No where have celebrity status proven more valuable than in the beauty industry. There’s no denying that having a celebrity endorsement is the ultimate PR holy grail for beauty brands. The exposure that comes from the single tweet or Instagram plug can catapult a small startup into a household name. A recent Forbes article documented the PR value of celebrity endorsements and there are many more examples of this trend.
Theatrical cosmetic manufacturer, Ben Nye recently experienced the PR power of celebrity endorsement after a celebrity makeup artist revealed that his secret to giving Kim Kardashian the infamous Hollywood glow is with the help of the Ben Nye Banana Powder. The product became so in demand and widely purchased that some online retailers limit customer purchase of the product.
Celebrities have also been used by beauty giants for years to market their products. The signing of Queen Latifah by Covergirl has helped pushed the brand as the go-to cosmetic line for many black consumers. The celebs themselves are not blind to this fact and there’s been a slew of celebrities that launch cosmetic lines under their brand.
Drew Barry Moore did it with the introduction of a whimsical cosmetic line, Flower Beauty. And so did Selma Hayek with her cosmetic line, Nuance, that is every bit as sensuous as the actress. Let’s not forget former entertainment reporter turned reality superstar, La La who joined forces with Motives Cosmetics to release Motives for La La, a multicultural cosmetic line. And there’s no doubt the list goes on and on. Most recently, Gwen Stefani partnered with OPI and is set to be launching her own line of nail polish.
I mean it makes sense. These celebrities are beautiful, they represent glamour, the glitzy, fabulous life that so many people dream of and wish they could have. So if they are endorsing or selling a cosmetic product, it must be spectacular. With all the options they have in the world, if it is good enough for them, then it must be pretty darn good. And let’s not forget the loyal die-hard fans that simply look for any opportunity to support their favorite celeb.
While celebrity endorsement can be a gold mine for exposure, they are not that easily attained and often come with a price tag that must beauty startups cannot afford to pay. However with some creative thinking, a little investment and strategic plays, it might not be as difficult or even as expensive it seems. Here are some ways to land good words from a top celebrity.
Ideas to land a celebrity endorsement for your beauty business
1) Sponsoredtweets.com and Ad.ly
Sponsored tweets is a community site that enables interested parties to pay users with a sizeable twitter fan base for a promotional plug written in 143 characters or less. Ad.ly offers a similar service but does so across social media platforms.
The great thing about these websites is they gives businesses easier access to celebrities. Gone are the days of tirelessly tracking down press agents or management companies and making dozens of unreturned phone calls or sending unanswered letters.
The downside is that the fee to land big name celebrity can get a little steep. The hotter the celebrity, the higher the price tag. For example, a single tweet from Khloe Kardashian can run you about $13,000 or you can have Mike Tyson give you a shout out for $3,250. Regardless, the potential exposure can introduce a new brand to hundreds and thousands of potential customers.
2) Celebrity baskets
I came across this from a women’s social networking site I was joined years ago called Savor the Success. For a membership fee, you can include your product in a gift basket that is sent to a group of celebrities selected according to a particular theme. (Jealous yet, I am!)
Although there is no guarantee that your product will be endorsed by the celebrity or even received by them, there still present a big opportunity especially if you have a one of a kind, amazing product.
3) Charity and volunteer opportunities
Whether for genuine reasons or as a publicity stunt, celebrities are often seeing participating or endorsing a charity organization. This can be a great opportunity for a startup to get their business in front of the celebrity. Pick a charity that you genuinely have an interest for and find celebrities that actively promote these organization. You can offer to sponsor or host a fundraising event for the organization and invite the celebrity as an honorable guest.
4) Event gift baskets
Grand events with celebrity presence also offer a great opportunity for brands to get their businesses in front a very important person. At these events there are often gift baskets that are handed out to celebrity guests of honor. Volunteer to have your product in one of these baskets and who knows they might love it so much that they just can’t help but share it with thousands of their adoring fans.
5) Create a totally awesome product
And forget about chasing celebrity status, instead let it come to you by simply creating an irresistible, unique and amazing product. There’s no better example of this than Starbucks, one of my favorite companies ever.
The images of the rich and famous splattered all over tabloids with an iced Starbucks Frappuccino in their hands helped to transform coffee as a bitter drink fit for a balding middle-aged man to a trendy, lifestyle product with more edge than the latest Vogue cover. And many consumers are so happy to shell out a premium price just to live the lifestyle.
What about you? What creative strategies do you have to land a celebrity endorsement? Please share in the comment box below
Leave a Reply