Celebrity Branding
By Michael Alan Hamlin
September 20,2004

Media interest in celebrity branding in Asia has surged, reflecting the increasing use of celebrities to increase awareness and recall of products and services. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, and some responses.

1. How deeply entrenched is the celebrity cult in Asia (and, specifically, the Philippines)?

Very. It's a fast, effective way to gain credibility, visibility, and good will. Japan has used well-known Western celebrities for decades - celebrities that would never contemplate appearing in a U.S. commercial pitch. That's because the stigma that is still frequently associated with hawking someone's wares in the U.S., for example, isn't seen here. Western celebrities are used to communicate the global stature or appeal of a brand. Local celebrities are frequently employed to communicate relevance to local circumstances and traditions (Of course, some countries, like Malaysia, require that only local talent be used in advertising.).

2. How popular is the use of celebrities in advertising in Asia or the Philippines? Can you give an estimate of how many ads in Asia use celebrities?

I can't give an estimate of how many ads use celebrities. But while many do, most don't, and for a number of reasons. For example, the return on investment might not warrant celebrity endorsement for an established brand. Or, financial resources may be limited. And, it is also possible that there are simply more effective communication alternatives, depending on the product and the brand.

That said, companies that do use celebrities in thoughtful, strategic ways frequently do realize very significant returns on the investment. If they didn't they wouldn't stick with their celebrity endorsers.

3. How do consumers connect the images of celebrities with the brand image?

A savvy advertiser knows to select an endorser that will strengthen communication of the brand's value proposition, identity, and personality. The best example of how this is done is Michael Jordon and Nike. Jordon is a legend. He succeeds against the odds. He insists on the best. No one gets in his way. He endures. These are associations that Jordon shares with Nike. In a very real way, they perpetuate each other.

4. To what degree does celebrity advertising affect consumers' purchase decisions?

It depends on the celebrity and the brand. But if we return to the Jordon-Nike example, you've got millions of kids that want to be basketball stars and who admire Jordon above all other basketball players. He wears Nikes. He goes Swoosh. He goes out and Just Does It. The kids relate. Plus, kids don't want to be standing next to someone who's wearing Nike's if they aren't, too.

5. And, do they really believe that the celebrity on their screen uses the product they are endorsing? Does this depend on product category?

That depends on how well the advertiser has done his job. In Jordon-Nike's case, the guy wears the shoes on the court. So yes, they believe he uses them. Did Michael Jackson ever drink Pepsi? That, I don't know. Did Sharon Cuneta really eat a lot of Big Macs? Somehow, I have my doubts. Does Nicholas Tse wear Bossini a lot? Whether they do or not, these celebrities do increase awareness and recall of the products they endorse.

6. What is the key to a successful celebrity campaign?

Getting a celebrity endorsers whose own "value proposition," identity, and personality fit with the brand he or she is to endorse. And don't kid yourself, every celebrity has a value proposition.

7. How do brands go about choosing a celebrity? What is the right image?

Briefly, the process usually involves developing a list of celebrities that are aligned with the brand. Then the association is tested in focus groups, and maybe in a larger, formal survey. Then you make a deal with the celebrity.

8. In Asia, it seems celebrities are often the only point of interest in an otherwise waning commercial. What about creativity?

Indeed. Too often the role of agencies in Asia is simply to localize content. That could be because it's legally required, or because the brand believes that communicating relevance to local circumstances is important. Or, it could be some misguided cross-cultural communication hang up. Whichever, it's hard to be very inspired when that's all your doing. Because multinationals almost always rely on global agencies, there's seldom a way out of that trap. You're given an assignment and you fulfill it because you depend on the steady income.

Which is why you see a lot of Asia's most creative advertising being done for local brands, such as they are. Some of these are country brands such as "Amazing Thailand."

9. What are the faces advertisers in Asia are signing up?

Japan uses both international and local celebrities. One of South Korea's most well-known celebrity endorses is a local transvestite. For most of Asia, it's local pop and movie stars.

10. Is there a danger of over-exposure when you have a celebrity endorsing more than a number of brands (which seems to be the case in Asia)? Take HK pop star Nicholas Tse, who endorses Coke, Rado watches, Bossini clothes, and a number of other brands.

Advertisers will continue using a celebrity endorser as long as the association pays off. Naturally, advertisers that are paying impressive sums of money to celebrities to endorse their products follow this quite closely. Since fame is often fleeting, it's not surprising that stars will load up on all the endorsements they can. As soon as return on investment begins to fall for advertisers, the celebrity is history.

Naturally, however, when a celebrity is attached to a brand in a strategic way - and it should always be that way - you want exclusivity and then you hope that the celebrity's popularity will be sustained and even enhanced.

The major downside of strategic association has to do with the celebrity losing his or her luster, or becoming embroiled in some scandal. There are significant risks to associating a brand with a particular celebrity.

11. Can celebrities provide an instant fix to brands as opposed to building reputation organically?

They can provide instant visibility. But that visibility won't be worth much if the brand doesn't live up to its value proposition, if its identity isn't relevant, and if its personality is boring. Brand building is always a strategic process. Always.

12. Can celebrities overpower the brand?

Anything is possible, but I think the bigger danger is choosing a celebrity just because he or she is a celebrity, without thinking of the alignment issues and the sustainability of celebrity we discussed earlier.

(Michael Alan Hamlin is the managing director of consultancy TeamAsia and the author of three books on Asian economies and companies. His latest book is Marketing Asian Places, of which he is a co-author (Wiley, 2001), and he is currently at work on High Visibility: Building Strong Personal Brands in Asia. Write him at mahamlin@teamasia.com.).

Copyright © 2004 Michael Alan Hamlin. All Rights Reserved.

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