Brands Who Never Thought They'd Be Part Of The White House Lore

Stacy Jones | February 2, 2018 at 10:01 AM

A Commercial Endorsement... Lasts A Lifetime

When a brand partners with a celebrity as an endorser, or features a model in an advertising campaign, that ad is meant to garner a lot of attention. It's why brands are willing to invest that additional cost into their advertising campaign. And it's typically worth it. Just check out all the Super Bowl ads that brands clamor to have celebrities included within. Higher interest and engagement by viewers which all hope will lead to eventual sales purchase.

And sometimes a brand gets a little unexpected surprise - when their celebrity partner balloons into an even bigger deal. As has happened with Donald and Melanie Trump, before they made their way to the White House as President Trump and The First Lady. In this blog, Hollywood Branded takes a look at the brands who have never thought they'd be a step on the pathway to the White House.

Aflac - Melanie Trump

As Donald Trump was meeting with an Aflac employee about workers in America, he said "Well, your chairman I know very well, and he's done a fantastic job," and then segued into "And they actually, a long time ago, hired my wife to do a big commercial. You know that, right? An Aflac commercial. And I think it was a successful commercial, too."

And with that, the world rushed to find this commercial, which was luckily enough for all, living on YouTube, where all commercials and music videos go to live forever.

And Aflac is having a PR goldmine of free advertising. It doesn't get much better than that. Really, it truly doesn't. Whether you are a fan of the current administration or not, Donald Trump's little speech resulted in people around the world quacking and saying Aflac while pretending to be The First Lady. I heard it first hand myself.

In "The Experiment" ad, the spot opens on a mad scientist and his assistant ala Frankenstein who are trying to figure out how to take the voice of the "lovely woman" (who is laying on the table and is... drummroll Melania Trump!) and swap it out with the Aflac duck.

We then see the First lady opening her mouth and quacking like the Aflac duck - and then she realizes in horror that her feet have grown webbing.

At the time of the commercial shoot, Melanie Trump was quoted by AdWeek as saying “I am very excited to make my acting debut in the latest Aflac commercial. Donald is known for saying ‘You’re fired’; maybe I will be known for saying ‘Aflac.’”

The Aflac Commercial

Donald Trump - McDonalds,

And then there is The Donald. There are literally dozens and dozens of brands who paid $1 million or more to be featured alongside him in The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice. It was a really big deal to be able to pay your way into an episode of the show. And Fortune 500 brands too. And there are a number of brands who hired the now President Trump to be a featured 'celebrity' endorser along the way of his path to the White House.

Commercials have included:

Joining Grimmace waaaaay back in a McDonald's Ad
Having a stuffed slice of Pizza Hut
Promoting what millionaire's can't leave home without - the Visa Check Card
Diet's Pepsi's "Fight Before The Fight"
Macy's celebrity extraordinaire commercial with all of their endorsers

And then of course his own properties and companies he promoted himself, including:

Trump Castle Casino Resort
Trump Steaks
Trump Board Game
Trump Home, complete with counting sheep
His own suit and shirt line - only at Macy's

Check Out The Donalds' Ads

And even a part II...

A More Affordable Option

If your brand doesn't quite have the pocketbook - or interest - in having celebrity endorsers join your advertising, there is a more affordable option to still gain that star dust. How? Through either sponsoring events where celebrities will be, or by inviting them to your own brand events.

Take a look at our blog that helps outline a plan for your brand to feel confidant in your partnership: 6 Steps To Safeguard Celebrity Endorsement Partnerships.

Also be sure to check out these blogs our team wrote on how to best work with celebrities!

In this e-book, our team walks you through best practices and strategies to get celebrities to attend your events. Download it now!