Celebs Bring News Coverage For Ad Campaigns
Celebrity endorsements provide an additional way to get more from your adspend in the form of free press coverage of your campaign, or so it would seem, according to the latest findings from Propeller’s Ads That Make News survey. Of the top ten campaigns covered most in the press, seven involved either celebrities or well-known TV characters.
Nick Fitzherbert, director at Propeller, commented: “The first quarter of 2002 saw a sharp increase in the number of news stories about advertising, which can undoubtedly be attributed to the increased use of celebrities. You expect this at Christmas with the likes of Woolworths, but not during the first quarter. What is especially notable about the current use of celebrities is the intensity of inter-brand rivalry. We are used to big names lining up against each other in the ongoing Cola wars, but now we have Beckham apparently signed to both Pepsi and Coke, while also being pitched directly against his wife for Golden Wonder ads.”
Its not just the big names that benefit from press interest in campaigns, either. Graham Gooch’s antics, designed to defend Advanced Hair Studio against complaints sent to the ASA did not stop the complaints from being upheld, but generated interest from the press seldom directed at a distributor of hair replacement systems.
The opposite is also true for well-known brands and lesser-known people. Comedian Johnny Vegas’ ability to attract press attention has risen considerably since he and sidekick monkey began starring in the ITV Digital ads which may have proved more popular than the system they were selling, while building society employee “Howard from the Halifax” now warrants stories about his personal life following his karaoke-style ads.
The most likely paper to print stories about ad campaigns is the Daily Star, judging on previous form, followed by the Daily Telegraph, the Times and the Mirror.
Propeller Marketing Communications: 0207 636 6300 www.propellergroup.com
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