Blame it on Mick Jagger's disdain for green M&M's.
During his touring heyday, the Rolling Stones' front man would apparently insist on having all the green M&Ms removed from his dressing room or else the Stones would not
perform. The story, retold in countless articles about Jagger and/or the Stones, may be dubious. But it helps explain why celebrities have over the years developed a reputation
for being difficult and demanding clients who aren't always worth their high prices.
Yet PR executives who operate in celebrity circles have a message for companies that are considering hiring a celebrity spokesperson to sell a new product, service or campaign:
Don't believe the hype.
"In my 15 years of booking celebrities I've never had a request from a celebrity that wasn't reasonable, doable and acceptable by the client," says Darcy Bouzeos, president of
DLB LTD, a PR agency that helps PR firms and advertising agencies in selecting celebrity spokespeople. "There are little myths floating around that celebrities have unrealistic
demands."
Bouzeos, who has worked on campaigns with actress Shari Belafonte and baseball great Cal Ripken Jr., among other celebrities, says celebrity clients can be quite accommodating
since they're "looking for buzz, and if they don't do well [as spokespeople] it will compromise their ability to get hired again."
Celebrities have been pushing product at least since the 1930s, when Babe Ruth sold Quaker Oats, Barbasol shaving cream, and Wheaties. For years, companies tended to rely on
established stars, e.g. Andy Griffith selling Ritz crackers, or James Earl Jones the Yellow Pages, to push product. But in the last couple of decades the nature -- even the
definition -- of celebrity has altered dramatically. And in the age of reality TV, you might in one minute have an unknown construction worker like "Joe Millionaire" who in the
next minute is hawking Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) along with Jason Alexander, of "Seinfeld" fame. Sources say a great deal depends on what kind of message the company/client
wants to convey to the public.
"Edgy appeals to certain segments of the market," Bouzeos says. "It doesn't have to be the sports MVP or the the sitcom star. There are a lot of different takes on
celebrity."
Of course, it's easy to distinguish between a bona fide celebrity and the flavor of the month. It's still crucial for both companies and PR agencies to create some guiding
principles to follow so the relationship with the celebrity is beneficial to all parties, and doesn't devolve into the recent episode between teen tart Britney Spears and Skechers
U.S.A, which manufacturers a line of sneaker products. The two sides -- which agreed to drop their lawsuits last week -- sued each other earlier this year after Spears claimed
that Skechers had failed to properly promote the merchandise that she receives royalties on under her contract, and Skechers countered that Spears had failed to approve
manufacturers and designs for Britney 4 Wheelers, causing it to miss the fall season. The recent decisions by CNN anchor Aaron Brown and former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite to
back away from filming commercials for a Florida-based health care company have also raised questions about what belongs on the table before companies hire celebrities as
spokespeople.
Similar to other PR pros who have worked with celebrities, Patricia Thorp, President of Thorp & Company, has a series of steps her company takes when clients want to hire
celebrity spokespeople. These include selecting a spokesperson who fits the company's branding strategy and can reach the target audiences; Conducting a thorough background check
that includes everything from a basic in-house LexisNexis search to a thorough investigation performed by an outside firm and getting the spokesperson to commit - in writing - to
participate in media-training and issues-management sessions. Perhaps most important is to communicate regularly with the spokesperson to protect the company's reputation and
credibility.
A clause should also be placed in the contract so if the celebrity spokesperson engages in any monkey business, the company can deem the contract null-and-void.
But no matter how many protections are put in place, they're a house of cards when celebrities stumble - and the media pounces on the misfortune. George Self, president of
Management Assistance: Programs and Services, Inc., a bank management consulting company, says he's sworn off celebrity spokespeople after a regional bank he was working with
hired a racecar driver to plug the company's financial services. "Two weeks later, he got a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated)," says Self, who would not name the bank or racecar
driver involved. The bank was forced to pull the campaign and go into damage control with the local press. "I'm not personally convinced that a celebrity can push goods as much
as a quality campaign can," Self says.
Yet budgets -- and not so much concerns about celebrities behaving badly - tend to dictate whom you can and can't hire. (See table). Barry Greenberg, chairman of Los Angeles-
based Celebrity Connection, who has worked with Michael J. Fox, Whoopi Goldberg and Meryl Streep on various campaigns, says his firm initially educates the client on who is
available and at what price. "We flesh out the wish list and crank out ideas for whom the client might fall back on if their first choice won't do it," says Greenberg, who teaches
a course at USC on the role of celebrity.
Mark Beal, executive VP of Alan Taylor Communications, which specializes in hiring celebrities spokespeople, including Carmen Elektra for Hollywood Tans and actress Drea
DeMatteo, from "The Sopranos," for Jose Cuervo, adds: "Once you have a budget you can figure out who you can afford and who is going to be able to best deliver your message while
providing a hook for the media."
Beal was recently assigned with landing a celebrity to help plug in-bar promotions sponsored by his client, Malibu Rum, that featured karaoke contests. Beal was faced with a
limited budget and needed someone who could tap into the nostalgia the liquor company was selling. So Beal and his client eventually hired Fabrice "Fab" Morvan, one-half of the
notorious lip-synching duo Milli Vanilli. (The duo won a grammy for Best New Artist in 1990 before it was revealed that they never sang a note on their records, or in their stage
shows). "Everyone wanted to talk with him and hear him sing," Beal says. "Here was someone who was affordable, had media appeal, but had been out of the limelight." Go
figure.
Celebrity Do's and Don'ts
Celebrities can be a great addition to a PR campaign, but there are certain guidelines and warnings to consider. Some do's and don'ts:
DO's
- Know that there are hundreds of appropriate celebrities out there, and many more who can do the job.
- Be flexible about your campaign - Celebrities have complex schedules and offering several date and location options could be the factor defining their acceptance.
- Give the celebrity all of the information that is available to you - The more they know about the parameters of the campaign, the more likely they are to fulfill your
expectations. - Be prepared to pay for the celebrity's travel including first-class airfare, accommodations, transportation for two or more people, and a possible spending stipend for the
talent, in addition to his or her fee.
DON'T's
- Don't expect your celebrity to do anything that is not outlined in the contract.
- Don't set your sights too high. Celebrities are on a sliding scale - there is sure to be one that will fit into your campaign and budget.
- Don't believe there is a predetermined celebrity price list. Fees are generally based on how the agent was feeling when he or she got up that morning.
- Don't expect the celebrity and his or her agent to embrace your passion for a cause or a project. In most cases this is simply a piece of business for these people.
- Don't be afraid to negotiate the celebrity's terms and conditions - those responsible for green-lighting the celebrity's involvement have a financial stake in the deal and
will seek the highest fee possible.
Source: Celebrity Connection
Selling Celebrity: The Right Questions to Ask
Know your Brand and your Audience
- What is the personality of the brand? What audience are you trying to reach with your other marketing strategies, including advertising? Identifying a spoksperson who
reinforces the brand's personality and appeals to the target audience is the critical first step.
Budget
- Now that you have a pool of spokespeople that support the brand identity, who fits within the budget? This is an easy step because the process to narrow down the field can
be made very easily now based on the asking price of each individual.
Background/History
- The field of potential spokespeople has now been reduced to several candidates. It is important that a thorough background check be done on each individual. Have they had
a relationship with a competing brand? Have they had any recent legal trouble? How well have they performed in a spokesperson role for other products and other public relations
agencies? Are there any skeletons in their closet?
Timing
- Finally, the list has only two or three names. Who is more appealing to the media at this time? What else do they have going on that might interest the media? Which
candidate has the better story?
Source: Alan Taylor Communications
|
Fee Ranges....and the celebrities who fit within the scale (Based on a two- to three-hour personal appearance).
|
||
| Daytime Stars |
$5,000 - $10,000
|
Kamar De Los Reyes, Kassie DePaiva |
| Sports Figures |
$10,000 - $35,000
|
Jim Palmer, Mike Ditka, Mary Lou Retton |
| Sports Stars |
$50,000 - $100,000
|
Mark McGwire, Joe Montana, Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
| TV Personalities |
$30,000 - $100,000
|
Leeza Gibbons, Eric McCormick, Julie Bowen |
| TV/Film Personalities/Singers |
$250,000 +
|
Jennifer Aniston, Faith Hill, Jim Carrey |
| Source: DLB, Ltd. | ||
Contacts: Mark Beal, 212.714.1280 X225; [email protected]; Darcy Bouzeos, 312.951.1980; [email protected]; Barry Greenberg, 323.650.0001, X14; [email protected]; George Self,
828.252.2651; [email protected]; Patricia Thorp, 305.446.2700; [email protected]