Oh, the Mistakes Spokespeople Make
People are very concerned about the mistakes spokespeople make, as they do a great deal of work to promote the company or product. They put their own reputations on the line telling how wonderful a product is, so they must be careful with what they say. Many studies have shown that many celebrities are paid more than others in order to speak at events and gain trust through personal integrity. People might trust certain celebrities because of this personal integrity, but all of these mistakes made by these spokespeople can affect their credibility and reputation. Some examples of where famous people make mistakes include wearing a pair of jeans with holes in them while promoting Gap fashion products at an event or speaking out against taking action against climate change while promoting Tesla cars. Many times, people will not remember the celebrity's mistakes because of the products behind them.
In a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 46% of adults would trust a celebrity spokesperson one hundred percent when it comes to buying products that they represent. Another example of this is reality stars who are paid tens of thousands of dollars for just a few days work to promote products on social media. One study found that the most influential celebrities to be trusted by consumers are those like Justin Bieber, Jennifer Aniston and Taylor Swift. Most of these consumers were between the ages 18 and 34 years old and they would trust celebrities one hundred percent in making decisions about 54% of their purchases. The study by Harris Interactive found that the younger the consumer is, the more influence that celebrity has on their purchase decisions. While 71% of 18 to 34-year-olds would trust celebrities a hundred percent, 50% of those over 65 years old would not trust any celebrity a hundred percent. The older adults said they do not trust celebrities because they are too influenced by commercial interests.
There are certain types of products that people will buy based on how they perceive the celebrity who is promoting it. When asked if consumers would purchase something endorsed by an athlete, 44% said yes and 26% may or may not buy it. Nearly half of those surveyed said they would certainly or probably buy clothing promoted by their favorite singer or actor. Personality and characteristics are very important when it comes to the perception of a celebrity spokesperson. Not only do people see the celebrity as a good friend, but they also see them as someone who can be trusted in their message. A study by MECLABS found that while consumers buy products they think are great, they also want to feel like their favorite celebrity uses those same products. When asked who would influence more purchases by an individual in the next year, respondents said Taylor Swift (27%) and Jennifer Aniston (23%). The study did not find one particular industry that a spokesperson was more effective in promoting. Whether a spokesperson is a sports star or a politician, their message about the product will be very important for people to trust.
Forum Topic: How Could Companies Help?
While celebrities can help promote products with their personal integrity, companies can also help by and making sure that the celebrities are approved of by the company to represent their products. One way that companies can do this is by making sure their spokespeople follow all rules and guidelines. When the spokespeople go on TV and make mistakes, the logo on screen should not be damaged because this might damage the brand's image. Companies should also be cautious of putting the logo on screen right after the spokesperson makes a mistake because it is not expected behavior.
Businesses should also be careful with what they say to make sure that they do not get sued by either their spokespeople or celebrities. When people are talking about how amazing products are, they usually mention how great the product is and will show their love for that product. It is very important for companies to have a relationship with their spokespeople because without it, many consumers will then think less of the product if it does not come from that spokesperson. The type of relationship between companies and their spokespeople can vary. It can be a long or short relationship and it can also be between a for-profit organization and a non-profit organization. The non-profit organization could make their spokespeople wear the product so people will then see them as the face of the company.
Businesses should have many different spokespeople representing their company because people would not think one spokesperson was the new spokesperson if they were not there to promote the product. There are different ways that businesses can find new spokespeople, either through ads or through word of mouth. When one person sees that someone they know is promoting a product, they will then see how great that product is and want it themselves. This is the best way to spread the word because the person who knows that they have a product they love may then tell their friends that it is great and will have them trying it.
In addition to choosing the right spokesperson, businesses need to make sure they are following all regulations and guidelines that are required or already in place. When watching TV, commercials can be on air as a government regulation states that all ads must be shown during programs in a certain time frame and format. Anytime an advertisement is shown during programs with content that does not fit this regulation, then the broadcaster has violated federal law. If a spokesperson does not follow the rules, then many more people will not want to buy the product. There are also laws that can be applied to corporate commercials that could range from rules about what can be said in the commercials or the type of language used. This is an important law because without this, then corporations will be seen as being sneaky or manipulative when they are promoting their products. Companies need to make sure they have all of their rules and regulations in place as well and if there are any gaps in it, then they should know it before starting a campaign by hiring someone who can represent them properly.
In order for companies to make sure that the advertisement that is being used by a spokesperson is not misleading, then they will need to make sure all materials are approved by a government agency. This can be very important for the safety of Americans because if there are any products that are unsafe, then it would be very costly and time-consuming for people who bought those products. Many times companies will use models in advertisements and they do not know whether the models have been controlled by chemicals or if they have had any medical procedures done on them. If they do not approve of this, then they could refuse to use the model in their ad. This could also be a very serious problem if the photos used by the spokesperson are too graphic or if it is not for a good cause. If the company does not do this, then they can find themselves in court because it would not be acceptable for them to advertise this way. Companies will also want to ensure that no ingredients are being harmful to consumers because in many cases, people could unknowingly be eating dangerous chemicals.
Companies can find new spokespeople by looking at their portfolios and reviewing how well they write and speak about their products. They can also interview potential candidates and check on the history of their previous spokespeople.
Conclusion:
It is hard to trust these spokespeople because they are strangers and not celebrities. However, the most important thing to keep in mind about these spokespeople is to make sure that you are watching for the healthy products that they promote and not if they have a great body. It is important for people to be aware of healthy eating and exercise, but it is also important for them to know what to avoid if they need help in losing weight or if they need support with cutting down on calories. Many people have started using spokespeople who promote healthy foods and exercise, but the media is still pushing unhealthy habits.
1 http://www.prnewswire.