In recent years, celebrities seem to be using their star power to promote their own side projects and also to help particular brands sell their products. Putting a popular face at the forefront of a marketing strategy is always a winning idea. That tactic has been employed for decades. Remember when Michael Jackson was the face of Pepsi? Or when Lauren Hutton was the face of L’Oréal? Who could forget Brooke Shields and those famous Calvin Klein ads?
Celebrity power sells. Celebrities writing books about their lives has been trending for quite a while now. For example, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders recently released a memoir entitled Reckless: My Life as a Pretender. It’s selling very well, which isn’t surprising. The world is full of starstruck people just chomping at the bit to get an inside look at the life of their favorite celebrities. Amy Poehler has broadened her horizons by publishing a book too. Her book Yes Please is selling well and getting reasonably good reviews. She’s taken her ability to entertain on stage and television and added yet another talent to the list: writing humor.
Self-Promotion at its Finest
Sure—part of it is about using talent, but it’s primarily about bringing in the money. It’s also about working the talk show circuit and going on a book tour. Publishing a memoir, hopefully, will reignite the public’s interest in the celebrity’s life. The star enjoys a resurgence of status and becomes the subject of TV discussions and magazine articles. It is self-promotion at its best.
Even stars who represent company’s products do so, to a certain extent, for their own self-promotion. Imagine getting paid to have your picture all over magazines and other media worldwide. Yes, the celebrities are promoting the products—sneakers, cars, or perfume—but they’re also promoting themselves. When Beyoncé agreed to have her face on cans of Pepsi, she was promoting the product and her own image. So, it’s a win-win for both the company and the celebrity.
Celebrity Status Boosts Brand Appeal
Some celebrities take it a bit further and create their own product line. Being a celebrity certainly does give them an edge in the marketplace. It is human nature to want anything that is touted by a favorite star. Lady Gaga has gotten into the game with her own perfume called Fame. She even publishes tips for others who want to try celebrity branding. Will Smith has his own clothing line and each garment bears his name.
Celebrity marketing works. That’s a proven fact. It’s a great way for a fading star to get another fifteen minutes. It’s a fantastic way to package a product and sell it. We’re sure to be seeing many more memoirs and celebrity product launches in the future.