Is it time to stop using celebrities in advertising?

I used to think that the worst thing that could happen with celebrity advertising was that people would be so distracted by the celebrity that they would forget to notice what brand they were pushing.  Then I started to be concerned about the shill factor when the same celebrities seemed to be selling many products, most of which they didn't even bother to use. 

But this week a new possibility emerged -- what happens if your celebrity turns on you?

Amitabh Bachchan, an Indian movie icon, who has been associated with Pepsi for eight years had a change of heart after a school girl asked him "why he was promoting a drink that her teacher maintained was poisonous."   Hmm.  After some soul searching Amitabh has decided to end his relationship with the brand noting that he doesn't endorse tobacco or alcohol either.  Wow.  I'm sure that is an association that Pepsi doesn't need. (Forbes, 2014)

So what do you think?  Have you ever bought something because a celebrity endorsed it?  Do you think the use of celebrities in marketing is a good strategy?  Or is it time to find another approach?

Forbes, T. (2014, February 4)  Furor Over Bollywood Star's 'Deendorsing' Pepsi.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved February 7, 2014, from  http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/218785/furor-over-bollywood-stars-deendorsing-pepsi.html

Does it make sense for Ocean Spray to use their popular spokespeople to fight the government?

Since 2005, Ocean Spray has been running a campaign that features two guys in a bog.  It’s been a big hit with the public and according to Ace Metrix, which measures ad effectiveness based on consumer surveys about persuasion and watchability, it is among the top five brands in its category this year. (Lukovitz, 2012)

So imagine my surprise when I saw that Ocean Spray had decided that not only was it good policy to fight the NYC ban against the sale of sugared beverages over the size of 16 ounces, but chose to do so using their spokespeople.  I have to wonder what they were thinking.  Suger-sweetened drinks are the single largest source of calories in our diet; type 2 diabetes is increasing by epidemic proportions; and they want to be exempt from the ban because cranberries are healthy if you don’t add sugar to them?  It boggles the mind.  (Brody, 2012)

But what puzzles me more is why they would take their comic duo and put them in this video.  What do you think?  Will they be able to use these guys in their advertising again after this?

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVzSir_q76U&feature=youtu.be

 

Lukovitz, K. (2012, November 14)  Ace Releases Brand Of The Year ‘Watch List’. mediapost.com.  Retrieved November 22, 2012, from

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/187157/ace-releases-brand-of-the-year-watch-list.html#axzz2CxgmQP9P

 

Brody, J. (2012, October 23)  In Fighting Obesity, Drink Sizes Matter.  The New York Times.  p. D7