Using the power of celebrity endorsement and PR in brand campaigns

We’ve seen them everywhere: a pop icon singing praises of a new gadget, an international star sporting a popular apparel brand, a leading actor lauding the finer qualities of his preferred drink. Celebrity endorsements have been part of our culture and the marketing landscape for several decades.

Celebrity branding or endorsement is a strategy in marketing that utilizes star power to promote a brand, product, or service. It is also a very effective tool in raising awareness of certain advocacies or causes.

“It works because celebrities can easily reach the widest audience possible,” says Joyce A. Ramirez, Lead PR and Celebrity Acquisition Head at PUBLICITYASIA.

“Celebrity dominates pop culture while pop culture dominates the world. It is the most impactful way for brands to capture attention versus plain, hard sell product advertising.”

The effects of celebrity on brand perception

The positive effects of seeing a world-renowned star promoting a local brand cannot be understated.

In a 2021 independent research made by the Journal of Business and Management Studies in the Philippines, their research paper titled “Role of Korean Endorsers on Philippines’ Telecommunication Brands” was conducted to examine the impact of global pop icons BTS on local telco brand Smart.

According to the research, “trustworthiness” is what makes the celebrity “honorable” to endorse the brand. 

At the time of its launch, the study showed how the market developed positive perception towards Smart. It did not negatively affect the consumers’ purchase intention and impression. Smart was even able to improve their brand image as the market was convinced about the quality of their products and services after seeing the ad.

The market also perceived Smart as the preferable brand in the highly competitive telco industry.

Big names inspires assurance and trust

“The value added by an international star to a local brand is instant and palpable,” explains Ramirez. “Once a global celebrity agrees to partner with a local brand, an element of supremacy and legitimacy is almost always guaranteed.”

In fact, the latter can see their stock rise as soon as the announcement is made.

Case in point: during their annual stockholders meeting on March 4, 2021, Smart announced Avengers star Chris Evans in the “Live Smarter for a Better World” campaign. This was done on the same day when Smart’s Consumer Wireless business posted a seven percent year-on-year increase despite the pandemic.

Endorsement deals must be matched perfectly

To produce credibility, the celebrity-brand partnership must be the right fit. 

A mismatch could make a campaign appear awkward and forced, resulting in a decrease of perceived “trustworthiness”. Basically, the wrong fit can backfire on the endorser and the brand.

For the partnership to be believable, the “honorability” factor, which speaks of the endorser’s trustworthiness and expertise, must also be considered, as presented by Banerjee and Singh (2018) in their celebrity credibility scale.

This was echoed in the study of Saupi et al. (2019). It was concluded that a trustworthy celebrity endorser can positively impact brand attitude and purchase intention and that there needs to be a “positive relationship” linking these two.

A dynamite deal

At the height of the pandemic, Smart wanted to create an inspirational campaign that would resonate effectively with the younger generation.

“We wanted the right ambassadors who can help deliver the message,” explained Jane Jimenez Basas, CEO/President of MediaQuest Holdings. “And there was only one act capable of doing just that.”

PUBLICITYASIA, a leading celebrity PR agency known for its work with the world’s most popular stars, was tasked by Smart to do what no brand has ever done before: secure BTS’s first brand endorsement in the Philippines.

On January 18, 2021, the campaign Smart + BTS “Live Your Passion with Purpose” was announced.

It went on to become the biggest celebrity branding deal in the Philippines, securing positive brand perception and legitimacy and a horde of loyal “ARMY” willing to buy anything that has Smart + BTS on it.

More than just star power

However, Ramirez cautions that while the power of celebrity can create impact in the short-term: “it is still just a portion of the bigger marketing effort needed to truly maximize the long-term effects on the brand.”

“Relying on celebrity alone does not guarantee success. Rather, it is the combination of different factors in the overall marketing play that must be tied together for the investment to work.”

After a brand lands a global celebrity to endorse their product, “a well-planned and well-executed strategy is still needed to continually generate interest and support.” 

Remember: while a powerful celebrity name might get your foot in the door, strategic planning that includes sustaining efforts will continue to push your brand “beyond the stars.”

To know more about PUBLICITYASIA, visit their website at https://publicityasia.com