IMC GTG 2T

Celebritics: The Art and Science of Using Celebrity Endorsers

CASE ANALYSIS

Problem Analysis-Identify the issues

In choosing a medium, how effective can celebrity endorsements be for advertising products, helping build
a brand image and boost the sales of the product?

Question/s to raise

1. How does a brand identify the brand image it wants to have?

2. Do sales become the main factor of measure of an advertisement’s success?
3. Is it worth it to have a celebrity endorser, considering the cost?
4. Is it better to invest with other marketing efforts such as print ads, radio ads, tv ads air time rather than
spending with celebrities’ talent fees?
5. Were you able to collect sales figure before and after Max’s advertisement with Piolo Pascual?
6. When should a brand consider having an endorser? (Whether a celebrity or a non-celebrity)
7. Have you seen the ad campaign with aliens? Saying that it will portray differentiation and uniqueness, do
you think it is effective despite the comments of viewers?

Facts versus Opinion

Max’s restaurant started during the year of 1945 by Mr. Maximo Gimenez. It started as a small café and
later on become known as the house that fried chicken built which later on tagged as “Sarap to the Bones”, with a
special recipe of a delicious juicy and crispy chicken tender that was first enjoyed by the American soldiers and later
on by the Filipino public.

Currently, there are over 70 branches nationwide, and even in the United States and Canada.

Max’s developed its brand with an image of a place to celebrate for family, friends, lovers’ special occasions. Yet
differentiating it from the ordinary, and to put forth confidence. (Uy, 2018)

In the business setting the use of celebrity endorsers set to be an effective medium to communicate with the target
market. Having this said, it is important to know some factors in determining when to consider a celebrity endorser,
which celebrity endorser to choose in relation to what brand image a brand wants to portray.

Celebrity endorsement is one of the advertising techniques used by companies to create awareness and gain positive
responses about a product.

Celebrity endorser is defined as any individual who enjoys public recognition and uses this on behalf of a consumer
good by appearing in its advertisement. Implying the importance of image transfer of the celebrity’s attributes to
the brand. (Mishra, 2015)

According to Bong Osorio of The Philippine Star, Amy Dyson and Douglas Turco of Illinois State University stated
that, “When a negative image of the celebrity. And as a celebrity endorsers’ personal behavior is vital for an ad
campaign, the FRED Concept is recommended as it’s seen as a successful endorser selection. Although when
selecting an endorser, it must be in line with the brand’s objectives, relating the personality to the brand image
wanted to be perceived.

Familiarity
- The endorser must be known by the target market as empathetic, credible, sincere and trustworthy.

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Celebritics: The Art and Science of Using Celebrity Endorsers
CASE ANALYSIS

Relevance
- There should be a meaningful connection between the product/brand and the endorser, and the endorser
to the target market.
Esteem
- Endorser must be seen by the target market with high esteem who treats them with respect and
confidence.
Differentiation
- A perceived disparity that forms respect.
-
A study reported that advertisements with celebrity endorser versus non-celebrity endorser are more effective
and successful in terms of customer purchase. Setting this with the integration with the characteristics of the target
market and other elements of the marketing mix. (Osorio, 2016)

In 2016 ABS-CBN News reported, Max’s Group recorded sales high performance; including Max’s Restaurant, Yellow
Cab, Jamba Juice and Krispy Kreme. Planning to expand to 800 stores in the Philippines by 2020.

In relation to the increase of high sales of Max’s restaurant specifically were the effective ad campaigns brought
about by Piolo Pascual and Coco Martin, who’re both very enticing with the Filipino families.

Comparing to the ad campaign of Max’s with aliens by trying to portray uniqueness and difference, it instead
collected comments on why such campaign was made.

In a study of Blanco, Frando, and Agulto, it was found that compared to non-celebrity endorsement, ads that use
celebrities are far better in terms of attention generation, message recall, and favorable attitude towards the brand
and purchase decision.

If a popular endorser wears, eat, drinks or promotes a product, the brand image is always attached with the
endorsers characteristics. A celebrity can build or add a new dimension with the brand.

It is a risk in choosing the right personality to endorse a brand, and also it is a risk for a celebrity in choosing the right
brand to promote. As according to the case study, women in general are decision makers where family will go to
eat. With this Max’s chose to have a man with its ad campaign.

To supplement above details, a summary of top celebrity endorsers in terms of top income tax paid according to the
BIR’s list in 2012 are as follows:

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Celebritics: The Art and Science of Using Celebrity Endorsers
CASE ANALYSIS

Above all, it is also important to consider the behavior of Filipino consumers towards purchasing and as well as
celebrities.

In general consumers could be understood by analyzing their preferences; Filipinos prefer healthier and on-the-go
food, Filipinos are concern about hygiene and complexion. These are just some of the Filipino preferences. Next
would be the behavior, wherein the top variables that influences buying decision of Filipinos includes brand loyalty,
media exposure and the value of money.

Brand Loyalty

According to an online survey by Nielsen in 2015 reported that although Filipinos already have a preferred brand,
consumers often try new products with new and fresh development that are in line with CSR commitments.

Advertising

The changes in media platform also change the way consumers access information about products. TV ad still is
essential and helps consumers with the brand preferences. (Nielsen Global Consumer Survey, 2015)

Aside from the TV ad, internet advertising also plays an important role nowadays. With the increasing users of the
internet on average of 64.6 million people as recorded by eShopworld.

Value of Money

Affordability drives Filipinos to purchase products, including special deals like 40% off or Buy 1 take 1 promotions.

Conclusions/Recommendations

To conclude, what matters most are the product and the customers. With this it is important to communicate the
image a brand wants to portray or deliver. And the help of celebrity endorsers is effective especially that most
Filipinos are greatly influenced.

1. To identify the objective of the brand and its target market

2. Establish a brand image
3. Analyze relevant information through research and surveys, considering the consumer behavior
4. Cost benefit analysis, for which specific advertising platform to be used; TV Ad, Billboard, etc.
5. Research and identify which Personality to set as the brand’s endorser, considering FRED (Familiarity,
Relevance, Esteem and Differentiation) approach.
6. To consider online platform for the ad campaign, considering the rising number of internet users.

With the help of celebrity endorsers and the booming internet usage, I recommend having an ad campaign through
the use of Internet or social media, although this is a critical move as comment from viewers could spread very fast,
it is cost effective yet beneficial to broaden the scope of awareness of the brand.

References
Are the top celebrity endorser also top income taxpayers? Retrieved from: https://www.dof.gov.ph
Blanco, C., Frando, S., & Agulto, E. (2016). Personally yours: The impact of celebrity endorsement in native advertising. Institute
of Communication. (p.4)
Capturing Filipino Consumers. Retrieved from: https://opentoexport.com/article/capturing-filipino-consumers/
Mishra, A. (2015). Brand Celebrity Match and Its Impact on Advertising Effectiveness. ICFAI. (p.3)
Osorio, B. (2016) Dangers and Opportunities of Celebrity Endorsement. Retrieved from: https://www.philstar.com
Uy, Sasha. (2018) Max’s Fried Chicken Welcomes Everyone Including Aliens in the new Viral Commercial. Retrieved from:
https://www.esquiremag.ph

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