Analysis of Celebrity Effect

理论探讨IAnalysis of Celebrity Effect◆高妙永(厦[ ]集美大学外国语学院商务英语系)[摘要]随着市场经济的发展，品牌已成为市场营销的重要手段。In commercial movies, star configuration belongs to a企业聘请明星作为广告代言人的现象日益普遍，“明星效应”这个kind of commercial configuration. It neither purely de-词应运而生。同时,明星效应带来的负面影响也成为颇受争议的话pends on the preferences of producers and directors, nor题。本文从明星效应现象的形成及其在日常生活中的普遍性展开simply takes into account the actors' acting skills, but分析,探讨了明星效应的积极作用及其存在的弊端,并从法律及道more rationally considers the potential commercial value德层面为这些弊端提出相应的对策，以达到全面解读明星效应现of actors. As an investor, the banks or enterprises pre-象的目的。dict the investment benefit rate according the cast of[关键词]明星效应市场营销 虚假广告 .the movie, and distr ibutors determine whether to buy th[Abstract] With the development of market economy, brand bas be- film accordingly (Li Shanshan 57). Similarly, most of thecome an important means of marketing. The phenomenon that enter- audiences are willing to spend money at the cinema forprises hire stars as their spokespeople is increasingly common. Thus,the attractive star cast. It is thus clear that when mostthe word celebrity effect came into being. At the same time, the nega- people judge whether a movie is worth watching. at thetive influence of celebrity effect also becomes a controversial topic. cinema by the actor list, a movie without superstars isThis paper plans to analyze celebrity effect, its universality in daily life, unthinkable.as well as the positive and negative aspects of this phnomenon and put2.Positive and Negative Aspects of Celebrity Effectto achieve a comprehensive interpretation of celebrity effect.Nowadays，stars have a profound impact on people's[Key words]celebrity eftet, marketing, misleading advertisingdaily life. Passions for the stars are gradually affect-ing consumer preferences.‘ A brand with celebrity en-1.Popularity of Celebrity Effectdorsements must be a trusted brand” has almost become a1.1 Celebrity Advertisingkind of value judgments for Chinese consumers (Tom DuncanThe application of celebrity effect first appears in 156). Therefore, using celebrity effect to stimulate con-advertising. It is not difficult to find that nearly all sumer demand is becoming a hot marketing strategy. Enter-kinds of products have their corresponding celebrity ads. prises invite stars as their spokesmen to convey the im-When we turn on TV，prime time is dominated by a largeage of their brand' s unique， distinctive character annumber of celebrity advertisements such as Semir cloth- establish inherent relations betweentheir product andng, Nikon camera, Pepsi cola and 0lay skin care. Enter- the target consumer group. In this way, enterprises enterprises utilize the audience's interest and trust in the consumers' vision successfully and establish a deepcelebrities，and then pass them on to their products， impression in their mind (Terence A. Shimp 272). There-which is a typical method of using celebrity effect. The fore, it is undoubted that choosing the right endorser torationale behind these strategies is that a famous person establish brand image is an effective shortcut to enhancecan draw attention to a brand and shape the perceptions corporate image and increase brand awareness. Admi ttedly,of the brand by virtue of the inferences that consuers in the early celebrity ads， it was indeed the charm ofmake based on the knowledge they have about the famous the stars that created a brand charm. For example, “ 100person (Kenneth E. Clow and Donald Baack 162). This great years Runfa” brand invited the Hong Kong movie star Chowcommercial opportunity prompts many companies to employ a Yun-fat as its spokesman; the scene that he shampooed forcelebrity as their corporate spokesperson with high pay the beauty and his honest and sincere smile captured theto achieve an impressive sales performance. As market com- hearts of many consumers. Then, “100 years Runfa”brandpetition intensifies， celebrity ads exist in people's became a household name overnight. Nike invited Jordan aslife in various forms including television， newspapers, its spokesman and launched the Jordan series shoes at themagazines，radio, road signs and other traditional media, same time. This measure gained widespread popularity byas well as websites and other new forms of media， togeth-young people; some admirers even queue up all night juster with a variety of business promotion and marketing ac- to buy a pair of limited edition of the Jordan shoes.tivities (Wang Xiao and Fu ping 148). In merchandise This fully中国煤化工: on the presence ofselling, the most direct way is to take advantage of the stars to:0HC N MH Glicity. Choosing the .consumer's admiration for celebrities to stimulate con- right spokesperson 1s DeneI1cial 10r corporate productssumpt ion.and brand market positioning (Philip Kotler 239). Accord-1.2 Celebrities in Film Industrying to the posi tioning differences between target markets吟方別数据.{理论探讨|and target consumer groups， the choice of celebrity en- commoditiesservices to consumers in the faul adver-dorsements is in different ways. The functions of tisements, resulting in damage of consumers' . legal rightscelebrities in market positioning are reflected in the and interests. They shall be held liable (Law Press Chi-following two aspects: on one hand， enterprises with na, qtd. in Li Yiming 49). However, according to "Adver-high-end brands hire world famous stars as their etising Law”(relevant provisions of Article 2)，advertis~dorsers to position their consumer groups; on the other ers， advertising operators and adverti sement publ ishers,hand, through the image, personality and age of celebri- instead of endorsers， shall be held liable when cheating.ties，enterprises show their product characteristics and Therefore， it can be seen that all the provisions do notdetermine their target consumer groups. For example, the involve celebrity responsibility for faul advertising. Infamous cosmetics brand" Maybelline" ，whose market goa2009，the new "Food Safety Law'(Article 55) clearlywas the mass market, hired the most dynamic， brilliant stated that if social groups, other organizations and in-stars of all walks of life, such as international super-dividuals are involved in faul advertising of food andmodel Christy Turlington and film star Zhang Ziyi， to harm the consumers' legitimate interests, they, togetherpresent their popular and fashionable culture. Likewise， with food producers and traders， shall be held liablethe famous pop singer Jay endorsed for China Mobile (50). This article established spokesmen's joint liabili-M-Zone. His cool exterior with the slogan' my place， I ties in faul advertising in the food industry. However,rule" impressed the hearts of those people who were in after all, the applicability of "Food Safety Law" is lim-youth rebellion and desired independence. His individual ited, which is far from sufficient binding legislativeimage was very much in line with M-Zone SMS (Short Mes- acts of celebrity endorsements. In addition, China' s lawsaging Service) positioning and achieved good results. It on celebrity endorsements is almost non-existent. Thus,is clear that celebrity endorsenent plays an important to inhibit the negative effects of false celebrity adver-role in market ing.tisements， revising relative laws and improving legal2.2 Influences on Consumer Behaviorsystem is the key.Consumer buying behavior is based on the occurrence3.2 Supervision of Public Opinion>f certain interest in products to meet their specificPublic opinion supervision means people make use ofdemands. These demands may be based on products' function the force of mass media to supervise the society.In thisor people's emotion (J. Peul Peter and Jerry C. 0lson informative era, any news can not escape the eyes of the157). Due to the massive product information, the asymme- masses, not to mention the stars whose words and deedstry of information and the unpleasant experience in the are always public concern. Therefore, when the law cannotpast or from other buyers, the buying behavior of con- effectively inhibit the negative aspects of celebrity of-sumers need external encouragement. The encouragement in- fect, the media and public supervision should function.creases consumers’ trust in the products to achieve theWorks Cited:purchase behavior (Wang tongtong et al. 217). In many[1] J.Paul Peter, Jerry C. Olson.Consumer behavior and marketingcases, consumers do not know which brand to buy， scstrategy.(Fourth Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co."celebrity endorsement” becomes a good reference.and Dongbei University of Finance & Economics Press, 1998.Celebrities endorse for products or brands, through their[2] Kenneth E. Clow & Donald Baack. Integrated advertising,unique personal charms and influence to cause herd behav-promotion, and marketing communications. (Fourth Edition).ior, which affects consumer choice of products andBeijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2010.brands. Therefore， celebrity endorsements， as an ideal[3] Philip Kotler. A Framework for Marketing Management Bei-way of marketing, can promote product sales. Since the U.jing: Peking University Press, 2002.S. super basketball star Michael Jordan became the .[4] Terence A.Shimp. Advertising,Promotion,&Supplermental As-spokesman of Nike in 1984， the sporting goods named afterpects ofIntegrated Marketing Communications. Beijing; PekingMichael Jordan has been popular with teenagers. ExpertsUniversity Press, 2005.estinate that only through Jordan' s endorsement and the[5]汤姆.邓肯.整合营销传播:利用广告和促销建树品牌[M].genius slogan‘ Just do it" on its shoes, have Nike's mar周洁如译.北京:中国财政经济出版社, 2004.ket shares in the U.S. raised from 18% to 47%. Nike has[6]汪彤彤,徐龙,金志芳等.消费者行为分析[M].上海:复旦become a typical case of using celebrity endorsements t大学出版社,2008.affect consumer buy ing behav ior.[7]王晓,付平.欲望花窗:当代中国广告透视[M].北京:中央编3.Solutions to Negative Effects译出版中国煤化工3.1 Perfection of Advertising Law[8]李珊珊.C N M H G艺术赏析,2009: 57.China' s current "Advertising Law”(Article 38) states[9]李益明.企业厂告代言明星的越轨行为及规制[].法制与社.that if social groups or other organizations recommend会,2008,(2):49-50.95<期