The New Age Of Celebrities
Authenticity is here to stay
There was a time where brands were looking for blank slate celebrities which could project any image or tie up with any product or service. Many celebrities were “rounded and polished” before debuting as those that fit this bill would naturally be showered in endorsements. In recent years the status quo has been challenged, the formula has changed and authenticity is now the new recipe of endorsement success for celebrities in 2021 and beyond.
Authenticity is key
BTS, Billie Eilish and Naomi Osaka may appeal to different audiences but the common chord between them is authenticity. Each one of them is authentic in their own way and shatters misconceptions about how success in their industry looks like.
BTS was an avant-garde Kpop group who broke the mould of quintessential korean idols. Since their debut they remained as an authentic band that openly addressed their worries, insecurities and even tackled taboo subjects in South Korea such as bullying and mental health. Connecting with youths, BTS launched a campaign “Love Myself” together with UNICEF committing to the message of love and anti violence. This campaign was recently renewed in 2021 in support of UNICEF’s ambition of love and togetherness, particularly at this time of social isolation.
Billie Eilish at just 19 has tasted success winning 7 awards in the Grammy’s by producing her own style of music. She veers off the norm of how a female idol should sound like or look like and stays true to herself and speaks about topics such as sexual exploitation of young people.
Naomi Osaka? At 23 she is a 4 time Grand Slam Champion and also overcame her childhood idol: Serena Williams in a dramatic victory at the U.S Open in 2018 cementing her status as a top female tennis player. On the court, Naomi is an excellent player with a killer serve. Off the court, she is perceived as shy, honest, humorous and authentic.
After George Floyd’s death, Osaka flew to Minneapolis on her own accord without her manager or her coach to join the protest against police brutality and months later she appears on the court with a T-shirt that read Black Lives Matter and later on wore masks that displays the names of the victims of racial violence.
Just recently on 31st May 2021, Naomi Osaka announced that she will be withdrawing from the French Open after choosing not to speak to the media. Citing mental health reasons Osaka revealed that she has “suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.”
What ensued was almost unexpected when her major sponsors came pouring in with support and stood by Osaka in her decision to withdraw. Nike, Mastercard, TAG Heuer, Nissin Foods and her other sponsors were aligned with her decision and expressed their well wishes for Osaka.
However her decision to pull out of the competition was not without difficulty as she was slapped with a $15,000 by Roland Garros for not speaking to the media.
Breaking the stereotype
Unlike other celebrities that steer away from addressing social issue; BTS, Billie Eilish and Naomi Osaka openly embrace them in hopes to create more awareness. While they are known to be excellent and performing at the highest levels in their respective fields, they are however not all achieving or perfect. They are just as human as any one of us and are not afraid for people to see this.
In consequence, they have perforated the carefully conserved stereotype of how success in their field looks like. It’s no longer the overconfidence or win at all cost mentality anymore. Today people want to witness successful celebrities and champion athletes and be able relate to them. People are desperate to see the real selves of these individuals and getting a glimpse to know another side of them. They want someone to champion a lost voice for them. This culture of transparency that blurred the lines between the facade of their public personas and their private self ultimately paved the way for them to become relatable and authentic individuals.
Perhaps it’s human nature that people crave to understand the imperfections in others to relate to them or feel better about themselves or that a digital age of falsehood and fake news leaves people desperate for authenticity. Nevertheless, there is no denying this beginning of a new age of celebrities and it all banks on who can better wield the power of authenticity.
In spirits of capitalism, brands may trendjack this opportunity to cash in on celebrities that that are advocates of social issues and use them as a springboard to enter conversations that are out of their reach for them. Brands that are tapping on the unique position of celebrities on social issues should navigate carefully and ensure that beyond a PR maneuver there is an alignment of values as well.
The New Age of Celebrities is the the age of Authenticity.
