Celebrity Brand Campaigns: Good PR or Bad PR?
It’s almost the end of 2024 and more celebrities are announcing their newest brand creation or promoting a new product to their already existing brand. Celebrities must market their product in a way that is relevant and stands out to reach their target audience, but they also have to keep in mind that their products will attract media attention due to their fame.
One tactic that celebrities commonly use to promote their products is to include it in a campaign alongside another project they are working on. Celebrities either do a good job at incorporating the promotion of their brand into a campaign, or it takes a turn and gets bad PR.
Let’s take a look at some of the most recent campaigns and whether they received good or bad publicity.
Blake Brown Beauty Promoted During Press for ‘‘It Ends With Us’’
Blake Lively just announced her new haircare product Blake Brown Beauty amid the press tour for It Ends With Us. Based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover, Lively plays the main character, Lily Bloom, in the new adaptation.
Image sourced from Target.
Lively, already the founder of alcoholic beverages Betty Booze and sister brand Betty Buzz, posted on Instagram that her new haircare products would be hitting the shelves of Target on August 4th, but fans on social media were busy discussing the bad PR that has surrounded Lively since the start of the press tour.
Major outlets, including The Rolling Stone, covered this feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the director and producer who also co-starred in the film. Due to the “creative differences” between the two, neither was seen doing any interviews together, and made sure to stay far away from each other at the premiere.
Although Blake Lively’s product is getting publicity, this campaign wasn’t the best due to the press surrounding the feud between It Ends With Us costars.
Rare Beauty Teams Up with ‘‘Only Murders In The Building’’
Selena Gomez has one of the top beauty brands in the world, Rare Beauty, and there is a reason why she stays successful in this department. The actress, singer, producer, and entrepreneur is always improving her game with new products or new brand campaigns.
As the new season of her hit murder-mystery comedy show Only Murders in the Building’ drops weekly on Hulu, Gomez’s brand launched an Only Murders in the Building makeup set based on her character, Mabel Mora.
Image sourced from People.
Offering a duo set for only $30 on her website while Selena’s show is airing is a great idea for a campaign. It encourages fans of the makeup brand to buy the set and watch the series, and fans of the show to want to try Rare Beauty’s inspired products.
Kim Kardashians SKIMS Partnerships With Celebrities
SKIMS is Kim Kardashian’s beloved clothing brand for “the next generation of underwear, loungewear and shapewear.” This brand does a fantastic job partnering with celebrities during significant moments in their lives.
Image sourced from People.
Charli XCX is the newest celebrity to star in a SKIMS Campaign. In an article from Variety, the “Brat” singer shares that, “skims empowers people to feel confident in their own skin, which is the essence of Brat.” Charli XCX is one of the many celebrities who partnered with Kardashian’s company during successful campaigns.
Nicola Coughlan participated in a SKIMS Campaign ahead of the Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 release, which was successful in highlighting Coughlan’s new season and the SKIMS long bodycon dresses. Sabrina Carpenter was another singer that Kim Kardashian felt was perfect to highlight the new SKIMS collection. This campaign launched right around the time before Carpenter announced her new album Short n’ Sweet.
These three brand campaigns have all received a lot of attention in the media and from fans. Despite Lively’s controversial choice in the timing of promoting the brand, Blake Brown’s Beauty is still sold out online and at Target stores. Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty x Only Murderers collab is gaining well-deserved recognition in the media and from fans which makes for good PR. SKIMS will continue to star celebrities in campaigns that Kim feels will best display the newest products during the celebrity's highest peak in their careers. Celebrity brand campaigns always have a different twist that is entertaining and engaging and is either effective or not as successful.
About Madi
Madi Reifler is a senior studying Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Digital Studies. She is VP of Funds Development for GVPRSSA and will be an Account Associate at GrandPR in the fall. Madi currently works part-time as the Digital Marketing Staff Assistant at the Promotions Office in the Office of Student Life. She has had three past experiences as a PR intern for PRSA Detroit, a Publicity Intern at The Oriel Company, and an Entertainment Publicity and Promotions Intern at Allied Global Marketing. After graduation, Madi hopes to use her love for writing and PR skills to work in the entertainment industry or for a popular brand.