Beyond the face: How the right advertising spokesperson can transform your brand

Celebrity spokespeople are more than recognized faces. They shape brands. From A-list celebrities to brand characters like Progressive Insurance’s “Flo” with her trademark headband, an advertising spokesperson provides instant brand recognition. 

Think about all the ads you’ve seen with celebrity endorsements. Do you have a montage of spokespeople in your mind? Have you ever wondered what makes them effective? Do you think they’re effective? Have you wondered how brands choose the right spokesperson? 

In this article, we’ll answer those questions and share a few celebrity endorsements and their impact. 

But first, let’s look at the role of the spokesperson in advertising. 

The spokesperson serves as the face of a brand, acting as a bridge between the brand and the consumer. Their most obvious role is in advertising, but it goes beyond ads. The best spokesperson aligns with the brand’s values and easily communicates its message. 

Can you imagine if Martha Stewart suddenly started repping Red Bull? What would that look like? Folding napkins while cliff diving? It’d be a strange mashup. 

Yet, the Michael Jordan and Nike partnership was magic. Jordan’s competitive spirit paired well with the shoe brand creating a culture millions wanted a part of and inspired them to buy.

The ideal spokesperson or brand collaborator establishes credibility, relatability and trustworthiness. When an athlete endorses athletic shoes, it feels like a natural extension of their talent and lends more trustworthiness to the brand. When a celebrity endorses and launches a new premium tequila brand, it attracts attention and gives the brand credibility. 

An advertising spokesperson also humanizes the brand, creating an emotional connection with the consumer. Whether the spokesperson evokes nostalgia or aspiration, the right spokesperson allows consumers to buy something that connects them a little more with the celebrity. 

Brands spend millions on the assumption a familiar face will drive sales. According to a ResearchGate paper, 50% of brands rely on celebrity or virtual spokespeople to make an impact in crowded marketplaces. 

Let’s get into the appeal celebrities provide for brands who chose their spokesperson well, as well as some examples.    

The appeal of celebrity endorsements: Instant recognition and built-in fan base

At their best, celebrity endorsements offer a shortcut for brands with that instant celebrity recognition connecting with fans, creating credibility and trustworthiness. 

However, the key is authenticity. As mentioned above, the match needs to make sense. 

Successful examples of celebrity spokesperson campaigns

Celebrity endorsements are a staple of the advertising world because they can work really well when done right. Here are some popular endorsements in the alcohol and salty snack worlds:

Alcohol brands

1. Snoop Dogg

The Snoop x Corona matchup is what made the “Las Vida Mas Fina” campaign. The rapper turned spokesperson is shown sitting on a beach with Andy Samberg, where they share a rap about sitting on the beach with palm trees (and ice-cold Coronas.)

This celebrity choice was excellent for Corona, who was looking to send the message that the brand can help consumers “enjoy the Fine Life" — and who’s a better person to communicate “chill” than Snoop Dogg?  

2. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Premium tequila is hot these days, and “The Rock,” like many other celebrities, has also launched a tequila brand.  

Called Teremana Tequila, “The Rock” partnered with the distillery to create a premium, smooth tequila, and he promotes it on his social media. He also shares “behind-the-scenes” videos that allow consumers to see what their agave farms look like and how they give back to the land — which builds upon the trustworthiness of the Rock’s celebrity. 

Because of this, the brand’s grown fast, selling more than a million cases in just three years. 

3. Beyoncé

This whiskey from the queen bee, SirDavis whiskey, honors her great-grandfather, Davis Pogue, a farmer and moonshiner. Aged in American oak barrels and finished in sherry casks, the whiskey has a flavor profile featuring spices and red fruits. 

Beyoncé’s fan base runs so deep, having her as a brand spokesperson is sure to draw a slew of consumers. But what makes this endorsement all the more special is the story behind the product and the personal meaning it has for her. 

4. David Beckham and Matt Damon

Sometimes two celebrities are better than one, which most of the world saw in this year’s Stella Artois Super Bowl ad featuring David Beckham and Matt Damon. 

The ad showed Beckham relaxing over a beer with his “parents,” who reveal that he has a brother called “Other David” who was left in America (Matt Damon), who Beckham sets out to find — ending with the two bonding over similarities, including the fact that they both drink Stella Artois.

The classic combination of both celebrities and their jokes were a win for the brand, showing two legends reaching for their product. 

5. Karina – Kloud Krush 

This award-winning lager currently leads the Korean beer market. 

In November 2023, the company selected South Korean singer Karina, in her first-ever solo endorsement, as the model for their ads.

Part of aespa, a very popular K-pop girl group with over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and this is her first solo endorsement, Karina is an excellent celebrity choice from the brand, pairing their leading lager with a leading popstar of the same country.  

Salty snack brands

Salty snacks are a favorite indulgence, from classic potato chips to cheesy crunch. To stay top of mind in the crowded snack market, brands have long relied on celebrities to add humor and personality to their products. Here are a few snack spokespeople who’ve done it well: 

1. Aubrey Plaza and Michael Shannon

The acclaimed actors starred in Ritz's 2025 Super Bowl commercial, the “Ritz Salty Club,” where each claims to have the “saltiest” personality.

Taking place in Salt Flats, Utah, the two trade barbs as they mill around the Ritz snack bar while Bad Bunny keeps disrupting their banter — in perhaps the saltiest manner. 

The celebrity choice here was great for the brand, who tapped into a great idea that connects their product to a trendy adjective, which made for a clever, engaging and humorous spot.

 2. Becky G. 

The singer and actress partnered with Cheetos in 2023 for the “Deja tu Huella” campaign, which translates to “leave your mark” and is a nod to the iconic Cheeto™ dust that covers your fingers when you eat the tasty snack. 

The collaboration launched the world’s first “fingertip sponsorship,” meaning the brand sponsored the singer’s fingertips. 

The campaign also sponsored 500 Uplift Scholarships for Hispanic students, a partnership with community colleges that offer financial aid to Hispanic students demonstrating academic merit and financial need.

The combination of using the widely known Mexican-American artist Becky G. and creating Uplift Scholarships for this campaign was a great pairing for the brand.  

4. Katy Perry for Popchips 

Some of you will remember the 2012 Popchips campaign featuring Katy Perry.

In this ad, the singer raps with three cats, - Katy and the “popcats,” - as they defeat the “fat cat.” The singer even co-developed her own flavor, “Katy’s Kettle Corn,” blending sweet and salty flavors. 

5. Gordon Ramsey for Walkers Crips 

Walkers Crisps are the U.K.’s most popular potato chip brand. So naturally, they partnered with a cast of celebrities including the iconic chef Gordon Ramsey for their campaign “CrispIN, CrispOUT”.

The commercials showed the iconic celebrities putting potato chips or “crisps” inside of sandwiches igniting a controversy about where chips belong — a great choice for the brand to associate big names with their brand and spark a conversation with consumers.

When the right celebrity and brand work together, everyone wins. However, when celebrity scandals break or the celebrity falls flat with consumers, it can be a brand’s worst nightmare. Typically, the brand’s PR team scrambles to contain the damage and distance the brand from the former spokesperson.

For example, in 2022, Kanye West made antisemitic remarks which cost him his Adidas partnership. Golfer Tiger Woods lost multiple brand endorsements back in 2009 when he was found to have cheated on his wife with at least 15 other women. 

Tennis star Maria Sharapova failed a 2016 drug test, losing contracts with Nike, Tag Heuer and others. 

There’s a laundry list of deals gone wrong. 

No one wants to choose the wrong spokesperson, as it can be an expensive mistake between broken contracts and a loss of credibility. 

Partnering with the right spokesperson can be a boon for both the brand and celebrity when their values align. Can you imagine a Vitamin Water ad without Jennifer Aniston? BIC without Snoop Dogg?

But how do you know if you’re making the right choice? There are a number of factors to consider, but let’s dive into the top two things to consider. 

Key qualities of an effective advertising spokesperson

1. Look for brand embodiment 

When choosing a potential spokesperson, make sure they are able to effortlessly embody the brand, the brand values, the brand message and are able to add a layer of credibility and trustworthiness. Really, the best matches are the ones that feel natural. 

2. Look to consumers

Before spending all of your budget on a celebrity you think would be a good fit, you should hear what your consumer’s take is. Consumer insights platforms like Zappi offer the tools to test potential spokespeople through simple Ask Anything surveys for a brief read, all the way up to storyboards and fully produced ads — for direct feedback from your target consumers. 

This process allows you to act with confidence and know what will land (ideally early on in the process) so you can find out what resonates with your customer base before committing to big contracts.

🔍 Learn more

A well-chosen advertising spokesperson can solidify a brand’s emotional connection with consumers. With the right person, endorsements can drive awareness and trust. However, not every collaboration is a perfect fit, and a misalignment or scandal can be costly. 

Keep in mind: A successful brand partnership requires considering the brand’s values and choosing a spokesperson who aligns with those and will resonate with consumers.