Believe it or not, almost a decade ago a company called Salton, Inc. was creating a household product that would skyrocket to mega success.
They did it all with a celebrity endorsement! Their celebrity of choice was the former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.
I’m sure you have hear of the George Forman Grill? This grilling product has become the No. 1 houseware item in the US, and sales in England alone were expected to exceed two million last year.
The successful endorsement of George Foreman as a brand name alone has launched an offshoot of various other household products, and eventually prompted Salton, Inc. to strike a deal with Foreman in reportedly worth $137.5 million US for worldwide rights to his name and likeness in 2000. Wouldn’t you like a little piece of that action?
So, how does a celebrity actually become the brand name itself?
People want to buy into an image. George created an image that many people want to model. They wanted to be a lean mean fighting machine! And they thought that by purchasing the grill it would happen for them too. What the image of the grill is representing is not just another grill, but the personal image it will create for you.
Many people idolize George Foreman and admire his physical condition, therefore that want to be like him in some way. Often people believe what they truly WANT TO HEAR. ‘Get this grill, take away the fat and have a firm fit body like George, YES! It works for him. It will work for me too!’
People will often believe even a sliver of truth and they are also curious as to whether or not it really works. So they take a chance and make the purchase. The science behind infomercials and celebrity endorsements is amazing. If the commercial creates a brand image and an emotion in the customer’s mind, they will logically find a way to make the purchase, even if they can’t afford it. They might not even cook (that’s ME) but will still find a logical reason to buy it (well I might want to cook someday, I have to be prepared).
And if the brand is endorsed by a celebrity you admire it creates even more emotion and you may begin to build a logical reason to BUY.
Admit it. You have probably had a few sleepless nights where you sat watching infomercials only to discover that you were running to grab a pen and paper to write down the 800 number. I will confess! I have had many of them. Yes, I own the Jane Fonda Treadmill and a few other celebrity endorsed items (too many to mention here).
Some infomercials can really get you hooked. I also confess that I will sit and watch the Anthony Robbins infomercials over and over again like I am in some sort of hypnotic trance.
This is brilliant psychological marketing at it’s best!
People want to buy – but the hate being SOLD. They want to buy the RESULTS that the brand image will create for them. The Salton company does not have to sell you by telling you that they are the best. George does that for them. George is saying that the grill is great. In fact it is so great that I will personally put my name on it! Therefore the message is more believable to the public.
Third party testimonials are powerful especially when they create an emotion in the buyer. George’s endorsement creates the emotion in people to get them to take action and BUY the grill.
Obviously it works since they sold so many of them. Got to go buy my grill now. Later, Debbie
Debbie Allen is an internationally recognized marketing and sales expert, professional speaker and author of 3 books on business marketing including, Confessions of Shameless Self Promoters and Confessions of Shameless Internet Promoters. For information email: Debbie@DebbieAllen.com Phone: 800-359-4544 Websites: http://www.DebbieAllen.com and www.AcademyofMarketing.net
