A product endorsement involves a celebrity, a relevant professional or a business giving its approval for the virtue of a product and recommending it to the customers as a good and safe product. Endorsements can be effected by means of a statement to the public or by the endorsing party using it for all to see. It is common to find handwritten endorsements from celebrities citing how a certain product changed or made their lives better.
In today’s modern advertisement, these celeb testimonials are found as excerpts which are printed directly on a product’s packaging. The use of photographs to form a visual connection between the product and the endorser is also a way of product endorsement. Authoritative and prominent figures endorsing products constitutes a key element in business advertisement and the overall marketing campaign. Product endorsement goes a long way in generating a brand’s awareness and drumming up the sales revenues.
Product endorsement works on the idea that consumers will get drawn in and fascinated by the idea of using the same products as a prominent, wealthy or influential person who is trusted or idolized. Consumers feel that they become affiliated with the said prominent figure if they use the advertised product.
It is important to note that product endorsement doesn’t guarantee that a product is good unless the endorsement is given by a trusted quality regulating organization or company.
Advantage of product endorsement
Celebrity endorsement comes with multiple advantages to the company or brand. Some include:
It helps to build brand equity. There exist many companies that went multibillion- dollar once they embraced celebrity product endorsement.
A product endorsement creates a constant and ever-present advertisement in that whenever customers see the endorsing person, they remember his/her advertisement and the products.
Also, product endorsement helps companies that use them to stand out from those who don’t.
Disadvantages of product endorsement
Product endorsements come with varied disadvantages, most of which are tied to the high-end life led by the endorsing parties. Some include:
Product eclipsing – this occurs when the endorser overshadows the product he/she is endorsing by consuming more space and time than the product. This is undesirable as at this point the product is not the prime focus of the customers but the celebrity is.
Overexposure – this refers to a negative effect that occurs when a celebrity endorses many similar products. The endorser’s credibility may suffer as users question his motives.
Companies may also get caught in the crossfire when their endorsing person gets involved in a scandal. The negative image created may spill onto the advertised brand.
