The Celebrity Effect
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The (RED) campaign is not the first to use celebrities for philanthropy. This tactic dates back to the 1960’s during the Civil Rights Movement, but the most noted celebrity activism event was the “Band Aid” concert 1984 and “Live Aid”1985. Using televised images that produced emotional feelings for viewers began the celebrity fundraising events (Richey & Ponte, 2008). The use of celebrities as activists is a whole new playing field because although we are inundated with these types of images, it is still appealing to us because instead of focusing on the disease itself, we are focusing on the product itself and the “cool and sexy” vibe that consumers desire. In a journal article by Katherine Bell (2011) she constructs the celebrity activists in a way that consumers actually feel a connection with them as if we are in communality with these stars.
The video does show a small portion of how status sells to consumers, but the Gap (RED) campaign is superior. With photos taken by world famous photographer Annie Leibovitz, Gap stores and ads were saturated (10 miles long) with photos of celebrities from young to old. Young actress Abigail Breslin wore a product (RED) shirt that simply said “inspi(RED) across it. Using her face in the campaign was intended to target the younger audiences who could connect with her. Other star icons shown in the advertisements is Mary J. Blige with a soulful look on her face as well as a seductive Anne Hathaway bearing practically no clothes with the message next to it reading: “Can the shirt off your back change the world?” Hathaway’s advertisement is much more seductive than the others which verifies that the media is interested in this campaign for the good that it is doing but also for marketing reasons. They have admitted, “they know from past experiences “the power that celebrities can bring to marketing campaigns” (Amazeen, 2010).
As a highly materialistic society, consumers are interested in being a part of the so-called “in crowd” the message that these (RED) partners especially the Gap, send to customers is that if they model the behaviors especially their use of the (RED) products they can be more like these celebrities. Amazeen (2010) plays the devils advocate and notes in her article that celebrities and the (RED) campaign could also be guilt tripping that person if they don’t purchase a (RED) product, especially if they’ve been given the choice. The Gap is not the only company using celebrities as humanitarians, the campaign has been able to recruit star tennis player Serena Williams who wore (RED) laces in the 2010 Wimbledon, while Lady GaGa released her own version of Beats (RED) headphones. With the substantial amount of celebrities standing behind the campaign, it isn’t hard to believe that (RED) products were considered to be some of the best selling items on the market (Legal Week, 2010).
Not only are superstars putting their names on products, they are also going as far as venturing to the countries that (RED) is assisting. Models and actors alike (Scarlett Johannson, Christy Turlington and Elle McPhearson) have appeared in photographs and videos posing with children and mothers in the African villages. Due to the success of the campaign, some villages have ARV’s available to everyone (Bell, 2011). Not only does (RED) allow purchasers to be a part of the in-crowd and current with socially conscious celebrities, it also allows them to do a good deed. In a statement made by Bono, he said “(Product) RED piggybacks the excitement and energy of the commercial world to buy lifesaving AIDS drugs for Africans who cannot afford them” (O’Manique & Labonte, 2008).
In a recent study done by Nathan Farrell (2012), he put into perspective how much this campaign focuses on using celebrities as publicity. On one side of the spectrum, we see “sexiness and style” but on the other side we see “philanthropy and activism.” Farrell discusses how on an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, viewers see Bono and Oprah on a shopping excursion in Chicago. Meeting the figures in Chicago is musician Kanye West, movie star Penelope Cruz and model Christy Turlington. Not only does (RED) become an expressive act for the consumer because they are showing off their good deed by supporting these products and following in the celebrities’ footsteps, it also becomes how the consumer is politically expressing himself or herself. In this light, it is more on the product side of the products for the companies involved. Politically, it exhibits each company’s charitable credentials. This is in their best interest now, especially with a few of the partners who had drawn attention to themselves with labor issues (Farrell, 2012).
The video does show a small portion of how status sells to consumers, but the Gap (RED) campaign is superior. With photos taken by world famous photographer Annie Leibovitz, Gap stores and ads were saturated (10 miles long) with photos of celebrities from young to old. Young actress Abigail Breslin wore a product (RED) shirt that simply said “inspi(RED) across it. Using her face in the campaign was intended to target the younger audiences who could connect with her. Other star icons shown in the advertisements is Mary J. Blige with a soulful look on her face as well as a seductive Anne Hathaway bearing practically no clothes with the message next to it reading: “Can the shirt off your back change the world?” Hathaway’s advertisement is much more seductive than the others which verifies that the media is interested in this campaign for the good that it is doing but also for marketing reasons. They have admitted, “they know from past experiences “the power that celebrities can bring to marketing campaigns” (Amazeen, 2010).
As a highly materialistic society, consumers are interested in being a part of the so-called “in crowd” the message that these (RED) partners especially the Gap, send to customers is that if they model the behaviors especially their use of the (RED) products they can be more like these celebrities. Amazeen (2010) plays the devils advocate and notes in her article that celebrities and the (RED) campaign could also be guilt tripping that person if they don’t purchase a (RED) product, especially if they’ve been given the choice. The Gap is not the only company using celebrities as humanitarians, the campaign has been able to recruit star tennis player Serena Williams who wore (RED) laces in the 2010 Wimbledon, while Lady GaGa released her own version of Beats (RED) headphones. With the substantial amount of celebrities standing behind the campaign, it isn’t hard to believe that (RED) products were considered to be some of the best selling items on the market (Legal Week, 2010).
Not only are superstars putting their names on products, they are also going as far as venturing to the countries that (RED) is assisting. Models and actors alike (Scarlett Johannson, Christy Turlington and Elle McPhearson) have appeared in photographs and videos posing with children and mothers in the African villages. Due to the success of the campaign, some villages have ARV’s available to everyone (Bell, 2011). Not only does (RED) allow purchasers to be a part of the in-crowd and current with socially conscious celebrities, it also allows them to do a good deed. In a statement made by Bono, he said “(Product) RED piggybacks the excitement and energy of the commercial world to buy lifesaving AIDS drugs for Africans who cannot afford them” (O’Manique & Labonte, 2008).
In a recent study done by Nathan Farrell (2012), he put into perspective how much this campaign focuses on using celebrities as publicity. On one side of the spectrum, we see “sexiness and style” but on the other side we see “philanthropy and activism.” Farrell discusses how on an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, viewers see Bono and Oprah on a shopping excursion in Chicago. Meeting the figures in Chicago is musician Kanye West, movie star Penelope Cruz and model Christy Turlington. Not only does (RED) become an expressive act for the consumer because they are showing off their good deed by supporting these products and following in the celebrities’ footsteps, it also becomes how the consumer is politically expressing himself or herself. In this light, it is more on the product side of the products for the companies involved. Politically, it exhibits each company’s charitable credentials. This is in their best interest now, especially with a few of the partners who had drawn attention to themselves with labor issues (Farrell, 2012).