The Global Hollywood Celebrity Phenomena
You know a celebrity has made it to the top if they are well known in Los Angeles or New York. But these Hollywood celebrities aren’t just famous in the United States – they are recognizable to a massive scale around the world. And in fact, many of these celebrities make a lot of money endorsing an international brand that targets both the US and foreign audience.
Celebrities who are known globally range from A-listers to reality TV stars in such shows as X Factor, Big Brother, or Master Chef. They also include social influencers, individual personalities who have made names for themselves on social media sharing sites such as Instagram and YouTube. In this blog, Hollywood Branded looks at how international countries view the Hollywood celebrity and shares some of the top brand celebrity endorsements around the world.
The Power Of Celebrity Authenticity
Brands recognize the potential and the power of celebrities, and employ them to add their star power to companies’ products and services. As famous people are instantly recognizable and attract consumer interest, they can bring attention to a brand in a way that no other type of advertising can. As long as the celebrity is authentic, he or she can help provide credibility to a brand and influence the consumers’ buying habits.
The Most Powerful Global Celebrities
Forbes' Celebrity 100 list for 2017 included. With the World Cup qualifiers, it makes sense to see so many soccer athletes too.
- Musician (and businessman) Sean Combs
- Musician Beyonce
- Writer J.K. Rowling
- Musician Drake
- Soccer athlete Cristiano Ronaldo
- Musician The Weeknd
- Show-host Howard Stern
- Coldplay
- Writer James Patterson
- Basketball athlete LeBron James
- Musicians Guns N’ Rosdes
- Radio host Rush Limbaugh
- Musician Justin Bieber
- Soccer athlete Lionel Messi
- Show-host Dr. Phil McGraw
- Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres
- Musician Bruce Springsteen
- Musician Adele
- Comedian Jerry Senfeld
- Actor Mark Walhberg
According to Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list, twenty of the most powerful global celebrities back in 2016 included the below. It's interesting to see who stayed and who left the list.
- Singer Tyler Swift
- British band One Direction
- Author James Patterson
- Show-host Dr. Phil McGraw
- Soccer player Christiano Ronaldo
- Comedian Kevin Hart
- Radio host Howard Stern
- Soccer player Lionel Messi
- British Singer Adele
- Radio Host Rush Limbaugh
- Basketball player LeBron James
- Singer Madonna
- Actress and TV host Ellen DeGeneres
- Singer Rihanna
- Singer Garth Brooks
- Tennis player Roger Federer
- Rock band AC/DC
- The Rolling Stones
- Actor Dwayne Johnson
- Magician David Copperfield
A Look At The International Landscape
Asia has recognized the advantages of celebrities as influencers for a while now, and in both South Korea and Japan, about 70% of commercials now feature a celebrity. In South Korea, entertainment companies work closely with the advertising industry to build campaigns the truly resonate with their consumer. Hundreds of “K-pop” stars are not only trained from a young age for live performances, but also to endorse products and promote corporate brands.
China and India don’t fall much behind their neighbors and have also come to the realization that celebrities can impact the market significantly. China has historically put its trust in leaders and elders for guidance. However, with its’ political shifts and burgeoning economic development , it is now celebrities rather than military heroes who symbolize knowledge and trust in the eyes of Chinese consumers. India has learned to channel its well-known Bollywood celebrities, such as actor Aamir Khan, and singer Aishwarya Rai, as highly paid influencers for local advertisement and promotion of brands.
Celebrity Endorsements Around The World
Here are 10 international brands that have successfully been endorsed by Hollywood celebrities well known throughout the world.
Baskin Robbin’s Korean line signed Drew Barrymore for a series of commercials, paying her $500k US for a one-year deal.
Photographer Mario Testino created a vodka bottle as part of French brand Ciroc in tribute to Ben Stiller’s character Zoolander. Blue Steel Vodka line was distributed in a limited edition and handled in the U.S by Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Jennifer Aniston's endorsement of Netherland’s Heineken beer
Angelina Jolie endorsed the oldest cosmetic company in the world, Japan's Shiseido
Kobe Bryant partnered with the German line of Mercedes-Benz smart cars for their commercial in China. Bryant retired from the NBA with estimated earnings of $680 million US from salary and endorsements made throughout his career
Leonardo DiCaprio was paid $5 million US to feature in a five-commercials series for Chinese mobile company OPPO’s ‘Find’ smartphone line
Russian vodka’s Russian Ice line signed Sylvester Stallone in a one year contract valued at $1 million US
When he was still Hollywood’s most wanted single man, George Clooney endorsed DNB Norwegian Bank in a commercial where he played a married man
Riffing on Tommy Lee Jones has been the face of Japanese coffee BOSS since 2006 and was featured in 38 commercial episodes as “Alien Jones”
Former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, endorsed many Japanese products during the 1990s, such as this energy drink
Bringing Celebrity Power To Your Brand
Celebrities are one of the global powerhouses – and they can make a brand’s sales go sonic overnight with the right campaign elements to support the partnership. These can include TVC’s (television commercials), print ads, radio and retail store displays – and nowadays, lots and lots of social media.
Check out some of the blogs our team has written on the topic:
- Celebrity Ads Paired With Unexpected Brand Categories
- Athletes As Brand Celebrity Endorsers High Reward And Low Risk
- 8 Steps to Leverage Celebrity Talent To A Brand's Advantage
- Cause Related Marketing Campaigns Getting The Celebrity Treatment
- 12 Steps To Celebrity Event Sponsorships
- 8 Steps To Inviting A Celebrity To Your Event And Saving Some Money In The Process
Before you spend another dollar on traditional advertising, consider how you can leverage the power of celebrities as part of your marketing campaigns. Our team has a class you can take if you have interest in learning more and taking more of a DIY approach to celebrity and influencer marketing. Check out our course on celebrity and influencer marketing that provides you with a whole heap of information that will help ensure you are on top of your marketing game!
