Many of us have seen them. A commercial for an every day household product is on and the spokesperson is a face we know, in fact it is a celebrity. This is an increasing trend among product lines: having already established celebrities hawking the product. So what should we think of it?

The first thing that comes to mind is that it is a good idea for the company to use a name and a face that many people are already familiar with. For products that are meant for kids and teens, using their favorite celebrities to push a product is especially effective as they are so impressionable. Additionally, adults may have developed some liking and/or respect for a celebrity, so that if they see that celebrity fronting a product, they will be more likely to trust it and give it a try.

However, some drawbacks to this trend manifest themselves pretty fast. First off, if the celebrities get all the endorsements and commercials, where does that leave the bit actors who used to depend on getting commercial spots to pay the bills? This seems a bit unfair, and also widens the gap between the established folks and those who are trying to get into the business. Secondly, seeing only celebrities pushing products may actually decrease the trust that one might be willing to put in said product. Why? Because if we are not seeing normal people using and promoting these products, we may just figure that the celebrity is being paid cash and exposure to lie. On the other hand, of course, a normal person could be paid cash and exposure to lie as well, but we like to trust the common man.

So the trend of celebrities doing commercials is harmless enough, but is worrisome mostly in that they take up the bit parts that other, less known, actors might have gotten. In the end, we elevate these celebrities onto higher pedestals and line their pockets even more. If you are comfortable with this, then don't worry about this trend. If it bothers you, then change the channel when the ad spot comes on.

Learn more about this author, Jared Garrett.
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