Janus Thinking

As this Brand Channel white paper points out, celebrity endorsement of luxury products is nothing new. Nevertheless, it sets out succinctly 7 reasons why celebrity endorsement is important:

1. Celebrity endorsement is a great brand awareness creation tool for new luxury brands.
2. Endorsement by celebrities helps to position and re-position existing brands.
3. Celebrities contribute to sustaining a brand’s aura.
4. Celebrities are used to revive and revitalize staid brands.
5. Celebrities generate extensive PR leverage and opportunities for brands.
6. Celebrities are used to create global brand awareness.
7. Celebrities promote a brand’s products and appeal.

It also points out the dangers of relying on celebrity endorsement—the fallout from Tom Cruise’s dealings with scientology is a good example of the potential for damage which can occur when the media personality in question adopts unconventional behaviour.

However, when used wisely, and when affordable and achievable, paying for celebrity endorsement can bring credence and value to luxury brands. What happens, though, when it’s uninvited, and potentially damaging?

The adoption of upmarket champagne brands by well known rap artists has lead to a certain amount of mud-slinging. Jay-Z has led a boycott against Roederer’s Cristal in response to Frederic Rouzaud’s suggestion that the association between rap and his firm’s products might not be entirely welcome.

But, of course, the explosion of Burberry caps and scarves among the ‘chav’ population of the UK didn’t do their brand any good either. It’s clear that it doesn’t necessarily take an unwelcome celebrity endorsement to damage a brand, but the same fundamental principle applies - the brand had been ‘hijacked’ by a group who arguably weren’t the original target audience.

As a buyer of luxury goods, then, the behaviour and characteristics of other buyers is critical to my purchasing decisions - as a brand manager, though, keeping my products out of undesirable hands could be an insurmountable challenge.

From a BBC News article on the subject:

Graham Hales, of branding experts Interbrand, says the short answer is that brands can do nothing. “You can have an exclusivity around your brand but these are people who can afford it and are voting for it. You have to go try and find a way to make it a good thing.”