Since the very beginning of celebrity culture celebrities have been used as role models, especially in the area of personal appearance. In our modern society advertising companies take full advantage of this fact by the use of celebrity endorsement as previously discussed. There are two main ways that celebrities can positively affect a brand’s image. The first is by creating “borrowed equity” in which the celebrity heightens awareness of the brand and pulls more potential consumer’s attention to their products. The second is the spokesperson which usually increases the brand’s equity- the positive qualities of the celebrity spokesperson are projected onto the brand and therefore reinforces the brand values (Passikoff).
L'Oréal and Rimmel have both been involved with celebrity endorsement for a very long time, L’Oreal have used many different female celebrities from Beyoncé Knowles to Cheryl Cole and Rimmel is best known for using Kate Moss.
L’Oreal are said to spend over $1.7 billion a year on advertising to maintain their image and popularity (Cashmore, Celebrity/Culture, 2006, p. 172). Cosmetics do all seem to look the same, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a L’Oreal face cream and a Olay one so they spend huge amounts of money on their advertising and pay celebrities to personify their products to sway consumers into choosing their product over the many others out there. Using celebrities gives the consumer the idea that they need that product (even if it is extortionately priced) because it will make them a better version of themselves, like the celebrity endorsing it. This is a technique that may not be quite so successful with car adverts, we look up to celebrities in our culture and may build up certain opinions of cars due to people that own them, but cars are individually personified- each car looks different and we can differentiate between them easily unlike cosmetics. Each mascara sold by each company is pretty much the same just with a slightly different brush that is said to give our lashes volume or make them appear longer and a different packaging. I’m sure many women would choose a mascara endorsed by Penelope Cruz rather than one that has no endorser even if it does cost more. Penelope Cruz herself probably doesn’t actually use that particular mascara she’s endorsing but we will still buy it because we think it must be good if such a high profile celebrity is seen to be using it. If it was endorsed by a ‘Z list’ celebrity, depending on our opinion, we would be more likely to think the mascara will be rubbish.
L’Oreal are said to spend over $1.7 billion a year on advertising to maintain their image and popularity (Cashmore, Celebrity/Culture, 2006, p. 172). Cosmetics do all seem to look the same, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a L’Oreal face cream and a Olay one so they spend huge amounts of money on their advertising and pay celebrities to personify their products to sway consumers into choosing their product over the many others out there. Using celebrities gives the consumer the idea that they need that product (even if it is extortionately priced) because it will make them a better version of themselves, like the celebrity endorsing it. This is a technique that may not be quite so successful with car adverts, we look up to celebrities in our culture and may build up certain opinions of cars due to people that own them, but cars are individually personified- each car looks different and we can differentiate between them easily unlike cosmetics. Each mascara sold by each company is pretty much the same just with a slightly different brush that is said to give our lashes volume or make them appear longer and a different packaging. I’m sure many women would choose a mascara endorsed by Penelope Cruz rather than one that has no endorser even if it does cost more. Penelope Cruz herself probably doesn’t actually use that particular mascara she’s endorsing but we will still buy it because we think it must be good if such a high profile celebrity is seen to be using it. If it was endorsed by a ‘Z list’ celebrity, depending on our opinion, we would be more likely to think the mascara will be rubbish.
Kate Moss has endorsed a variety of products during her time in the spot light, she was an extremely successful model and trend setter. She is known for endorsing Rimmel make-up, along with many other fashion and cosmetics brands. When she was found to be a drug user many companies reviewed their contracts with the star. Rimmel were said to be shocked by the allegations and reviewed her contract. Chanel decided not to renew Kate Moss's £750,000-a-year contract as the face of Coco Mademoiselle perfume and that her existing contract would only run until the end of October (Matthews, 2005).
This just shows how important it is that the celebrity endorsers keep up a positive persona in the media otherwise the brand image can be deeply damaged as people will associate their face, personality and things they have done with the brand.
When looking at the L’Oreal advert above you don’t just see a person but Beyoncé Knowles. She has a womanly shape that many women aspire to have, therefore she is seen as a very positive endorser for L’Oreal. When people see this advert their subconscious is going to think “If I buy that lipstick I’ll be womanly, sexy and beautiful just like Beyoncé”. Obviously just a lipstick is not going to have that effect but all L’Oreal need to do is cue this thought in a consumer’s subconscious and they’re bound to sell the product well. Celebrity endorsement will always be a success in the cosmetics industry (and probably all other markets) because it addresses us on an unconscious level the way no other method could.
“Beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introduction” (Aristotle).
No comments:
Post a Comment