway political opinion of media consumers but when Trumps reputation of being rich and powerful connects to a presidential figure. Those qualities are likely to enter the mind of many US citizens unconsciously or not.
ReplyDeleteI find it quite interesting to find out why celebrity endorsement and branding is so extremely effective in the fashion industry specifically. There is no denying the direct impact, as Rebecca and Emily mentioned before, studies have shown that advertisements of a celebrity of an endorsed company can go up as much as 20%. The direct effect can relate to the Hypodermic Needle theory but the way companies construct brand reputations needs to be considered as well. I think Rebecca’s question, “How much does their attractiveness and credibility influence a consumer to buy a product, “must be considered when studying brand choice. Michael Jordan, as mentioned by Rebecca as well, owns a very successful shoe company but he never ha d any experience in the fashion industry nor has the reputation for making quality footwear but still his business thrives. I believe Angela Carrol responds to this well, stating that branding is a sign of quality and can be used to secure competitive advantage and increased financial returns and high customer loyalty. Jordan accumulated a massive fan base from his legendary basketball career even before he began producing shoes. His fans and those who desire to purchase basketball shoes would find it difficult to believe someone as prestigious and successful as Jordan would attach his name and invest in a non-quality product.
Celebrity endorsements have become a very popular way to sell products. According an article, “Celebrity endorsement has become a popular approach in the branding process both in terms of gaining and keeping attention and in creating favourable associations leading to positive brand knowledge and distinct brand images” (Carroll 150). When celebrities agree to become endorsers of a brand, they become a part of that brand and are a reflection of the brand image. Due to this celebrities have a lot of influence over how consumers view a brand.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that celebrities have a lot of power when it comes to advertising products. Just as we learned with the social learning theory, people learn from what they see celebrities do and therefore will buy products that they use, or endorse. Celebrities are the people we get our latest trends from, and they influence our lives in many ways. Celebrities know that people look up to them and therefore learn to market themselves and therefore fit into the social marketing theory talked about by Baran and Davis. According to them the social marketing theory can be “methods for cultivating images and impressions of people, products, or services” (Barnes and Davis 285). Celebrity endorsements fall under here because they can form relationships with people by what products or services they endorse. For example, if someone buys a product because their favorite actor or signer uses it then they now feel like they have a relationship with that celebrity.
Many times these relationships formed between consumers and brands are positive when using celebrity endorsements; but as Rebecca had mentioned in her post sometime celebrity endorsements can have negative effects. An example of this would be Tiger Woods. After his scandal many of Tiger Woods’ sponsors parted ways with him. Brand such as Gatorade didn’t feature Tiger Woods in their ads because they did not want his scandal to be associated with the brand. Brand image is very important in advertising which is why when using celebrity endorsements brands have to be careful who they pick. Sometime celebrities such as Tiger Woods can be unpredictable and because of that cause a brand to have a bad image and therefore a decrease in sales.
I do think that celebrity endorsement can help brands sell products but when Rebecca talked about celebrity influence over political campaigns I do not think they hold much power. The last presidential campaign was something completely new because Obama used media to his advantage by going on talk shows and using social media to help give him a competitive edge. I think it was these things that helped him win rather than having Oprah support him. I feel that just because a celebrity says I support a candidate doesn’t mean that, that knowledge has much influence over society. I was glad to see that Rebecca’s research showed that celebrities didn’t have much affect over political views. I think this might be because opinions on politics aren’t as easily influenced as opinions on what brand of clothing or what type of make-up you should wear. Products are dispensable and we are always looking for something new, so having a celebrity endorse a product is more influential than having them support a political candidate.
Part I
ReplyDeleteI think you present a very interesting argument on the effects of celebrity endorsement Rebecca. Even though you reported that celebrity endorsements have become an increasingly used branding tool, in my opinion, the celebrity endorsement does not have the power to influence the consumer in the way that the producers of whatever the product is hope. Whether for a specific product, or in a political campaign, I believe that the individual consumer, or voter, has already made a decision, and will ultimately stick with that decision. Baran and Davis reference the work of Paul Lazarsfeld and his limited effects theory. Lazarsfeld’s theory creates a media with a restricted amount of influence. According to the theory, “mass media simply served as a means of helping them [voters] sort out a choice that was to some extended predetermined by their social situation” (Baran and Davis 143). Lazarsfeld conceived that people are more influenced by the people they surround themselves by than the media. Consumers will turn to people like them for advice on making a decision. In Lazarsfeld’s study, individuals were turning to other people in their communities and families for advice on presidential election vote. He termed those that were sought out for advice, “opinion leaders”. Although Lazarsfeld’s research was conducted in the 1940s, when the amount of media consumed by people was minimal compared to today, and has been found to have numerous limitations, I believe it can still be applied to the influence of media consumption today.
If applying Lazarsfeld’s theory to celebrity endorsements, the celebrity endorsing a specific product or individual, could be deemed as the opinion leader. The consumer is unsure of whether to support a product, and needs advice, so they turn to somebody. When a celebrity endorses a product the advice is built in. But, can a celebrity really be considered an influential and effective opinion leader? Lazarsfeld’s theory points to no. “Opinion leaders influenced people like themselves rather than those above or below them in the social order” (Baran and Davis 145). A celebrity, no matter how much they try to act like it, is not the same as an average person in social order. A celebrity can influence a celebrity, and an average Joe can influence average Joe. In my personal experience, a celebrity’s endorsement of a product has never influenced my opinion on that product. Even though I like Ellen DeGeneres, I am not going to go to JcPenny because she is saying it’s a great place to shop. She is being paid to support JcPenny. Who knows if her endorsement is actually genuine?
Part II
ReplyDeleteIn society today, we are quick to claim that the media is this all powerful industry, which has the power to make our decisions for us. We give little credit to ourselves and our own decision making ability. Personally, I think it’s a shame that we think of ourselves as so easily influenced. It is impossible to argue that media does not influence the decisions of individuals. The media would not be what it is today if it had no influential power. But, I do not think it is giving people too much credit to say that even individuals, who have not studied the media like we have, possess the intellect to understand celebrity endorsement of a product does not have to be the only deciding factor in their own decisions to support it.
~Natalie
Baran, Stanley J. and Dennis K. Davis, eds. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future, 6th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012). Print. Pp. 142-148.
Celebrities have been endorsing products in the media for as long as we can remember. “Consumers take possession of meanings and put them to work in the construction of their notions of the self and the world. Thus celebrities are seen as ‘super-consumers’: exemplary figures who have created the clear and coherent powerful selves that everyone seeks and so strong that even a ‘momentary glimpse’ of them in an advertisement instantly conveys meaning” (Kats & Lazarsfeld 151). I think the celebrities appeal greatly influences whether someone’s going to buy something or not. If you absolutely hate a celebrity because of something they did in the public eye or the reputation they have I do not think you are going to go out and buy the latest sneaker or clothing line they are endorsing. You may even distance yourself from the brand they are attached with because you don’t want to have anything to with what they affiliate themselves with. On the other hand if you really like a celebrity I feel like you will go out of your way to buy the brand that they endorse because you like them. Not only do you like to associate yourself with things that relate to that person but also you want to support the celebrity that you enjoy. In my opinion when you go out and buy a celebrities brand that they are marketing you feel like you are supporting them in a way and you are being a better fan to them. This is why the celebrity chosen for endorsements must be appealing. If you attach a really ugly mean person to a product it’s just going to give the brand a bad feeling around it. This is why companies take their endorsement deals so seriously. As soon as a celebrity is seen in a bad light they are dropped from their deal in no time. For example, Michael Phelps, after the picture of him with a bong was out, was dropped from his Kellogg’s endorsement because they had to look out for their image. Even though he was still an Olympic winner, his affiliation with marijuana could have deterred people from buying their product because of him.
ReplyDeleteCelebrities can defiantly have an effect on political campaigns as well. It was very interesting to see how many celebrities were becoming involved in the 2008 presidential campaign. I remember the media was also very adamant about voting that year. A lot of celebrities joined in on campaigns to encourage young people to vote like the Rock the Vote campaign. There were also constant opinions from celebrities on who they were backing. This isn’t a new thing for celebrities to try to put their foot in the door in the political world. Just look to the former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. In my opinion a majority of his voters were probably his fans from being a celebrity in the first place. This goes back to Ronald Reagan who was an actor before he served as president. I think people identify with celebrities and that’s why celebrity endorsements are so successful. The public may have existing beliefs but endorsements give the public a little push. “Mass media simply served as a means of helping them sort out a choice that was to some extent predetermined by their social situation” (Baran & Davis 143). “For some voters- the crystallizers, for example- media helped activate existing party loyalties and reminded them how people like themselves were going to vote” (Baran & Davis 144). I think celebrity endorsements make people more confident in decisions they already have in their heads.
There is no doubt that celebrities have a profound impact on the appeal of a product to the consumer. It does not surprise me at all that statistics show advertisements of an endorsed celebrity can rise as much as 20%. In her article Carroll echoes this statistic by stating that “Overall research points to accumulated positive influence over the audience’s recall and purchase intentions, with celebrities deemed more effective than using a typical consumer or expert (150). In my opinion there are a number of factors as to why products that are endorsed by celebrities are successful. One is that many people view celebrities as role models, and want to be just like them and have what they have. I know this was previously mentioned in the lead blog, but Michael Jordan and his Air Jordan shoes are an excellent example. Air Jordan is historically one of the most popular shoe brands. I feel like almost every kid has bought at least one pair of Jordans. Why? Because Michael Jordan was arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, and anyone who watched basketball looked up to Jordan and wanted to be him. When Jordan was still playing in the NBA kids used to say “I want to be like Mike”. They even made a movie about a teenager who became an NBA star just because he found and wore a pair of Jordans. You don’t think when kids saw this movie they didn’t go running to the store to buy a pair of Jordans in hopes that the same thing would happen to them? Products endorsed by celebrities make the consumer feel connected with the celebrity. Also, having a product endorsed by a celebrity can make the consumer feel important or special.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement that celebrity endorsements and transferring awareness towards political campaigns falls under the fourth social marketing theory. In that specific theory it states “These methods are most often used when it is difficult to arouse audience interest” (Baran, 285). Certainly one could argue that arousing interest in recent political campaigns has been difficult to say the least.
In my opinion, a celebrity cannot have a lasting impact on an election and cannot influence a decision. By answering yes to this, that would imply that a candidate can win an election based on which celebrities endorse him or her. And if this happened, we as a country would need to get our priorities in line and think about why we are really voting. However, I don’t doubt that in some cases celebrities can help win over votes. Obviously when a candidate has someone like Oprah Winfrey endorsing him, that is going to bring in votes. Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential people in the world, and has millions of fans. But there are not many celebrities who could impact a race like Oprah Winfrey.
Celebrities could have somewhat of an impact swaying the vote of the younger demographic. The younger demographic tends to not follow the elections as closely as others, meaning they do not have a full grasp on what each candidate stands for and believes in. If someone in the younger demographic sees a celebrity they admire endorsing a candidate, that might be enough to sway their vote. However, I believe there are not enough instances where this would happen for a celebrity to have a profound impact on an election.