Celebrities and the Abuse of Popularity: 5 brands and fallacious adverts!

How would you react If the most well-known gynecologist in the world appeared in a TV commercial for Skittles? What if Lady Gaga did the same thing?

Well, weird, huh? Keep reading and you will see.

I recently saw an ad on the internet in which George Clooney was drinking and, well, promoting Nespresso.  But, wait a minute, hey George, you are an okay actor, a very handsome man, nice hair,… I would ask for your advice on acting, maybe, or clothes, but come on! Nespresso?

Nespresso the hero! What else? Well, tell you what:

In argumentation studies, this kind of promotion is referred to as Appeal to Expert opinion. Well, this ad is a fallacy since Clooney is, as far as I know, no expert in the Coffee industry! So, why appeal to Clooney to promote this product anyways?
Ok fellas, girls, I get it, he is handsome, so copy what he’s wearing or his beard or hairstyle but seriously? He might as well prefer eating apples to oranges. Would that change your orange consumption pattern?

Let’s go to the world of football and shampoo! How related, huh? You have seen Cristiano Ronaldo promoting a shampoo brand? OK Cris, the golden feet!  I would definitely trust your advice on football, the shoes you wear, the ball,…. but seriously I don’t think you have the best or most beautiful type of hair. Maybe it’s the shampoo making your hair look like that? Washing it even with a typical 1 dollar soap wouldn’t make a change for you.  What is the worst case scenario, huh? You would look like Roberto Carlos. No biggie!

Now, football and Cup(cakes)! Well, apparently, Fernando Torres has become disappointed in getting any cups in the football world, so he’s turned to making cupcakes in an advert with Samsung! “El niño”! Please! You are an awful actor.

Do you know Hulk Hogan? The big wrestler guy? Have you watched the Hitachi air-conditioner commercial in which he is singing the days of the week and he seems to be in the heaven? What is that? I haven't figured that out yet so let's continue...

Folks, let’s live in the moment! I mean let’s Pepsi! Look at the promoters: Singers: Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Britney Spears,… football players: Beckham, Messi, Marcelo,… What are these guys? Chemists or dietitians? Think for heaven’s sake. You are a fan of these people, great! I am, too. But it doesn’t make them the perfect models for your drinking, eating, or advice on buying home appliances!

Consumerism guys! Market lives off our ignorance. The market creates needs and it creates things to fill this gap. That’s how it works: manipulation! We are persuaded to buy the things we never needed for meeting the needs we never felt before.

These celebrities are but means to that end. To persuade you and me to buy what they have been paid to advertise. I know you are very wise, have a well-functioning brain my friend, and can decide on your own, but seriously if you could, if I could, do you think companies would still pay millions of dollars to these people for a 2-minute commercial?