Credibility + believability = success

One of the more exciting aspects of advertising and brand communication is the selection of an endorser for a brand. For me, this is one aspect of marketing that really gets me excited. Every day, I get really curious as to which celebrity endorser is endorsing which brand. So I often find myself checking out the major dailies and the towering billboards along EDSA just to find out which canned goods brand Piolo Pascual is endorsing, or which shampoo Dingdong Dantes is promoting , or which condom Robin Padilla is peddling. Or which bakeshop, clothes shop, cooking gas, milk, shampoo, corned beef, cosmetics, detergent, dermatologist, watch, chips, rice dispenser, mall, whitening soap, sunblock, anti-cervical cancer drug, feminine wash, beer, tiles, tile cleaner, soap, perfume, seasoning, cooking oil, magazine, cellphone, plastic ware, bulldozer, and oil rig drilling machine Kris Aquino is supporting. 

There is something about endorsements  particularly celebrity endorsements  that make brand marketing really interesting. For one, you get to create a distinct “personality” and character for a brand. For example, when Bench was a fairly new brand, Ben Chan tapped Richard Gomez to do that dramatic slow-mo sculler ad. That ad made such a lasting impression on everyone. Richard’s personal attributes  handsome, manly, sexy, athletic, competitive, driven, strong  meshed perfectly with the character that Bench wanted to project. And, to this day, the strong association remains. Then, you have Aga Muhlach and Jollibee. Aga personifies the attributes of Jollibee to a “T” – wholesome, pleasant, family-oriented, cute, approachable and charitable. In the same way that Richard is the perfect endorser for Bench, Aga is the perfect endorser for Jollibee. This endorsement has been going on for more than a decade and I have a feeling it will continue on until Aga is a grandfather. Wait a minute  he already is a grandfather. But what I meant was  well, you know what I meant. 

But of course, there’s a flipside to celebrity endorsements. Sometimes, the endorser is simply not a right fit for the brand. Jennifer Lopez, for example, wasn’t a great fit for Louis Vuitton. As popular as she was, it seemed that her gregarious personality and character weren’t a fit for the classy French brand. Even worse than having the wrong fit is the “bad-behavior-catastrophe” situation. Case in point: Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods. When Kobe was charged with sexual assault, the wholesome brands that he promoted  McDonald’s and Sprite  immediately pulled out. Of course, over the years, Kobe has been able to fix his image, mainly because he continued to win. But it did take some time.

When Tiger Woods hit a fire hydrant after hitting on all the bimbos in Vegas, he lost a ton of endorsements Gillette, Accenture, AT&T, and Gatorade. For these brands, there was initially a “fit.” But when their athlete endorser was caught doing bad things, they went into a fit. And who can blame them? These advertisers spend millions on these endorsers  not to mention the advertising campaign that featured them.

While tapping celebrity as endorsers carries a certain risk, endorsements can serve brands well. That’s why  despite Tiger, Kobe, Michael Vick and all disgraced celebrity endorsers  brands continue to tap celebrity endorsers. Kris Aquino has more than 20 brands. Manny Pacquiao has a hundred (or at least it feels like a hundred). In the end, though, what really makes an endorser click for a brand are the following: credibility and believability. If the endorser is credible  that is, the target market accepts him (or her) as reliable, trustworthy, and sincere  plus, it is not too farfetched to accept that he truly uses and believes in the brand that he/she is endorsing  then I think you’ve got a winning celebrity endorsement formula.

Recently, I touched base with an old friend, fellow Philippine STAR writer Boy Abunda who, as we all know, is one of the more credible personalities in the country. When Boy speaks, everyone listens and everyone believes. This credibility and believability that he built up over the years are what make Boy a sought-after endorser.   A month ago, he signed up to be a spokesman and endorser for Splash Corporation’s Direct Selling Unit, a business model that I totally believe in myself. I took the opportunity to catch up with Boy and ask him a few questions on this new endorsement  and why it made so much sense both for Boy and Splash.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: Boy, it’s quite known that you are very selective when it comes to endorsements.  Why did you agree to endorse Splash, particularly Splash’s Direct Selling unit?

BOY ABUNDA: I have so much respect for the Hortalezas and the people behind Splash. Direct selling excites me and I’m a direct seller by heart and by birth.

What  values do you have in common with Splash Corporation’s management that makes it such a perfect fit?

Love of country, passion for work, respect for others, proclivity to breaking glass ceilings, faith in a kind, just God.

What is your take on Direct selling and how do you think it impacts the lives of everyday Filipinos?

I knocked on doors of friends and strangers. I sold books, fire extinguishers, laundry and bath soap with bravado and courage in my youth. I survived my early years of city life because of direct selling. Direct selling is accessible to the Filipino who is a natural salesman. It is doable in a sense that you can do it while doing other things. It can be a main job or a sideline affording people many extra income. It is easy because it doesn’t demand the strict requirements of a regular job. It’s fun because you meet a lot of people.   

As a businessman yourself, do you think direct selling could serve as a catalyst to help Filipinos develop their entrepreneurial spirit?

Yes. The Filipino is sociable. He likes to like people. He is gregarious. Harness these qualities in direct selling and you create jobs.

Direct selling is a good way to get your products on the market, but at the end of the day, if the products are not good, it won’t work.  Personally, what do you think of Splash’s products? 

Splash products have integrity. Splash is proudly Filipino while it is globally competitive.

Do you have your own positive experience with  Splash products?    

I love Seriously White body wash. Instinct is the best.   

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After my chat with Boy, I knew instantly that this endorsement will work out. For one, Boy really did start off as a direct seller. Second, Splash is proudly Pinoy, and we all know that Boy is a patriot.   Here’s a classic example of a match made in heaven. I have no doubt in my mind that Splash’s Direct Selling Unit will benefit immensely with Boy Abunda as their ambassador.

Credibility plus believability. Follow this formula and you won’t go wrong. 

Oh yeah, one last thing, the price tag should be considered, too! 

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Thanks for your letters, folks! You may e-mail me at rodhnepo@yahoo.com