Celebrity or not to be…that is the question.
And really, the answer only need come down to three considerations – the right fit, a broad appeal and of course the right price tag.
There is no doubt that in the world of ever-changing headlines and social media rapid fire, celebs make the grade. The online news these days is more often than not skewed to ‘entertainment news’ and stories with a known face will draw the clicks. It’s a given.
So who are some memorable celebrity ambassadors? If we’re talking big names, then who can forget George Clooney enjoying his Nespresso, Pierce Brosnan sporting his Omega watch and more recently Nicole Kidman kicking back in Etihad Airways’ first class…clearly all global brands with massive budgets. Clearly.
A lot closer to home, and with much less dollars to draw on, Threesides has worked with some clients recently who have benefitted from employing celebrities in their PR campaigns – as ambassadors, spokespeople, patrons, to attend events, or a mix of all these.
Celebrity worked well for the organisers of Goulburn’s SPYfest, who for the second year running, invited Australia’s only James Bond, George Lazenby, to Australia for their annual festival celebrating all things spy.
A community event run by a committee of volunteers and supported by Goulburn Mulwaree Council, and with a modest budget, the organisers placed George Lazenby as its festival ambassador promptly scoring relevant and valuable media coverage in key markets. George was quickly snapped up for a segment on the TODAY show – national coverage no less. George Lazenby’s name also helped the festival and Goulburn achieve media coverage on ABC Statewide Drive, The Daily Telegraph, The Canberra Times, SMH Online, news.com.au and Yahoo 7 News amongst others.
Why use a celebrity?
- They will generate loads of media attention.
- They can build awareness about your event or product.
- They can influence your customers to act – the ‘I want to be like him/her’ syndrome in the case of buying products, or the ‘I just have to go there to see him/her’ for events.
- They can refresh your brand or get you back into the media if there has been a dip in interest.
- They will generate talk and action with your target audiences, but may also attract new audience
Important considerations:
- Make sure the celebrity is relevant.
- Does the celebrity have broad appeal?
- Is the celebrity a natural fit? i.e/ are they promoting a product or service that makes sense? Will it be believable to consumers? Ensure you find an obvious link.
- Do you have the budget? And what EXACTLY do you get for your money?
Remember – celebrities are celebrities for a reason. They make noise, they attract attention. So make sure their involvement is clearly defined from the outset. Be prescriptive with your requirements, outline your expectations and be open to managing a range of different personalities.
Finding a celebrity who is highly engaged with your campaign, is fully informed, great with the media and flexible can be a PR goldmine.