The "New" Celebrity: Reality Stars and Branding

Celebrity branding is not a new concept; but its forever evolving. From supermodels to celebrities to nontraditional “new celebrities” it has been a long tradition to link a product with a celebrity. Even so, over the years it has taken an interesting turn. These “new celebrities” en route the reality television fame such as Kim Kardashian, Bethenny Frankel, and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi have become brand names with products. Taking control of their image, making themselves into brands and basking in the fifteen plus minutes of fame these “new celebrities.” They are a part of a new different approach to branding: self made brands.

Branding is an important step in the marketing of and selling a product. According to the article “Brand communications in fashion categories using celebrity endorsement” by Angela Carroll,

“Products evolved into brands in order to create differentiation in increasingly competitive markets by offering customers something extra over and above the functional attributes and associated potential benefits. Thus, the term ‘ added value ’ was used to distinguish products from brands,” (Carroll, 147).

Branding is simply the practice of differentiating a product from it competitors by providing a unique and identifiable name to a product. Though is not that simple. Not only must manufacturers differentiate their product or service but they also must pierce into consumer’s psyche and appeal to its targeted audiences. According to Carroll,

“If consumers have high awareness and favourable associations towards a brand then equity is positive. Branding strategy becomes less about market share and more about minds and emotional share…. Consumers therefore turn to brands less as bundles of utility but more as badges that convey social meaning and that have the power to generate social acceptance…. Thus, brand consumption has evolved into a process of self-reference, self-identity and self-articulation,” (Carroll, 148).

Branding therefore also relies on a great deal of what consumers think and how they fit certain brands into societal and cultural cues and meaning; and also into their personality and veneer.

A great way to do this is through celebrity endorsements. Celebrity endorsement means an identifiable or famous person who uses their status to promote and sell a product. Celebrity endorsements are all around us. Either its popular athletes for Nike and Gatorade or actors and actresses for the new diet pill, fitness video or beauty product, celebrity endorsements are vital to branding. So it’s completely logical and smart to utilize them. According to “Brand communications in fashion categories using celebrity endorsement” article, “Celebrity endorsement has become a popular approach in the branding process both in terms of gaining and keeping attention and in creating favourable associations leading to positive brand knowledge and distinct brand images,” (Carroll, 150). Celebrities’ endorsements are meant to attract and keep someone’s attention through affirmative, memorable and different imagery. What better way to receive positive and relatable messages than with our favorite celebrities. We listen and buy their music, we pay to see their movies or concerts, pretty much invest in this celebrity as if they were a boyfriend or girlfriend or a child.

Plus even the benefits are worthwhile to manufacturers and marketers, benefits “include increased attention, image polishing, brand, introduction, brand repositioning and the potential to underpin global campaigns,” (Carroll, 150). Celebrities introduces and shift focus to the product, gives a product an image, a name, stamp, while gives this product the opportunity to be seen worldwide.  We as consumers invest in them so marketers invest in celebrities to get a share of this investment, thus a marriage based on mutually beneficial goals and factors.

So with this marriage and courtship of celebrity branding and products comes in culture. Marketers have to appeal to the demands and popularity of celebrities as reflected in what consumers are interested. What are consumers watching, who are consumers watching? The ever decreasing interest and investment in movies, scripted television shows and music, marketers shift focus to a new, less traveled road: Reality TV and the “new celebrity.” Right now America loves reality TV so marketers love reality TV stars. The “new celebrity” is reality stars. Their claim to fame oftentimes is based on being the breakout stars of widely popular reality shows. They are in a sense famous for being famous and not for talent, expertise or skills. Examples include Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi from Jersey Shore, Bethenny Frankel from Real Housewives of New York City and Kim Kardashian a rich socialite who used her bedroom skills to create an empire with clothing lines and a bunch of reality shows with her family. These are “average” people who got notice and made it big and with suave and skill, others consider this milking their 15 minutes of fame to the fullest extent.

Even so, what’s so interesting about this is they not only explored and moved onto other venues but create a brand within their personas and control their brands, which is in a sense a new practice of branding. According to the article, “What Snooki, the Kardashians, and More Can Teach the World About Building Successful Fashion and Beauty Brands” by Amy Odell:

“Snooki and her fellow cast members’ success in the licensing space, along with the success of other reality franchise product lines (like the Kardashian Kollection at Sears), is but a sign of the times we find ourselves in. “We seem to be willing to give up a lot of control to celebrities,” notes Catherine Moellering, executive vice-president of Tobe,” (Odell).

This is saying that they’ve found success and embraced it and that are people especially those in the advertising/marketing / manufacturing industries are willing to let them as “celebrities” have control over their brand.

While consumers seem to embrace and marketers seem to take notice and listen up, others are not so amused. As in an article titled: From Chanel No. 5 to Britney No. 11 by Rachel Felder for the New York Times:

“That’s what I would call the cheapening of celebrity,” said Catherine Walsh, who, as senior vice president of global marketing at Coty, has worked on fragrances from Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwen Stefani. The first celebrities were big A-listers, she said. “Now, pretty much any celebrity, whether they be an actress, a performer, a musical artist, whatever — anybody who’s had some sort of even minimal career highlight in their life — the next thing they say is, ‘I need a fragrance,’ because it’s part of brand-building. The degrees of fame may differ, but the marketing of celebrity fragrances tends to be consistent, typically focused on strategic personal appearances, social media, news coverage and advertising,” (Felder).

This quote is stating that some people feel the welcoming of reality TV people and the use of their persona to produce a product as fragrance is disgraceful and devalue the prestige of celebrity.  Even with this what sets these new celebrities is apart is the fact that they utilize their fame as a way to brand-build like traditional celebrities through different mediums as social media and news coverage.

In a Forbes magazine article titled, “Reality TV Stars Turned Entrepreneurs by Jenna Goudreau:

“Those that do make it work have a unique mix of personality, talent, credibility and business sense. On the spectrum of reality television shows--with, say, Jersey Shore on the lower end and American Idol as the crown jewel--talent-based competition shows like Project Runway or Top Chef offer contestants instant industry cred and a valuable opportunity to market their work.” (Goudreau).  

Goudreau is saying that it is not so much the celebrity factor but more of a business factors which also includes creating and maintaining a brand. Even so, who knows what the future holds for this trend. What are your opinions?

Works Cited

Carroll, Angela. “Brand communications in fashion categories using celebrity endorsement” Brand Management Vol. 17, 2. 12 September 2008.

Odell, Amy. “What Snooki, the Kardashians, and More Can Teach the World About Building Successful Fashion and Beauty Brands.” New York Magazine. 20 January 2012. 11:50 am. Web. 28 March 2013  

Goudreau, Jenna. “Reality TV Stars Turned Entrepreneurs.” Forbes Magazine. 4 April 2010. 4:10 pm. Web. 28 March 2013  

Felder, Rachel. “From Chanel No. 5 to Britney No. 11.”  The New York Times.  Web. 28 March 2013