Feyi Ijimakinwa
Yes, celebrity endorsements have been proven to be an effective marketing tactic. That result is a little perplexing.
We have people who sometimes have no specialized knowledge about something recommending the products for that thing.
It is also an open secret that celebrity recommendations have more to do with the money in a contract than the effectiveness of the product.
Distributors and Retailers
Sometimes the people who bring the product to customers will exclusively sell one brand’s products. Distributors and retailers may sign an exclusivity agreement with one brand. This agreement means that they will not sell any competing brand for an agreed-upon period. Both the retailer and the exclusive brand market this agreement as an endorsement to customers Retailers will also look to brands to split the cost of investments in marketing. A brand will pay some or all of the cost of a piece of signage in stores if they can co-promote their brand on the signage. These co-promotions seem like endorsements to the customer. For example, we have restaurants and stores that have Pepsi drink chillers or a Coca Cola sign. These signs are there because these brands have paid for their sign in exchange for the permanent promotion of their brand in a place their customers typically purchase. Unpaid endorsements from friends, family and community leaders When we think about endorsements, we imagine the one significant endorsement that will sell millions of naira worth of product. But the real power of endorsements comes from lots of small endorsements. Friends, family, everyday experts, and community leaders can have far more influence on the purchases of individual people in their circle than a celebrity does for one of their fans. People closer to us talk to our particular needs, and not in generalities. Last line Every brand needs endorsements, and every brand builder needs to encourage people to speak positively and publicly about a brand’s product and the brand themselves. Every brand needs to solicit and encourage unpaid endorsements by following up with people they know to use their products.