Whether you’ve launched a new app or the latest answer to low-calorie seltzer water, starting a business is a significant accomplishment. However, in today’s cultural landscape of constant consumption, it can be challenging to plan a product launch that’s eye-catching enough to cut through the noise of our 24/7 news cycle. One solution to executing an iconic product launch is to partner with a celebrity or influencer.
Whether it’s Hailey Bieber partnering with Krispy Kreme or Ice Spice’s recent collaboration with Dunkin Donuts, when a celebrity attaches their name to a well-known product, it enhances the brand’s relatability and desirability. Part of the myth of celebrity hinges on relatability; people want to relate to celebrities in whatever way they can, even if they will never be part of a million-dollar franchise.
Today, we’ll cover the ins and outs of finding the perfect celebrity partner for your burgeoning brand, from selecting your celebrity partner to ensuring your product launch is red-carpet-ready.
What to Consider when Selecting a Celebrity Partner
When you think about partnering with a specific celebrity to promote your brand, first, take a few moments to jot down your brand’s core values and the message that you want to get across to the broader consumer market. Does your brand or product have a specific vibe or aesthetic that you want to utilize for the marketing campaign? Write down a list of three to five adjectives you wish your ideal consumer to associate with your brand, and then think of a celebrity or influencer who embodies those attributes. For example, uber health-conscious Gwyneth Paltrow won’t soon partner with McDonald’s.
Make sure you also consider material constraints like timing and budget. See if your product launch coincides with the celebrity’s preexisting engagements.
Finding the right celebrity partner for your brand is crucial. Their endorsement can influence your target market’s perception, impact your sales, and elevate your brand’s image. With myriad celebrities out there, how do you find the one that aligns with your brand’s values and ethos? This is where Booking Agent Info come in handy. Let’s delve into how you can harness its features to select the ideal celebrity for your next campaign.
- Search by Previous Endorsements:
- Importance: Understanding a celebrity’s past endorsements can give you an insight into the types of products or services they are comfortable promoting. This ensures that your brand isn’t in conflict with their previous associations.
- How to use: On Booking Agent Info, you can search for celebrities based on their past endorsements. By reviewing this, you can ensure there’s a coherent match between your product and the celebrity’s endorsement history.
- Charities and Causes Supported:
- Importance: In today’s conscientious market, consumers often align with brands that have a cause or a higher purpose. Collaborating with a celebrity who is genuinely passionate about the same cause can make the endorsement more authentic and impactful.
- How to use: Search for celebrities based on the charities or causes they support. This can help in determining if their advocacy aligns with your brand’s mission or corporate social responsibility initiatives.
- Interests and Personal Causes:
- Importance: Beyond commercial endorsements and public charities, knowing a celebrity’s personal interests and causes can provide a deeper alignment between the brand and the celebrity.
- How to use: Explore a celebrity’s profile to understand their personal interests. For instance, if you are a sustainable brand, partnering with a celebrity passionate about environmental issues can amplify your message.
- Contacting the Right Representatives:
- Importance: Negotiating with celebrities often involves going through their representatives, be it their manager, agent, or publicist. Approaching the right person can streamline the process.
- How to use: Booking Agent Info provides contact details for a celebrity’s official representatives. Once you’ve identified a potential celebrity partner, use this info to make direct contact and initiate discussions.
Types of Endorsements
A celebrity can endorse a product in a variety of ways, from making an appearance at the launch party of a new perfume or Tequila to appearing in print and commercial advertisements for the product. Here’s a quick overview of the types of celebrity endorsements:
Appearances: Remember when Kim Kardashian went out to Tao every other night in the mid-’00s? That’s the perfect example of a celebrity appearance. Typically referred to as a ‘celebrity personal appearance,’ appearances are a form of endorsement where a celebrity agrees to attend a specific event. According to celebrity booking agency NMP Live, celebrity appearances typically last anywhere from 1-2 hours. As for what you can expect from an appearance, you can expect them to be signing autographs, having photos taken with guests -selfies are always popular- maybe cutting the ribbon to open the event. The promise of a celebrity appearance is a great way to motivate guests to attend an event.
Ads (print or digital): The first recorded celebrity product endorsement was in 1905 when Roscoe Arbuckle appeared in a print ad for Murad Cigarettes. Print advertisements have been around as long as we’ve had access to photography and printed media, and celebrities have been harnessing their star power to sell goods and services. Print ads are an advantageous marketing strategy because they can go anywhere, from billboards to buses. They’re also cost-effective and cheaper than a commercial or a radio spot. Meanwhile, digital advertising reaches a wide range of consumers with no geographic limits. A celebrity presence helps make a print ad memorable.
Spokespeople: Celebrity spokespeople help add a new dimension to the products we know and love– from Under Armour’s collaboration with Steph Curry to Robert Pattinson’s appearance in a recent commercial for Dior Homme Sport. Spokespeople can help capture the essence of your burgeoning brand, giving consumers a memorable example of your brand’s aesthetics and values. Using a spokesperson also presents an opportunity for collaboration, as sometimes spokespeople participate in the product design itself. For example, not only is Kim Kardashian the co-founder of SKIMS, but she also appears in most of the advertising campaigns.
Product Lines: When a celebrity launches their own product line, it’s practically marketing gold. Think of Beats by Dr. Dre, Rihanna’s FENTY Beauty, or Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty. Celebrity product lines help fans feel connected to their favorite celebrities. When a celebrity launches a product, they already have access to a vast network of fans and consumers who trust their personal brand. Former Forbes council member Mo Mastishari explained, “Celebrities have already amassed large followings of fans and supporters, most of whom naturally share a lot of their beliefs. Because most celebrities have such a massive reach, most of them do not always need the big traditional marketing budgets for commercials and ads.”
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL ENDORSEMENT:
When considering a celebrity product endorsement, make sure that the celebrity you choose aligns with your brand’s story and values first and foremost. Ensuring that your company and future spokesperson are on the same page will ensure that the campaign runs smoothly.
The more you promote the partnership, the more consumers will automatically associate your brand with the celebrity endorsing the brand. Another key thing to consider is collaboration, oftentimes, celebrities know their fans best. Do what you can to lay the foundation for a long-term partnership: be open about the contract and clear about your expectations. Invite the celebrity to share any insights about their fanbase.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, celebrity endorsements are a powerful marketing tool. By harnessing the power of social media, collaboration, and brand awareness, you can plant the seeds for a fruitful partnership between your company and a celebrity spokesperson.
