Celebrities and Brands

We all know that fame sells. Here is some evidence of the impact celebraties have on brands.

"Marshall Cohen, chief industry analyst for the NPD Group, which tracks retail sales, says consumers will pay up to 25 percent more for celebrity branded products, and fashion is where you'll often find them."

"Celebrity business has grown in the past decade tenfold," Cohen told Sunday Morning correspondent Tracy Smith. "Years ago, there was less than 100 celebrity brands in a multitude of different industries. Today, there are well over 1,000 brands that have celebrity ownership and/or partnerships that cross all kinds of industries."

Elizabeth Arden CEO Scott Beattie says: (Elizabeth)"Taylor's fragrance has sold more than $1 billion in the 15 years since it was launched. He said it is still the No. 1 celebrity fragrance in the United States."


Elizabeth Arden CEO Scott Beattie says: "We sold over $300 million globally in fragrances with Britney Spears over the last 2 1/2 years," Beattie said. "We sold over 10 million pieces of product around the world."

Sean "P Diddy" Combs' scent, "Unforgivable," was the fastest-growing fragrance of 2006. But that’s only part of his success. Combs’ Sean Jean clothing line raked in more than $400 million in retail sales last year. He's the poster boy for the latest star-powered trend, the celebrity business.

Read more at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/22/sunday/main2504633.shtml

Top 20 Celebraties in the Media

The Media is filled with news and gossip about celebrities. People have a public fascination with the rumors, the scandal, the victories, and the pursuit of celebrities.

Look at Eonline’s top twenty celebrities:

1. Anna Nicole Smith

2. Britney Spears

3. Jessica Simpson

4. Paris Hilton

5. Zsa Zsa Gabor

6. Angelina Jolie

7. Justin Timberlake

8. Jennifer Aniston

9. Tyra Banks

10. Nick Carter

11. Beyoncé Knowles

12. Carrie Underwood

13. Lindsay Lohan

14. Kristin Cavallari

15. Whitney Houston

16. Scarlett Johansson

17. Larry King

18. Marilyn Monroe

19. Christina Aguilera

20. Paula Abdul

How many were, are or will be in rehab?

How many were involved in a scandal?

Sex, drugs and Rock & Roll accounts for the majority of the top twenty listed.

Why do people notice them?

Some are beautiful, some are fools, and some are in the news because of tragic or staged events. Their names are often unique.

Celebrities are the modern day equilivant of public royalty, the court jesters and wizards.

There provide average people with the topics of conversation. Blame them or praise them. They give people something to talk about.

New Media Trends

This blog will look at New Media such as:

• the increase use of mobile devices
• the increase in online personalization
• the changing nature of online advertising
• the new developments in PR
• the globalization of online media