William Grobel, marketing director of Intangible Business, adds the following quotes to this feature on celebrity endorsement for Inside Fashion magazine:

“Using the right celebrity to endorse a brand is a short-cut to success. It raises the brand’s profile, adds credibility and the celebrity’s values should rub off on the fashion brand, which could otherwise take years to achieve. However, this propulsion is not without risks. If the wrong celebrity is chosen, if the celebrity’s actions become out of sync with the brand or if the celebrity becomes the focus rather than the product, the value balance can shift, diluting the brand’s equity.

“When endorsement really works the celebrity has had real involvement with the brand – or at least this is the impression that is communicated. Such examples include Stella McCartney with Adidas and Kate Moss with Top Shop.

“A real danger is that brands become too reliant on celebrities and the celebrities themselves become fashion brands – as Elle Macpherson and Victoria Beckham are threatening. This has already happened in fragrances with actors, musicians, athletes, models, artists, socialites, reality show contestants and even businessmen launching their own collections. If this trend migrates from fragrances to fashion, market share will be eroded from the established fashion brands.”