Boosting Your image with a Celebrity Spokesperson
The best known commercial spokesperson of all time is, ironically, a fictional character: Betty Crocker. For over 65 years, Betty Crocker has been a symbol of helpfulness, a spokesperson for quality. She began in 1921 just as a signature for responses to letters from buyers of Gold Medal Flour. In 1924, she was given a voice for daytime radio and, over time, over one million women enrolled in "The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air." In 1950, the fictional Betty became the bestselling author of The Betty Crocker Cookbook. And this make-believe personality continues to serve its company well today—recently receiving the highest net rating in four out of six age/sex categories for "celebrity recognition" in a Donnelly Marketing Survey.*
* Donnelly Marketing Survey on impact of celebrities and brand name identity in
A client of mine, Florida Communities/Intercoastal Communities, a major developer of retirement communities, has benefited tremendously from having George Gobel, 01' Lonesome George, as their spokesperson, and they use him extensively: on video, on audio tapes, in their literature, as a signer of letters, in cardboard cut-out form to greet newcomers to their communities, even with his voice answering their phones.
You don't have to be a big company, though, to connect with a celebrity spokesperson. Working in the "info-mercial" industry for the last several years, I've had the privilege of working on projects with Florence Henderson; soap stars Gloria Loring and Chris Robinson; game-show host Bob Eubanks; former Entertainment Tonight host Robb Weller; NFL great Fran Tarkenton; and many other celebrities. I've had the experience of dealing with their agents, business managers and attorneys. And I am here to tell you that linking your business to a celebrity spokesperson can cost a lot less than you would guess. A nationally recognized celebrity perfectly matched to your type of product, service, or business can be brought to your team for as little as $5,000 to, more commonly, $15,000 to $30,000 per year. A local celebrity can cost even less.
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