BR Video: Ads with celebrities only work on young people
LONDON - The public thinks celebrity advertising is only effective on young people, according to the latest Brand Republic Video -- watch it now.
Brand Republic took to the streets to ask members of the public what they thought about the use of celebrities to sell products following Asda's decision to ditch celebrities.
Asda has decided to dump the famous faces in favour of real-life women after listening to customers and concluding that it is inappropriate to spend money on such endorsements in the current economic climate.
The supermarket chain is replacing high-profile celebrities such as Coleen Rooney with doctors, nurses and other public sector workers in its latest ad campaign.
Asda made the decision to use real people after a customer survey of 10,000 people revealed that 72.3% of UK women would rather make a decision to buy an outfit based on seeing it on a "real" person than on a perfect celebrity body.
The survey also showed that 79.1% of women say they are not currently interested in what celebrities are wearing.
Fiona Lambert, brand director of George, said: "There will always be an argument for using celebrities and big names in fashion, however our customers are telling us it's time for a change, it feels wrong to spend money on a celebrity endorsement when times are tough and money is tight.
"What we have done is saved money and worked out how to pass these savings to our customers by lowering prices and improving quality and design."
Comments
Gordon Macmillan - 12/09/2008
I can't believe someone apparently sane cites Kerry Katona as a good example of celeb advertising. I'm lost for words.
Jeremy Lee - 12/09/2008
There are some quite extraordinary views out there, aside from the bloke who thought that Kerry Katona was good. I'm not sure that I agree with the woman talking about celeb ads only targeting young people - what about Sky using Parky to explain Sky+ to old people? I'm going to leave the 'honesty of the Irish' comment, probably wisely, but the fact that people said that 'you feel like you know' celebrities and 'they are all good-looking' is astonishing. What about that weatherwoman Sian Lloyd in that bizarre Churchill the insurance dog dream fantasy? And what's the story with the sausage. Dreadful.