LaughlinOutLoud

Forbes just listed the marketing world’s 10 most trusted celebrities.

The fact that Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) led the list over the guy who drove Miss Daisy (Morgan Freeman) should make the validity of this ranking a little suspect.  Maybe the value of celebrities in general is a little suspect, too.

As of this posting, the Forbes website has this list archived above the top ten retirement havens.  Marketers who bank on celebrities might want to keep that second list handy.  Celebrities are a little too much like politicians who are a little too much like all the rest of us.  Prone to bad behavior.

In spite of all the risks, there have been some spectacular endorsements. Michael Jordan and Nike leap to mind.  But it’s rare to be that right.

Michael Jordan is also the spokesperson for Hanes along with Charlie Sheen, a serial bad-boy.  He replaces Cuba Gooding Jr. in a continuing story line as the B-list celebrity who wants part of Michael’s A-list aura.  Michael comes across as unapproachable.  Mere stars aren’t even good enough for this guy.  Trouble is, you can’t replace an idea with a celebrity as so many spots try to do.  It’s either the celebrity getting in the way of the product, or vice versa.  My guess is celebrities don’t fit Hanes they way they used to.

A great old maxim went, if you don’t have anything important to say, get someone important to say it.  Today, brands just can’t afford to say nothing.  Mere awareness just won’t cut it anymore.

The great brands, like Kraft, Proctor & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Johnson Wax, McDonald’s, Coke, Google, IBM, and Apple rarely use celebrities.  They focus on always having something new to talk about.  Sure there are plenty of exceptions, but in way too many cases, celebrities just aren’t good enough for a brand.