The state of the celebrity fashion endorser

The New York Times weighs in this morning on the state of the celebrity fashion endorser, looking at Gap’s decision to replace the aging (but still lovable) Sarah Jessica Parker with (young enough to be her daughter) Joss Stone, and exploring some other high-profile celebrity/designer marriages. The article gives voice to critics who say fashion companies often slip up in choosing endorsers because they rely too heavily on their creative executives’ tastes rather than on market research. (“Whereas marketers in other fields might spend weeks or months vetting potential endorsers, using consumer surveys and focus groups, fashion companies commonly rely on a designer’s instinct, a strategy that some say does not necessarily work.”) Oh, and the story misspells Eric Hirshberg’s name, too.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

May 19, 2005 | Permalink