Ever stumble upon a celebrity’s unexpected #ad or #sponsored post and think…what the heck? From Justin Bieber’s ‘One Less Lonely Girl’ Opi Nail Polish collection to Katy Perry’s “(Did Somebody Say) Just Eat” foodie jingle, the world of unanticipated celebrity brand deals continues.
With Paris Hilton announced as the ambassador for WOW Vegas, reactions flew all over the social media world. This prompted us to dig deep into America’s sentiments on celebrity endorsements, with a nationwide survey to discover their reasons why, and which industries are most likely to get a golden seal of approval (or eye-roll).
Key findings:
- 60.7% trust brands less when they use celebrity endorsements
- Why? 81.8% believe celebrity brand deals lack credibility
- The fashion industry ranks #1 for celebrity endorsement approval (in trust), followed by music (2nd) and beauty (3rd)
- The gambling industry ranks as the least trusted industry for celebrity brand deals, followed by finance and technology
The sentiments are in: Why Americans do and don’t trust celebrity endorsements
To our surprise, a whopping 60.7% of Americans admit they trust brands less when they utilize celebrity endorsements! While marketers can argue it drives sales and attracts new customers, an astounding 81.8% find these endorsements to be lacking in credibility – suggesting for more authenticity in today’s marketing world. Only 7.3% don’t trust the brand’s marketing strategy, while 6.7% simply dislike the chosen celebrity ambassador. An additional 4.1% cited ‘other’ reasons, like finding the entire tactic as meaningless.
On the flip side, for the 39.3% who do find themselves trusting brands more with celebrity endorsements, their reasons vary. The #1 reason is personal fondness for the featured celebrity, according to 37.4%. Another 24.6% trust the brand’s marketing choices, while 23.3% believe the endorsement represents a credible and authentic decision for the brand. Only 14.7% feel somewhat indifferent, but ultimately trust the brand’s expertise in their decision-making.
Industry rankings: Most trusted vs least trusted with endorsements
Let’s roll out the red carpet because fashion steals the spotlight as the #1 celebrity endorsement-approved industry! Nearly half (42.1%) of respondents find this partnership the perfect match, where celebrities and fashion brands can seamlessly sync in reputation and style. Take Rihanna and Louis Vuitton’s Men Spring Summer 24 endorsement for example – an iconic and fashion-forward powerhouse that’s able to bring fresh energy towards the already establish fashion house!
Crank the music up! The music industry rocks the industry chart as the #2 most celebrity endorsement-approved sector, as voted by 34.7%. This also comes as no surprise, considering how many of these partnerships feature musicians themselves. Just take the iconic Taylor Swift and Drake Apple Music commercial, for example. Talk about a great marketing decision!
Cue the glam, because the beauty industry secures the #3 spot on the approval charts with a solid 34.6% of votes. The marketing tactic makes sense within this industry as celebrities are now crafting their own product lines – and it sure helps to have A-List friends promote these products! You may have seen Kendall Jenner sporting in Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, for example. Talk about beauty and friendship goals!
On the other end of the spectrum, the gambling industry takes the title of the least trusted sector for celebrity endorsement deals – with only 2.3% of approval rates. Despite A-List names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Nicki Minaj, and Drake sharing their star power, the industry still struggles to win over trust.
Sentiments on brand deals within the casino and gambling industry
With the fast-growing online gaming industry, celebrity endorsements have become the most influential strategy. But do they hit the jackpot with consumers? We opened the floor with the following question: “How do you feel about celebrity endorsements within the casino and gambling industry?”
The results are in: 66.4% feel that the partnership just doesn’t add up, compared to the 33.6% who see the appeal in the marketing move. Whether it’s the puzzling celebrity choice or the general unfamiliarity with the industry, building trust with potential consumers remains a hurdle.
Following the recent Paris Hilton and WOW Vegas partnership, over half (57.5%) of respondents also revealed their dislike of the brand deal. Another celebrity endorsement within the industry that sparked a lot of talk online was Jamie Foxx and BetMGM’s partnership – receiving a 53.6% disapproval rate as well. It seems that celebrity brand deals aren’t always a winning hand when it comes to approval rates!
Conclusion
It’s safe to assume that winning over customers’ trust is essential in the business and marketing realm. Our findings reveal the importance of selecting relevant celebrities as brand ambassadors to build trust and avoid skepticism among consumers.
Methodology
In February 2024, we conducted a nationwide survey of 3,000 US residents. The average age of respondents was 40.2 years old. The representative sample comprised of 58.2% female, 39.1% male, 2.1% non-binary, 0.5% transgender, and 0.1% ‘other’.
Fair use
Feel free to use the data or visuals on this page for non-commercial purposes. Please be sure to include proper attribution linking back to this page to give credit to the authors.
For any press questions, please contact rhiannon.odonohoe[at]casino.org