CelebrityPitch

The Secret Who's The New Celebrity Endorser - Celebrity Endorsements

Secret deodorant is the leader in women's underarm antiperspirant.  Everyone can remember the tag line: "Strong enough for a man, but pH balanced for a women." However, Secret has yet to create such an iconic spot since the 90's.  Jenni Pulos, from Bravo's "Flipping Out" and "Interior Therapy" is their latest Celebrity Endorser.  While she may be a hit with the Bravo crowd, her reach beyond that might be a bit lacking.  Jenni has great character and a superb presence, but not I’m sure this is a dynamo spot for Secret.  The once iconic brand could do better...the spot is uninspired and the celebrity alignment lacks reach and influence.  We wish Jenni well, but this deal did her more favors than Secret.

Kobe Bryant is Big in the City for Smart Car - Celebrity Endorsements

Celebrity Pitch loves Celebrity Endorsement deals from overseas and this Smart Car/Kobe Bryant advertisement is no exception.  Kobe is the king, as he whips the basketball from his car to "knockout" the bad guy stealing the painting.  Overseas endorsements are great ways for Celebrities to get additional $$ without jeopardizing their brand in their home countries.  While this ad may be a little too quirky for the US, it is certainly appropriate in China.

Donald Trumps Smells Success With New Fragrance - Celebrity Endorsements

Donald Trump is launching a new fragrance, "Success by Trump."  It’s his second fragrance to be launched and sold by Macy's.  Though I’m not sure who wants to smell like “The Donald,” the success of his clothing line at Macy's definitely gives him the platform to have impressive sales – unlike Trump Water and Trump Steaks (sold by the now defunct Sharper Image). Those two particular ventures were much more a reach for the Trump brand extensions.

Trump is known as a businessman.  If the scent is good, he will prevail as the fragrancier of the want to be rich.  Better than steaks, worse than neckwear, this is a toss-up.

Blake Griffin Feeds Kia Need For Funk - Celebrity Endorsements

LOVE Blake Griffin in the Kia Spots.  The spots have been running for some time and they don't lose their charm.  Blake is able to portray his humorous, friendly persona, while promoting the Kia brand.  Blake is not a pop culture mainstay, but he has the personality to be a lasting Celebrity Endorsement brand.  Kia plays off Griffin's playfulness and quirky persona.  It’s a great example of brand alignment and Celebrities using endorsement deals to further their personal brands.  Feed a deer, stretch, play some funk.  DONE.

Hope Solo Is Wearing Seiko - Celebrity Endorsements

Hope Solo has announced a new endorsement deal with Seiko. From Solo:

"I look for a watch that truly matches my lifestyle and is a subtle, unconventionally beautiful accent to my everyday style.  A watch that is sporty yet elegant that I can wear from day into night is what I feel both beautiful and comfortable in, and the new additions to the Seiko Sportura and Coutura collections encompass all of those qualities.  I am honored to become a new member of the Seiko family as Brand Ambassador, sharing the same philosophy as Seiko in life of pure dedication to perfection."

Solo also has Celebrity Endorsement deals with Gatorade, Bank of America, BlackBerry, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.

The Only Thing To Cool You Down After Viewing Salma Hayek Is Milk - Celebrity Endorsements

They say that Milk is the only thing that will cool you down after something hot and spicy.  This ad proves it!  Salma Hayek is looking better than ever in the new Milk campaign.  She's hot and shows it simply by being on screen.  The temptress actress is an amazing Celebrity Endorser for Milk.  She's actually a classic, timeless and attractive (one of the most attractive actresses out there).  She proves that she can do anything, sell anything in this MILK spot.

I Pity The Fool That Doesn't Buy Mr. T's T's For Old Navy - Celebrity Endorsements

IT IS ABOUT TIME!  Mr. T is the Celebrity Endorsement King for Old Navy's New T-Shirt collection.  Genius.  Why hasn't this happened already?

Mr. T is a blemish-free celebrity that is perfect for any T-Shirt line.  More importantly, his celebrity persona contains no controversy and he's so iconic to the 20-30somethings that his value is unlike many others in the business.  I pity the fools who haven't thought of this before.  Nostalgia, Integrity and Kitsch are hard to find.  Well done Mr. T and Old Navy.  Well done.

J Lo Has The Music, The Moves And The Look For Kohl's - Celebrity Endorsements

Jennifer Lopez keeps making really good spots for Kohl's.  Here's why:

1. APPEAL: She's hot.

2. ASPIRATION: She showcases a desirable, iconic style.

3. OBTAINABLE: Kohl’s makes J Lo's iconic look accessible.

4. ALIGNMENT: Kohl's knows J Lo’s strengths - Style - Beauty - Talent - AND they prominently play off of these strengths.

5. PRODUCT: It's displayed, looks good on Jen and is just as much a star as the singer herself.

This just goes to show that the talent matters as much as the product AND the marketing ability of the brand.  Fiat, please take notice.  This is how you leverage Jennifer Lopez.  This is how you sell products using Celebrity Endorsements.

Ryan Lochte Locks In Celebrity Endorsement Gold With Gatorade - Celebrity Endorsements

Ryan Lochte is Celebrity Endorsement GOLD in this new spot by Gatorade.  The sport nutrition leader's new ad series "Win From Within" is the perfect platform for pro athletes that acheive great things.  What's really special about this spot is Gregg Troy's, the head coach of U.S. Swimming, account of Lochte's humanity.  He's not superman.  Lochte, like everyone else, has to work for what he has.  Sure, Lochte likes "goofing off" and "burgers and fries,” but he had to give that up to achieve his ultimate goals.  By committing to the sport, eating properly and training hard, Lochte became the fastest swimmer in the world.

What's even better, nothing in this commercial blatantly attributes Lochte’s success to Gatorade, but it is certainly implied that he couldn't get there without the brand's sports nutrition products.  As always, well done by Gatorade…and well played by Lochte.  Ryan, we'll be watching for more.

Looks Like LeBron Runs On Dunkin - Celebrity Endorsements

Celebrity Pitch hasn't been a fan of many things that involve LeBron James - his Nike spots are too self-centered and his PSA's are a bit of a joke (just search the CelebrityPitch.com website keyword: LeBron).  However, James' move into China as the ambassador for Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins is a real win for the brands.

"Dunkin' Brands picked James as its brand ambassador in Asia partly due to the Miami Heat star's huge appeal in China," said Chief Executive Officer Nigel Travis in an interview with Reuters.  What's more, James will be the face of the brands beyond China and will have duties in Taiwan, India and South Korea through advertisements, online media and in-store marketing.  James will also make appearances for the brand in Asia.  A great, all-inclusive Celebrity Endorsement tie-in.

While the immediate reaction was that Jeremy Lin should have gotten this deal, Lin is still a new phenomenon and hardly proven.  When a brand like Dunkin’ is going to spend as much $$ on a deal as they must have with James (projected around 1 million a year for 2-3 years) you need to go with a true winner star...at least on the court.