Advertising is always keen to take the less risky route of celebrity endorsements. Voluminous researches have been conducted in what can safely be termed as the "most interesting phenomenon" in advertising. This article probes into celebrity endorsements in the Indian context, assesses the reasons for the sharp increase in use of celebrities in advertising, analyzes the bottlenecks, and based on results of previous research proposes an influencer triad, which discusses the three factors that determine the level of success of celebrity endorsements. Finally, it proposes the Ten Commandments of celebrity endorsements, for advertisers to follow. It also leaves ample scope for future researchers to delve in detail into the topic and unravel more of celebrity endorsements, in India.
Celebrities
and their influence in advertisinggood and badhave been indubitably, one of the
most discussed topics in advertising, and yet it leaves more room for discussion.
The positive impacts of celebrity endorsements are ample in advertising history.
Aaker (1991) quotes the Nike story as one tale of triumph with Micheal Jordan
and his "electrifying demonstrations" working wonders for the brand.
On
the other hand, the negative impact on the brand by an erring celebrity, who endorses
the brand. The three celebrity M's of Pepsi and the harm they didMike Tyson, Madonna
and of course Micheal Jackson, have been a case of debate. Remember Britney Spears
and the associated controversies. In India, the infamous cricketers Ajay Jadeja
and Mohammed Azharuddin and the brands they endorsed and the ethical dilemma,
which followed, once they became controversial.
It
is a well-known fact that celebrities are paid huge sum to endorse a particular
brand. Adidas paid David Beckham 4.2 mn annually for personal sponsorship. On
top of that, football's most marketable star earned a further 4 mn from Marks
& Spencer, 2.8 mn from Pepsi, and Vodafone and Brylcreem each paid 1.4 mn
(Geraldine O'Shea, 2003). |
