FREDD Principles for celebrity endorser selection

Alan R. Miciak and William L. Shanklin

Linking brands with celebrities is a high risk strategy, which can dramatically boost revenue or end as an embarrassment.

FREDD Principles for celebrity endorser selection

Alan R. Miciak & William L. Shanklin

Linking corporate names and brands with celebrities is a high risk proposition, with results running the gamut from dramatic enhancements in revenues to outright embarrassment because of alleged or actual celebrity misdeeds. Research has shown that only one in five commercials using celebrity endorsers lives up to the sponsor's expectations.

FRED, an acronym coined by Young & Rubicam, stands for Familiarity, Relevance, Esteem and Differentiation. The original FRED principles have often been applied for the selection of celebrity endorsement. In 1994, Miciak and Shankin added...

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