Sharon Stone – Dior, originally uploaded by SerenityF.
Celebrity spokespeople are notorious for being unpredictable, though they are also a sure fire way to get quick and easy press for a company or brand. The problem though is that when celebrities behave badly, it will take your brand’s name through the mud with it.
Case-in-point: Sharon Stone, former spokesperson and model for Christian Dior
What I don’t understand though is why Dior would select a celebrity who was supposedly pro-Tibet for their advertising campaign in China. That’s just asking for trouble. Perhaps its was a budget issue (though I doubt it considering the profit margins on a tiny bottle of perfume), in which they decided it would be best to go with a rather washed up B-list Hollywood actress, rather then an A-list Chinese actress.
Now thanks to Stone’s poor choice of words during an interview with the Chinese media at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25th, Dior is now in crisis communications mode in order to make amends with the Chinese people. It’s interesting to note that this is not the first time that Ms. Stone has put her foot in her mouth over global issues and policies–Tanzania, malaria and mosquito nets.
For me personally, the interview was rather painful to watch. Not only were the comments rather cold and insensitive, she sounded like she was dumbing down her vocabulary to talk to a little kid, or perhaps she’s just being true to form–a dumb blond. See the whole clip here:
In retaliation, Chinese netizens have been quick to respond with countless YouTube videos to voice their anger at Ms. Stone’s comments.
Hopefully other brands and companies will heed this cautionary tale and choose their celebrity spokesperson a little more wisely. Choosing an individual whose lifestyle and opinions are in-line with the product and connect with the target market. A celebrity spokesperson should is not just simply a face and name to increase press. He or she will be come the representative of the brand, whose words and actions (good or bad) will be associated with the brand.
Filed under: Fashion, Marketing , Buddhism, Celebrity Spokesperson, China, Christian Dior, Dior, Earthquake, Entertainment, Film Festival, Pro-Tibet, Sharon Stone, Sichuan Earthquake, Spokesperson, Tibet, YouTube
Dior had hired Ms.Stone for many years, and Sharon Stone might not be pro-Tibet at that time. She used to be a member of a Christian orgnazition(can’t remember its name), but quitted after she met Dalai Lamar.
Oh okay, thanks for clarifying. I believe that “Christian” organization was the Church of Scientology, heh….
Very true. A celebrity spokesperson must be chosen skillfully. Using outside expertise , such as this celebrity consulting group — http://www.octagonfirstcall.com/celebrityconsulting/
is a good idea.