Celebrity advertising in India is commonly used by marketers. The extent to which celebrities have an impact on customers is a million dollar question that still needs to be answered. This article gives some insights into the theories propounded on why celebrity endorsements are popular. The article also seeks respondents' opinion on who an overexposed celebrity is, his/her and what impact he/she has on the brand.Using a celebrity is not a silver bullet.. What you need is a great idea.The use of testimonials by advertisers dates back to their `unsavory association' with patent medicines in the 19th century.
It was not until the 1920s, however, that advertisers used famous people for product endorsements (Home Netvigator). Actresses Joan Crawford, Clara Bow, and Janet Gaynor were among the first celebrities to promote products (Fox, 1984). At that time, the rationale given by advertising agencies for using celebrities was `the spirit of emulation' (Fox, 1984, p.90). The reason behind the popularity of celebrity advertising is marketers' belief that the viewers' attention level is much higher, which will result in greater sales. Generally, celebrities are used for their unique attributes, accomplishments and expertise which make advertisements more believable to customers. |
