Celebrity endorsements can backfire

Most research suggests that there are three different types of relational bond between consumers and celebrities. The most common is based on entertainment, closely followed by an intense personal attachment and finally a relationship driven by a pathological urge.

Also requiring more research among the Chinese public is over-endorsement, when a celebrity signs contracts for multiple products. The over-endorsement effect should be a huge concern given the ease in which celebrities are worshipped. Over-endorsement could lead to a substantially negative effect on all brands endorsed by a celebrity and influence the credibility of any future endorsements by the celebrity.

If a suitable representative is found, then careful management over the long term of the celebrity's image and freedom to endorse other products is important if a sustainable competitive advantage is expected.

Another area of research necessary in China centers on the need for a valid typology of celebrities as perceived by the Chinese public. Currently, even in China, the common practice is to use sports or entertainment celebrities as the face of the product, but the public's perception of how celebrities differ has not been studied.

The context in which a celebrity endorses a brand is also a key factor in any successful brand-building campaign. A sports celebrity versus an entertainment celebrity is likely to be different because of the celebrities' image and relationship with the consumer. Sports celebrities are typically focused on achieving the highest possible performance level, such as Liu, Yao or Li. Those from the entertainment industry often branch out into a variety of related but slightly different performing roles, such as a film star moving into theatre acting and even singing.

Over-endorsement, therefore, is more of a concern with sports celebrities, unless the sports celebrity possesses and/or develops charismatic appeal beyond his or her sporting prowess, as tennis star Li has done.

For Chinese consumers who traditionally value patriotism and nostalgia and revere past and present public figures, typology of celebrities should also include politicians, scientists, writers, historians, artists, poets and entrepreneurs. Famous fictional characters, such as the central characters of the Three Kingdoms (AD 220-280): Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, play a huge role in the Chinese culture and should also be classified.

Entrepreneurs are often cited by younger generations in China as worthy of far more respect than those successful in other professions. Chinese history is rich in iconic characters, which could present fresh, imaginative endorsement opportunities that international competitors may not be able to duplicate.

As China's incredible economic transition appears to continue unabated, despite the economic turmoil in the United States and Europe, change continues to seep through every aspect of the Chinese society. As a result, celebrity endorsements may not appeal to consumers as much as before, especially to younger consumers. A more independent and adventurous Chinese consumer may value a "slice of life" brand-building strategy in which unknown people are used to market a product.

When celebrities are used, research into any value-transfer is needed. It may be the case that companies need to change their spokespeople more often as consumer demand changes and product life cycles are becoming shorter.

Don't be afraid to use celebrities in Chinese ads, but just use them caution.

The author is a visiting British professor of brand management at China Agricultural University. The opinions expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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