[July 24, 2008]

DATAMONITOR: Consumers are tiring of the "cult of celebrity"

(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge)
RDATE:25072008

London -- According to a new report* from independent market analyst,
Datamonitor, consumers are showing signs of fatigue towards celebrity
marketing. The cult of celebrity has reached a crossroads -
over-exposed celebrities have saturated the market and aging
populations mean that the growth audience is shrinking. Marketers must
therefore pursue new tactics to avoid the pitfalls associated with
celebrity-backed campaigns or celebrity-branded consumer packaged
goods. Within our modern consumer societies, the celebration of fame
has witnessed a dramatic upsurge in recent years. Reality TV, celebrity
gossip magazines and the Internet as a round-the-clock source of
celebrity information have fed consumers' celebrity hunger. This has
converged with entertainment and sport industries eager to feed that
hunger, creating a fertile ground for consumer packaged goods (CPG)
marketers to convey their messages via the celebrity medium.

However, this explosive phenomenon faces growing challenges. Many
consumers are reaching saturation point, suffering from so-called
"celebrity fatigue". Consumer cynicism is piqued by celebrities
endorsing too many disparate products, undermining both the
individual's and the brands' credibility. Falling celebrity brand
equity and scandals can directly hit endorsed brands' fortunes and
sometimes (as with Britney Spears' past relationship with Pepsi)
celebrity endorser's own personal brand strength can overshadow that of
the brand they are meant to be endorsing.

Products are emerging as the next generation of celebrities. Apple's
iPod and especially the iPhone have transcended mere product status and
become iconic, with globally recognized identities and, indeed,
personalities of their own. Richard Parker, Consumer Markets Senior
Analyst at Datamonitor, comments: "consumers' relationships with these
celebrity-like branded products are based heavily on participation and
interaction, two behaviors that are desired, but rarely achieved by
everyday people in their relationships with actual celebrity idols."
Datamonitor concludes that for celebrity branding to remain effective,
marketers must make sure that celebrity campaigns are underpinned by a
strong brand message or story - the celebrity can then add value rather
than be used to make up for a lack of substance in the actual product.

Credibility and authenticity are key: the personality of the celebrity
must be in sync with the personality of the brand and the endorsement
deal match the product with that celebrity's particular appeal.
Consumers are also increasingly viewing authenticity as a key
determinant in their consumption behaviors and thus the most authentic
celebrity-marketed brands are those where a celebrity themselves
created them. Also, avoiding the craze for so-called "nonebrities", the
reality TV-fuelled breed of celebrity essentially famous for being
famous who embody Andy Warhol's comment that "in the future everyone
will be world-famous for 15 minutes", is crucial for brands looking to
achieve longevity and avoid looking opportunistic or short-term in
their strategic positioning.

Notes to Editors:

* Datamonitor Report"The Cult of Celebrity: Exploring the implications
for effective consumer packaged goods branding" Richard Parker,
consumer market senior analyst and author of the study is available for
comment.

CONTACT: Anne Bourgeois, Datamonitor
Tel: +44 (0)2076 757 487
e-mail: abourgeois@datamonitor.com

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