The Siyaram Celebrity Endorsement Experience

TABLE III
CELEBRITY SELECTION CRITERIA

Celebrity availability	Fit with the advertising idea
Celebrity physical attractiveness	Celebrity-Target audience match
Celebrity credibility	Celebrity values
Celebrity prior endorsements	Costs of acquiring the celebrity
Whether celebrity is a brand user	Celebrity-Product match
Celebrity profession	Celebrity controversy risk
Celebrity popularity

Source: www.cjsm.com

In India, celebrity endorsements are believed to be particularly useful as the average consumer reportedly identifies more strongly with celebrities than in other countries. Film stars and sports personalities (especially cricket players) are immensely popular among the masses. This has encouraged the widespread use of celebrities in advertisements over the decades.

However, celebrity endorsements could become a ‘double-edged sword'for most companies.

A popular star can help immensely in improving brand image and recall. But the same star can cause major problems for the brand if he or she lands in trouble – either in their careers or in their personal lives. Pepsi faced this problem with two of its most popular celebrity endorsers – pop singers Michael Jackson and Madonna. In 1989, right after Pepsi aired the first Madonna commercial, the singer released her sexually explicit and reportedly anti-Christianity music video ‘Like A Prayer'on Music Television. The video led to widespread protests against the singer and Pepsi had to pull out the advertisement after airing it just twice. Michael Jackson was signed by Pepsi in 1983 in what was the largest individual sponsorship deal in history. In 1993, Michael Jackson was charged with child abuse. Though the charges were not proved, Pepsi had to pull out of the contract after unprecedented media outrage against the brand's association with the singer.

Another peril associated with celebrity endorsement is the ‘vampire effect,'when the celebrity overshadows the brand. Also, whether the celebrity endorsing a brand actually uses the brand or not is an issue of concern. For instance, if a celebrity endorsing Pepsi is seen drinking Coke, it can reflect very badly on the brand being endorsed.

THE AFTERMATH

Cronje had to resign from the South African team and was barred from playing cricket ever again. In South Africa, the Spur Restaurant Chain in Johannesburg ended a multi-million rand^[4] -advertising contract with Cronje. The controversy heated up in the next few weeks, with many more Indian and international cricket players being named as parties to illegal match fixing. It was reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Mumbai/Dubai underworld were also involved in the scandal. There were even rumors of South Africa and India suspending diplomatic ties.

More...

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ADDITIONAL READINGS & REFERENCES

^[4] The currency of South Africa.