Are Celebrity endorsements overrated? 

Celebrity endorsements have become a popular PR technique, used to boost companies’ revenue and create large-scale publicity for a product or company. With the increase in reality TV stars like Kim Kardashian and Snooki, using celebrities to promote products has never been easier.

Companies see it as an opportunity to enhance products reputation. Take Virgin media for instance they wanted to use a well-known familiar face to endorse their product. Who did they choose? Usain Bolt and David Tennant, both popular faces to a diverse range of consumers. These characters both represent travel and speed, therefore can be seen as a positive representative for the brand. Virgin are indirectly comparing their product to these characters, letting the consumer visualise and compare their company with these characters.  Highlighting the speed of Virgin Media.

Can this method always be effective?  With the increase in celebrity endorsements such as make-up and gym advertisements, companies are opening themselves to a larger spectrum of criticism. Take L’Oreal endorsement of Cheryl Cole for example, the company was highly criticised and their sales were affected. When it was discovered Cheryl Cole was wearing extensions in the advertisement. Yet could all publicity be seen as good publicity?

Likewise celebrities like Kim Kardashian appear to be signing their name up to endorse almost any product. Is this publicity stunt ran its course? Or are the products being picked up purely because celebrities are supporting the company.  Would you still consider swapping your favourite brand and buying a product because Kim or Cheryl has been spotted using it? Or has this fad simply been overused.

However with competition between consumers considerably high especially within the economic recession, does a using celebrity to showcase your product or brand effectively work? I would consider this to have a positive affect within PR, as it gives your product an added feature and ensures larger press coverage, not necessarily always because of the product.

 Yet as the celebrity name comes alongside your product or company, the public begin to link your product with the celebrity. Dedicated fans will tune into your product and become regular consumers, due to the famous endorsement. Consequently creating an established household brand and name, increasing brand awareness.