There is a reason celebrity endorsers get paid big bucks. There are consumers who are pre-disposed towards buying products endorsed by celebrities. But before you sign, seal and deliver that contract with a celebrity, it helps to know that not all products are well-suited to this strategy. OR, more importantly, not all celebrity endorser types are highly credible.
In a recent study conducted by Synergy Business Consultancy, among 1,000 males and females in Metro Manila, aged 15-60 years, from all socio-economic classes, close to 7 in 10 purchased a product because of a celebrity endorser. Now, that is potent!
Most popular among those attuned to celebrity endorsers is the personal care category. Around 61 percent (or 41 percent of total) of those who buy into the idea of celebrity endorsement claimed to have bought personal care products. It was noted that this share is much higher than the personal care category’s ad spend share in the first half of 2009 (which was just at 21 percent).
Yet, the buying extent borne by celebrities for personal care was so much higher vs. the other categories.
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The above doesn’t mean that consumers do not find other product categories to be appropriate for celebrity endorsement. Other than personal care, food, beverage, clothing and fashion, there are others (e.g., Pharmaceuticals) that consumers can see using this approach, to open them to brand messages.
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Does economic class matter? Are there differences in openness by age?
Interestingly, females and young adults are more significantly pre-disposed towards purchasing products endorsed by celebrities. This points to these demographic sets’ inherent need for “modeling” compared to their male counterpart or more mature segments in society.
Deciding which celebrity to use? It’s worth considering three types: (1) those who go through rigorous training in fields such as sports or medicine (or other professions); (2) those with certain known regimen to earn their keep (e.g., beauty queens, news anchors, models); or (3) a commonly known formula, those who are always in the limelight/media (film actors/actresses). These are the ones deemed to be highly credible in product endorsements.
Unless it is for specific product types, take care in using politicians and socialites. Consumers may be wary of politicians’ intent in an ad (i.e., may be construed as exposure for the coming elections). As for socialites, are they using the product to create empathy? Otherwise, their appropriateness is questionable.
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On the “who’s who” end, Manny Pacquiao still commands the highest “vote” for most credible endorser. (However, this study did not measure wear-out, so it is uncertain whether yet another endorsement will have the same added value to a brand as the Pacman’s previous ones.)
When a celebrity’s profession demands a regimen or discipline, there are indications that it can outweigh any controversy surrounding him. Such are the cases of Vicky Belo, Ruffa Gutierrez, James Yap, Korina Sanchez and Dr. Calayan who, despite their high-profile issues, are all in the consumer’s list of top 10 credible endorsers.
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This research is not an end state but a stepping board for more studies on celebrity endorser effects.
So if your product category is not mentioned, you can still consider a celebrity endorser, depending on your brand’s marketing and advertising objectives. For example, if you need to create immediate awareness for your brand, because it—or the category—is new in the market OR if you want to “borrow” the celebrity’s credibility, because his image will link well with the equity that you want for your brand, then you may consider this approach.
In any case, it’s always good to do a post-ad test to measure the strength of your campaign, and your endorser’s effectiveness. Ask yourself: Did he add value? Or did the consumers entirely forget your brand and just remember the celebrity?
Only then will you know who got more out of the endorsement: your brand or your celebrity.
Germaine Reyes is managing director of Synergy Business Consultancy, celebrating its 10th year. www.synergy.ph
