Brand New

Louise Kennedy

A lunchtime discussion recently got me thinking about celebrity brands and how the famous can become powerful commercial tools beyond the discipline for which they were originally made famous.  I'm going to say it... David Beckham, in fact, brand 'Beckham', is a great example of this.  Despite the fact that they are probably a pair of idiots, they have a massive brand presence in the UK and abroad. 

With David Beckham now endorsing underwear, razors, soft drinks and whatever else and him and Victoria launching their own fragrances, brand Beckham is a strong lifestyle brand for a stylised youth.  And to think, it all started out because David Beckham could kick a football round quite well and his wife could sing (arguably) and they were brought together, creating a commercial powerhouse.  But it wasn't just about their first flirtations with fame, their personas and lifestyles from this began to lend themselves to being ambassadors in other, more fashionable and cultural sectors.  Victoria was labelled 'Posh' well before Mr. Beckham came along, and it is this aspirational and stylish value that has stayed with her to this day, helping to fuel brand Beckham. 

Being in the public eye out of public interest can be a strength as well as a burden for the celebrity brand, as consistency has to be kept at all times.  Victoria Beckham is often in the media sporting the latest fashion garb, lending to her fashionista credentials, yet that's not been without hiccups. 

If we are talking about consistency, remember when Britney Spears was endorsing Pepsi but was papped drinking Coke? And all that hoo-ha over naivity.  If there's an image to play, then it must be played well.  With her style of pop music, came a complimentary naivity, yet growing up in the media spotlight made this even more difficult to play.  Ultimately, her recent fall from grace, which happened right in the media spotlight, meant that her transition from teen pop icon to savvy mother, died a rapid death.  Her positive brand image crumbled.  The media builds them up and knocks them right down, it seems.

But when a union works, it can be commercially great.  In a way, it's kind of like when bacon and eggs were brought together, diamonds and engagement rings, that sort of thing.  The end product works culturally because there is a strong idea around what the union means to people, but also, there is an importance to what they separate elements have to say, where they came from and how they got to where they are today.   

Think Ant and Dec, and Brangelina - these all conjure ideas in our minds.  From cheeky Geordie teen soap-pop idols to prime Saturday night comperes and the world's proudest eco-couple.  The brand power is enormous.