How much can celebrities or people with money/power make us buy or believe?

Question

celebrity endorsements are everywhere these days whether for a product that companies are trying to get consumers to purchase or for a person like oprah talking up obama. i want to know how much you think endorsements and testimonials like this can influence everyday peoples opinions and actions?

Answer 1

Well that's an interesting question,"star this". Anyway I think it depends on people's intelligence. I still know people that truly believe a celebrity would not endorse a product unless they completely loved it. (If that were true why are they payed so much)

Personally I hate endorsements. I only use them to help me NOT purchase an item. For instance recently Ashton Kutcher recently started endorsing the Nikon camera. I immediatly crossed it off my list of new cameras and bought an Olympus because I can't stand him and I don't know why they didn't use someone known for cameras? Like a reporter or a paparazzi? Someone who knows them. To me this tells me their product is no good and they need him to sell it.

Oprah is the same way,I started to doubt voting for Obama when I saw her constantly talking about him. Still not sure who I'm voting for.

Tiger Woods and Gatorade. I've heard numerous stories about how he thinks he's the only one his coach should be helping and how he responded when the lady golfer asked for his help when a club refused her and he wouldn't lift a finger. (Selfish in my opinion,very selfish) So I don't drink Gatorade anymore.

So in essence I feel that no-one decides for me except for me,but as we've seen from who gets elected in this country most people are followers and NOT leaders.

Answer 2

In the movie "Tin Cup" the lead female wore a necklace in one scene - it was a simple clear string like fishing line with pearls set about an inch apart.  That one prop was made by a home spun crafter who sold them at craft fairs.  Her sales went over the top after the movie.  I did not even notice the necklace but evidently many other people did - and that was not even an endorsement. The power of endorsement is what drives sales - that is why celebrities get the big bucks for it.