| 1 | [[quoteright:300:[[Pinball/{{Ali}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ali-pinball-ad_5475.jpg]]]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:300:"[[UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli I am the Greatest]] ...endorser!"]] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | ->''"I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel."'' |
| 5 | -->-- '''Commander Shepard''', ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' |
| 6 | |
| 7 | More properly called "Celebrity Spokesman", as an endorsement requires the celebrity testify to his own use of the product, and this isn't always part of a celebrity's role in the commercial. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | The use of celebrities in product advertising seems to appear more in TV than in older media, such as radio, print and even cinema. Actors, athletes, musicians and other notables have lent their talents to TV commercials. Some, like Creator/PaulNewman, have gone so far as to ''create'' the products they sell. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Due perhaps to its prevalence, in some jurisdictions it is required to indicate in a caption or subtitle if the celebrity endorser was compensated for the endorsement. That is to say, if you paid the celebrity to endorse your product, you had to mention that on the screen somewhere. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | Although most common on TV, a common literary equivalent is to see a brief quotation from one author enthusiastically endorsing the work of another one on the cover or in the opening pages of their latest work. Given that the usual dynamic is a very well-known author endorsing a lesser-known one ("John Anonymous is this generation's Master of the Macabre!" ~ Creator/StephenKing), whether the well-known author has even read the book in question is, of course, uncertain. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Interestingly, the idea of celebrity endorsements dates back ''at least'' to Ancient Rome. Popular gladiators would regularly be paid to endorse various products and services. (In fact, Creator/RidleyScott planned to have a scene in his film ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' where some of the arena fighters endorsed products, but changed his mind when he realized [[RealityIsUnrealistic that the public wouldn't buy it as real]].) |
| 16 | |
| 17 | ImNotADoctorButIPlayOneOnTV is a subset of this. Some celebrities willing to do endorsements but afraid of being seen as sellouts indulge in {{Japandering}} by appearing in foreign ads that are not meant to be seen by their home fanbase. See CharacterCelebrityEndorsement for endorsements from celebrities that are not, in fact, real. If it's a deceased celebrity, it's TheDeadRiseToAdvertise. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | See AdvertisingCampaigns for more. Might be used to PutAFaceOnTheCompany (a product's ads strongly associated it with something else). |
| 20 | ---- |
| 21 | !!Examples: |
| 22 | |
| 23 | [[AC:Appliances]] |
| 24 | * George Foreman and his "Lean, Mean, Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine". (Many people don't even remember what Foreman was famous for -- he was a professional boxer.) |
| 25 | * Presto's Power-Pop bore the signature of popcorn's own Orville Redenbacher. |
| 26 | * Wrestling chicken farmers The Briscoes for the yard company STILH. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | [[AC:Banking]] |
| 29 | * Creator/PierreArditi in France, for banks such as LCL (Le Crédit Lyonnais). Being rather left-leaning politically and against a number of practices in the banking system, he was once asked why he starred in such commercials, to which he replied that it's his job to act and pretend, and that [[MoneyDearBoy it paid quite well]]. |
| 30 | * Creator/RowanAtkinson in Barclaycard ads during the 80's. |
| 31 | * Creator/JohnCleese did a series of commercials for the Dutch Postbank N.V. banking firm. As can be expected, they were quite funny - so funny, in fact, that people remember the commercial, but not what it was for. |
| 32 | * Creator/KellyRipa and Creator/RegisPhilbin endorsed TD Bankworth from 2006 to 2012. When the bank merged with Commerce Bank and changed its name to TD Bank in 2008, they had a commercial where Philbin expressed disdain for the change. |
| 33 | * Phil Rizzuto for The Money Store. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | [[AC:Beauty and Hygiene]] |
| 36 | * Creator/AlyssaMilano, Creator/JennaFischer, Music/JessicaSimpson, [[strike:Puff Daddy]] [[strike:P. Diddy]] Sean Combs, and Creator/AdamLevine have all done advertisements for the Proactiv line of acne medication. |
| 37 | * Revlon relies heavily on celebrity endorsements. Creator/JessicaAlba, Creator/HalleBerry, Creator/SusanSarandon and Music/QueenLatifah are among some of the big names who have shilled for the company. |
| 38 | * Creator/TerryCrews has made a series of downright bizarre (and hilarious) commercials for Old Spice. |
| 39 | |
| 40 | [[AC:Books]] |
| 41 | * ''Literature/{{Dispatches}}:'' On the original British paperbacks, '''The best book I have ever read on men and war in our time.''' -- Creator/JohnLeCarre is much more prominent than ''Dispatches -- Michael Herr''. Later editions keep the Le Carré quote, but make the title more prominent. |
| 42 | |
| 43 | [[AC:Cars and car-related services]] |
| 44 | * Jack Charlton hilariously tried to link car sales to football. "In football, you should take the most direct route to goal. It's like buying a car... " |
| 45 | * Derek Jeter for Ford. |
| 46 | * Creator/OJSimpson for Hertz, for almost 20 years from the mid-70s until... you know... |
| 47 | |
| 48 | [[AC:Charity]] |
| 49 | * Creator/KristenBell did a voiceover for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BCHhwxvQqxg Charity: Water's]] introduction/mission statement video, as well as televised a few interviews for scientists that backed up Charity: Water's statistics to give their mission credibility. |
| 50 | * French comedian Creator/{{Coluche}} founded [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurants_du_C%C5%93ur Les Restaurants du Coeur]] in 1985. Many other French celebrities have sponsored it via the charity collective Les Enfoirés and their concerts and record sales. |
| 51 | * Sarah [=MacLachlan=] has done a pair of infamous ads with the ASPCA, panning over shelter dogs while her song "Angel" plays in the background. Since starting, the ASPCA estimates that $30 million has been raised as a direct result of the ad. |
| 52 | |
| 53 | [[AC:Clothing]] |
| 54 | * Music/{{Lights}} lent some of her songs to (and even appeared in) an Old Navy TV ad campaign in early 2008. Inverted since these commercials actually introduced her to many of her fans. |
| 55 | * [[PrettyInMink Blackglama Mink's]] "What Becomes a Legend Most?" campaign was [[ExaggeratedTrope an extreme example]], because the ''entire premise'' of it was celebrity endorsements, right down to the slogan. |
| 56 | * Former NFL QB Brett Favre, who endorses Wrangler blue jeans. |
| 57 | * This happens InUniverse in ''Literature/TheWidowOfDesire'', where a soap opera actress is hired to star in commercials for the main character's fur fashion company. |
| 58 | * Played for laughs by Hanes, who hired quarterback Joe Namath to do a commercial in 1973 for their Beautymist line of pantyhose. And yes, he did wear them in the commercial. |
| 59 | ** Much later on, the ever-leggy Music/TinaTurner was taken on as the face of Hanes hosiery. |
| 60 | |
| 61 | [[AC:Food and Drink]] |
| 62 | * Music/TheMonkees for Kellogg's cereals, during their TV show. |
| 63 | * Creator/BillCosby for Jell-O, Eastman Kodak & Coca-Cola. Whether the Cos liked it or not, ''this'' was the aspect of his career that seemed to live on longest in popular culture. [[OverShadowedByControversy Keyword: "Seemed".]] |
| 64 | ** Parodied by ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': "You see, jazz is like the Jello Pudding Pop -- no, actually, it's more like Kodak film -- no, actually, jazz is like the New Coke: it'll be around forever, heh heh heh." |
| 65 | * Creator/MichaelJFox was such a huge supporter of Pepsi/Diet Pepsi during the late 1980s, most likely due to the rather prominent Pepsi product placement in ''Film/BackToTheFuture1''. More Pepsi product placement was included in ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII''. Michael J. Fox was even given a lifetime supply to Diet Pepsi. |
| 66 | * Music/BillyJoel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" climaxes with a reference to the "Rock and roller [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cola_wars#Marketing_campaigns cola wars]]" of TheEighties. This refers to how Pepsi and Coke both frequently hired musicians for their TV ads in this period, a practice that was outright mocked by Music/NeilYoung in his song and video "This Note's for You" in 1989. Pepsi tended to get the biggest names, although no less than three of them proved problematic: |
| 67 | ** Music/DavidBowie's ad with Music/TinaTurner (1987) was pulled when he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a concert in Dallas (these charges were subsequently dismissed). |
| 68 | ** Music/{{Madonna}}'s 1989 ad featured her new single "Like a Prayer". It debuted ''before'' the video for the song did, and while nothing in the ad reflected anything in the controversial video, the latter caused enough of an uproar that the former was canned. |
| 69 | ** Music/MichaelJackson was pressured into shilling for Pepsi in 1984 by the rest of his family and wound up severely burned in an accident on the set of one of the resultant ads. Nevertheless, the money was good enough that he continued to shill for them into TheNineties... until he was accused of child molestation. Pepsi chose not to renew their contract with him after he cancelled the remainder of the Dangerous Tour they were busy sponsoring when the charges broke. In 2011, however, PosthumousPopularityPotential came into play and they began using old footage/images of him in their newer campaigns. |
| 70 | ** Parodied by the Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru, with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RwNlLxwSlc an advert]] featuring a FakeBand of aging rock stars with a song that openly declares they're doing this for MoneyDearBoy. |
| 71 | * Cybill Shepherd was in a series ads for the U.S. Beef Industry Council, although she admitted she is a vegetarian. |
| 72 | ** Creator/JamesGarner also shilled for the Beef Council. |
| 73 | * Creator/JayLeno in the Doritos [[https://youtu.be/EyV_OCTW1_E ads]] during the 80's. "Crunch all you want, we'll make more." |
| 74 | * Verne Troyer for Cadbury's mini chocolates range. |
| 75 | * [[Music/JohnLydon Johnny Rotten]] is advertising Country Life butter. |
| 76 | * "Macho Man" Wrestling/RandySavage would like to tell you to SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM! OH YEAH! The Wrestling/UltimateWarrior also endorsed Slim Jims, and Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} subsequently would in more recent years. |
| 77 | * Fabio can't believe it's not butter! |
| 78 | * Poor, poor Creator/OrsonWelles... Mrs. Paul's Fish Sticks. |
| 79 | ** [[WesternAnimation/TheCritic They're even better raw!]] |
| 80 | ** Welles also infamously recorded several voiceovers for Findus Frozen Foods, with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyko_oQ0da8 profanity-laden blooper reel]] becoming a Hollywood in-joke. Maurice [=LaMarche=]'s recitation of the commercials provided the basis for an episode of ''Animaniacs'' titled [[Recap/AnimaniacsEpisode52 "Yes, Always."]] (Of course, this being a kid's show, they toned down the language considerably.) |
| 81 | ** On top of this, Welles also served as the spokesperson for the Paul Masson Champagne company, coining the phrase "We will sell no wine before its time." A widely-circulated [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFevH5vP32s outtake]] for one commercial featured Welles trying to deliver his lines while drunk off his ass. |
| 82 | * Creator/JohnCleese did some very funny commercials for Schweppes Ginger Ale. |
| 83 | * Music/KennyRogers endorsed Dole pineapples, until his contract was canceled after some extramarital shenanigans came into the public eye. |
| 84 | * Humorously sent up by Robert Loggia for Minute Maid orange-tangerine blend, the joke being that of all the celebrities you'd expect a kid to be blown away by, the craggy-voiced guy from ''Film/{{Scarface 1983}}'' has to be pretty low on the list, and yet: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZIzRqDOSZo "WHOA, Robert Loggia!"]]'' |
| 85 | * Numerous pop culture figures ranging from the VideoGame/AngryBirds to [[Film/TheMuppets2011 Kermit the Frog]] have appeared in the ad campaign for Wonderful Pistachios, a California pistachio grower. |
| 86 | * Creator/MrT is a fan of UK chocolate bar Snickers as seen in a number of rather...manly commercials, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAPXGuRIXsA the first of which]] had him invade a football pitch in a [[TankGoodness TANK]]. All to chastise one player for screaming like a sissy after getting tackled, before throwing a Snickers bar at his head, threatening that if said player does it again, then he's gonna "meet (Mr. T)'s friend ''PAIN!''" |
| 87 | -->'''Mr. T''': Snickers!! Get some NUTS!! '''NOM!''' |
| 88 | * Several New Zealand medal-winning female Olympians (and the occasional Paralympian) have endorsed New Zealand beef and lamb. The latest post-Rio group is sprint kayaker Lisa Carrington, pole vaulter Eliza [=McCartney=], para-swimmer Sophie Pascoe, and BMX rider Sarah Walker. |
| 89 | * Music/WhitneyHouston endorsed Diet Coke in {{The Eighties}}. In the 2010s, Music/TaylorSwift is Diet Coke's big female musical star. (Interestingly, the renowned British absurdist cartoonist Tom Gauld [whose works feature in ''The Guardian'', amongst other publications] has had some of his illustrations featured on cans of Diet Coke, though only in conjunction with their The Heart Truth [women's heart health awareness] campaign.) |
| 90 | * Wrestling/AjaKong was once her nation's spokeswoman for orange juice. |
| 91 | * Wrestling/KurtAngle and the Pizza Outlet chain of Pittsburgh. |
| 92 | * Wrestling/{{Mistico}} does commercials for Nestle... and the Mexican National Action Party. |
| 93 | * The next step in building the Wrestling/MickieJames empire is drinking Dr Pepper. %% Dr Pepper is rendered WITHOUT a period, thankyouverymuch. |
| 94 | * Former England footballer Gary Lineker advertises Walkers crisps (chips in America) and other snack foods. He also is the main presenter for Series/MatchOfTheDay on Creator/TheBBC and is a frequent guest on [[Main/PanelGame panel games]] where he is often teased about the connection. His attitude is generally: "Main/MoneyDearBoy". |
| 95 | * Sakis Rouvas starred in ads for the [=ArGOODaki=] charity campaign, commissioned by fast food chain Advertising/GoodysBurgerHouse, as well as related merchandise. Lydia Katsanikaki from ''Greece's Next Top Model'' also stars in the chain's commercial "I Telia Goneia". |
| 96 | * NBA players and [=BFFs=] Boban Marjanović and Tobias Harris, better known on the Web as Bobi and Tobi, have appeared in several commercials for Pepperidge Farm's Goldfish crackers brand. The ads heavily play off Bobi's hands, which are freaking gigantic even for a 7'4"/2.24 m basketball player. |
| 97 | * Creator/JerryLewis appeared in print ads for both RC Cola and for Kentucky Fried Chicken, even appearing alongside its founder Colonel Sanders in the latter. |
| 98 | * Creator/HenryCavill is part of the formative team behind No. 1 Botanicals rosemary water, as well as its celebrity face. |
| 99 | |
| 100 | [[AC:Games]] |
| 101 | * Art Linkletter used to appear in a small seal on the box of ''[[TabletopGame/GameOfLife The Game of Life]]''. He also appeared on the $100,000 bill in the game. |
| 102 | * One of the supplements for the horror RPG ''TabletopGame/{{Chill}}'' had a series of short adventures hosted by Creator/ElviraMistressOfTheDark. |
| 103 | |
| 104 | [[AC:Gaming]] |
| 105 | * ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has fully endorsed this route, with commercials staring Verne Troyer, Creator/WilliamShatner, Creator/MrT, Creator/ChuckNorris, Creator/PedroPascal, Creator/AlexandreAstier (in France) and more. This is to demonstrate how widespread the game has become, so all of the celebrities you see, actually play the game. Creator/JayLeno has also done this as one of the "greenskins". |
| 106 | * A quasi-example since he actually made it himself, but in Japan, the biggest selling point of the ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' trilogy was that it was the work of Creator/ShigesatoItoi, who was at the peak of his popularity at the time; most of the promotional material for ''MOTHER'' made a point of pointing out that it was his creation. In straighter examples, SMAP member Takuya Kimura was all over the advertising for ''[[VideoGame/EarthBound1994 MOTHER 2]]'', and actress Kou Shibasaki discussing the emotional impact of the game was pretty much the entire television commercial campaign for ''VideoGame/MOTHER3''. |
| 107 | * Alexey Pajitnov, creator of ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'', "introduces ''VideoGame/ClockWerx''" on both its packaging and title screen. Many players and even reviewers took this to mean that he had ''designed'' it, where in fact he had absolutely no involvement beyond the endorsement. |
| 108 | * The 2011 ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' games (''Ocarina of Time 3D'' and ''Skyward Sword'') were promoted by Creator/RobinWilliams and his daughter, largely related to the fact that [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous the daughter had been named Zelda]] [[JustForFun/OneOfUs after the princess.]] |
| 109 | * ''VideoGame/ClashOfClans'' ran a UsefulNotes/SuperBowl ad in 2015 featuring Creator/LiamNeeson channeling his character from the ''Film/{{Taken}}'' film series. |
| 110 | * ''VideoGame/GameOfWarFireAge'' uses supermodel Creator/KateUpton as its spokesperson and LadyNotAppearingInThisGame. |
| 111 | * ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' had the ad [[https://youtu.be/BBH_KrEFetA "It's In Out Blood"]] starring Creator/DaveBautista. |
| 112 | |
| 113 | [[AC:General]] |
| 114 | * Big name celebrities [[{{Japandering}} who have done Japanese ad campaigns]] include Creator/OrlandoBloom, Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, {{Music/Madonna}}, Creator/BradPitt, Creator/BruceWillis, Kiefer Sutherland and Creator/HarrisonFord. |
| 115 | * UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan is very much the king of endorsements in basketball, and perhaps all of sports. |
| 116 | ** '''BE LIKE MIKE!''' |
| 117 | ** Lampshaded when he appeared on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' and stated that there were ''some'' things he decided not to endorse. Cue mock commercial with a woman asking him, "Michael... do you ever get that not-so-fresh feeling?" And when Jordan appeared with the Superfans at Ditka's restaurant, he was given the option of Coke or Gatorade (the two beverages he had shilled and was about to shill, respectively). He declined both. |
| 118 | * Creator/PeytonManning endorses [=DirecTV=], [=MasterCard=], Sony, Oreo, Gatorade, Wheaties, Papa John's Pizza, ''and'' Nationwide Insurance. |
| 119 | * Creator/ShaquilleONeal, who is more famous for his endorsements than his basketball career. |
| 120 | |
| 121 | [[AC:Glasses]] |
| 122 | * Infamously, Wrestling/GenichiroTenryu left Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling to become a spokesman for eye glass company Megane Super. Then Megane executive Hachiro Tanaka turned around and launched his own pro wrestling promotion, Super World Of Sports, built around Tenryu. It wasn't until All Japan [[DarkestHour absolutely needed him]] after the [[Wrestling/ProWrestlingNOAH NOAH exodus]] that they let Tenryu return and Wrestling/{{New Japan|ProWrestling}} smartly kept Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi around when he promoted [=McDonalds=]. |
| 123 | |
| 124 | [[AC:Health and Nutrition]] |
| 125 | * Tommy Lasorda and Elizabeth Ashley for Slim-Fast. |
| 126 | * Kirstie Alley for Jenny Craig. |
| 127 | * Creator/ChuckNorris for the Total Gym. |
| 128 | * Suzanne Somers and her Thighmaster. |
| 129 | * Body builder turned pro wrestler John Quinlan and wrestler turned mixed martial artist Wrestling/BobbyLashley for supplement company Nutrabolics. |
| 130 | * Creator/HenryCavill for [=MuscleTech=] whey protein. |
| 131 | |
| 132 | [[AC:Household Products]] |
| 133 | * In the late 70s, Creator/RobertConrad was the spokesman for Eveready batteries, daring you to knock one off his shoulder. |
| 134 | * In 2016, Procter & Gamble ran a campaign for its Tide Pods detergent packs, "Small But Powerful", that featured several undersized sports celebrities (relatively speaking)—among them NFL players Cole Beasley and Darren Sproles, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, then-NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, and [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]]. Bryan's commercial was in the style of a wrestling promo. |
| 135 | |
| 136 | [[AC:Magazines]] |
| 137 | * The other thing most French people born before the 2000s know Creator/OmarSharif from outside of ''Film/LawrenceOfArabia'' and ''Film/DoctorZhivago''? The TV UsefulNotes/EquestrianSports magazine announcements he did in TheEighties and TheNineties. To be fair, he really did have a "great passion" for said sports, being a good horseman on his own. |
| 138 | |
| 139 | [[AC:Medicine]] |
| 140 | * Soccer player Pelé and Viagra, also known as "the Pelé pill". Mercilessly parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. |
| 141 | ** Also, UsefulNotes/BobDole. |
| 142 | ** And former Major Leaguer Rafael Palmeiro (before steroid allegations ruined his career). |
| 143 | |
| 144 | [[AC:{{Perfume|Commercial}}]] |
| 145 | * Creator/JohnnyDepp for Dior's "Sauvage" fragrance for men. |
| 146 | * Creator/IsabellaRossellini for Lancôme's "Trésor" fragrance. |
| 147 | * Creator/CharlizeTheron for Dior's "Jadore" fragrance. |
| 148 | |
| 149 | [[AC:Pinball]] |
| 150 | * Creator/{{Stern}}'s ''Pinball/{{Ali}}'' pinball table, devoted to boxer UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli. |
| 151 | * Creator/SternPinball's ''Pinball/SharkeysShootout'' features world-famous pool player Jeanette "The Black Widow" Lee, who also serves as the FinalBoss for the game. |
| 152 | ** When the game was first under development as ''Pinball/GoldenCue'', Creator/SegaPinball signed Kelly Packard of ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' for the game in hopes of attracting players with her looks. |
| 153 | * ''Pinball/GunsNRosesDataEast'' was promoted by Music/{{Slash|Musician}}, though in this case he co-designed the game. |
| 154 | * Creator/{{Bally}}'s ''Pinball/{{Hardbody}}'' was endorsed by [[UsefulNotes/{{Bodybuilding}} the first Ms. Olympia,]] Rachel [=McLish=]. |
| 155 | |
| 156 | [[AC: {{Public Service Announcement}}s]] |
| 157 | * ''Advertising/MetroManners'': The "Wait your turn to enter" PSA features a cameo from Creator/DannyTrejo, where he introduces himself with "Hi, I'm Danny Trejo" and delivers the message of the episode. Done in a self-aware way, as Trejo acknowledges that he's not the campaign's usual sponsor. |
| 158 | |
| 159 | [[AC:Publishing]] |
| 160 | * Ed [=McMahon=] and Creator/DickClark for American Family Publishers. [=McMahon=] was also once a paid endorser for an insurance company. |
| 161 | |
| 162 | [[AC:Radio]] |
| 163 | * Wrestling/KevinSullivan says to listen to Caged Heat Radio, or he'll kick down your door, strap you down and turn your radio on full blast. |
| 164 | * Steve Corino says to listen to Caged Heat Radio, or he'll knock your teeth down your throat! |
| 165 | |
| 166 | [[AC:Restaurants]] |
| 167 | * In one of the oddest, and perhaps most ironic, ads of all time, ousted Soviet premier UsefulNotes/MikhailGorbachev appeared in a Russian-language commercial for Pizza Hut, which later aired in the US. |
| 168 | * Music/{{Cimorelli}} at one point actually endorsed for Subway, one for singing about the [[https://youtu.be/wcAXkD9DjD8 Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt]] (Yes they sang the whole jingle for it) and one about piling up your veggie options at your local Subway, complete with singing about it. In return, Subway sponsored their six episode WebOriginal short series "Summer With Cimorelli". |
| 169 | --> '''Christina''': (After the voiceover narrator BreakingTheFourthWall) You are so not helping! |
| 170 | |
| 171 | [[AC:Stores]] |
| 172 | * Music/VictoriaJustice for Build-A-Bear Workshop, since she's their recent spokesperson. Before her, [[Film/CampRock Meghan Martin]] was their spokesperson. |
| 173 | |
| 174 | [[AC:Technology]] |
| 175 | * Creator/StephenColbert, in character, talked Apple into sending him a free iPhone by promising to promote it on ''Series/TheColbertReport''. |
| 176 | ** To say nothing of "Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream" flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. |
| 177 | ** He did it AGAIN with the iPad the day it was announced. 4 days later, presenting at the Grammys, what does he have down his pants? And he still happily shilled for it even after the less than typical reception (for an Apple product at least) it got upon its unveiling. |
| 178 | * President UsefulNotes/BarackObama's much-publicized struggle to keep his [=BlackBerry=] in the Oval Office early in his presidency wasn't an endorsement per se, but was certainly not unwelcome publicity for RIM at a time it was sorely needed. |
| 179 | ** Lampshaded by Creator/JohnHodgman at a press dinner, in which he referred to the President's "smartphone whose brand name I am contractually obligated not to mention". At the time Hodgman was appearing in a [[Advertising/GetAMac well-known series of Apple ads]]. |
| 180 | * Boxer Manny Pacquiao and TeenIdol Creator/MirandaCosgrove for HP Veer 4G smartphone. Lampshaded that neither one of them use it in real life, although for the latter, it's at one point the sponsor for iCarly.com. |
| 181 | ** The latter hits it hard with {{Narm}} for her ad, because it had so much InnocentInnuendo, as pointed out by those who comment on the ad on Website/YouTube. |
| 182 | ** Speaking of Apple products: Creator/SamuelLJackson, Creator/JohnMalkovich, and Creator/ZooeyDeschanel have shilled for Siri. Zooey's spot has become [[MemeticMutation memetic]] for [[TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket certain]] reasons. |
| 183 | ** One particularly hilarious 2003 ad for Apple's [=PowerBook=] line showed Verne Troyer and [[UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA Yao Ming]] sitting next to one another on a plane, each with his own computer. The hilarious part: the sub-3-foot Troyer was using the 17" (largest) model, while the 7'6" Yao was using the 12" (smallest) model. |
| 184 | |
| 185 | [[AC:Toys]] |
| 186 | * Japanese actress and singer Aya Ueto did this during the run of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' not to endorse the show itself but the model kits that were available during the show's run, mostly in the kits' commercials. Two [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgsHD0MKZ2M examples]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5DAHGx1lNc here.]] |
| 187 | |
| 188 | [[AC:Websites]] |
| 189 | * Creator/WilliamShatner for [=PriceLine.com=]. |
| 190 | ** ...and ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' too, apparently. |
| 191 | ** ...and Promise margarine. |
| 192 | ** ...and for Loblaws supermarkets in Canada. |
| 193 | * Kayley Cuoco took over for Shatner with [=PriceLine=]. |
| 194 | * [[Series/{{NCIS}} Pauley Perrette]] for Expedia. |
| 195 | |
| 196 | !!Parody Examples: |
| 197 | |
| 198 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 199 | |
| 200 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 201 | * A short story for ''ComicBook/DamageControl'' had a proposed advertising campaign built around [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Joe Fixit]], with the tag line "We Clean Up The Hulk's Messes, We Can Clean Up Yours". Needless to say, he wasn't pleased... |
| 202 | [[/folder]] |
| 203 | |
| 204 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 205 | * ''FanFic/ThePiecesLieWhereTheyFell'': Played seriously in its sequel ''Picking Up the Pieces''. Captain General Gentle Step had, at one point, given her endorsement to a bar - ''The Old Terminal Bar''. When it refuses to serve one of her captains because he's a Changeling, she revokes her endorsement and gives it to another bar, ''The Blue Mountain'', which has no problem with serving Changelings. |
| 206 | [[/folder]] |
| 207 | |
| 208 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 209 | * Parodied in Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'', with the Rusteze Medicated Bumper Ointment Commercial. |
| 210 | --> '''Lightning [=McQueen=]''': Use this, and you too, can look like '''ME!''' Ka-CHOW! |
| 211 | [[/folder]] |
| 212 | |
| 213 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 214 | * Heavily parodied in the original ''Film/WaynesWorld'', with a scene in which Wayne and Garth explain how they won't sell out to the TV network, [[HypocriticalHumor while overtly displaying various products and spouting advertising slogans]] (including Garth dressed head to toe in in assorted Reebok Sportswear). It culminated in Wayne having a headache and asking for two Nuprin, which appeared on a black and white background, just like the ads. |
| 215 | * Alpa Chino of ''Film/TropicThunder'' kept on pushing his energy drink and energy bar while he was filming his movie set during the Vietnam War. |
| 216 | * In ''Film/LoveAndOtherDisasters'', yet another fashion charity event has been set up, featuring a [[Series/HaveIGotNewsForYou big-name star from British broadcasting]]: |
| 217 | -->'''Felicity Riggs-Wentworth:''' ''(reading from script)'' Without further ado I would like to introduce any available English celebrity... ''(realizes what she's read)'' Creator/AngusDeayton. |
| 218 | * The original script for ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' included a segment in which the gladiators giving endorsements to products but was cut because [[RealityIsUnrealistic it would have been seen as too ridiculous in the eyes of the audience]]. |
| 219 | [[/folder]] |
| 220 | |
| 221 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 222 | * Parodied hilariously on ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway''. "Celebrity endorsements that are doomed to fail." |
| 223 | -->''Wayne:'' (''in a squeaky voice'') [[TakeThat I'm Mike Tyson for Encyclopedia Britannica.]]\ |
| 224 | ''Colin:'' Hi. [[SelfDeprecation I'm Colin Mochrie for Rogaine.]] |
| 225 | * In ''Series/{{Castle|2009}}'', Castle receives a package of books from the publisher for him to read so that they can solicit cover quotes for marketing purposes. When questioned by his mother and daughter on how he can possibly get them all read, he replies he doesn't have to, and proceeds to demonstrate with a couple of examples: |
| 226 | -->'''Castle:''' (''holding them to his head as if he were a magician identifying a card'') "A tour-de-force in terror!" ~ Richard Castle. "Does for [[NoodleImplements hot-tubs]] what ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' did for the ocean!" |
| 227 | * ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' spoofed the [[Series/{{Jeopardy}} Alex Trebek]] insurance commercials with [[Series/LawAndOrder Sam Waterston]] for Old Glory insurance, the only insurance that protects senior citizens from rampaging robots. |
| 228 | * Parodied in ''Series/{{Community}}'' with Subway a few times. They would also get into endorsing fake brands like Splingles, to the point of Troy sending Britta home when she tries to endorse a 'healthier' potato chip instead. This happens as well with normal ProductPlacement - they'd get fake brands from a prop company and place them like actual product placement. |
| 229 | * In the Season 4 finale of ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', the Legends build a theme park to counter the villains' EvilPlan. The Legends try to ask the Arrowverse Trinity ([[Series/{{Arrow}} Green Arrow]], Series/{{The Flash|2014}} and Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}) to help advertise their park. However, the Legends have previously dissed the Trinity back during the franchise's [[Series/Elseworlds2018 annual crossover]], so in retaliation the latter group turned their [[IronicEcho own words back]] at them ("Hard Pass."). The Legends resort to dressing up as the Trinity for their commercial. |
| 230 | [[/folder]] |
| 231 | |
| 232 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 233 | * ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': |
| 234 | ** Parodied in the WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail "suntan", where an Easter egg has [[CloudCuckoolander Homsar]] offering a "Celebrity(?) Testimonial" for Strong Bad's Ab-Abber 2000. |
| 235 | --->'''Homsar:''' Aaaaaaaaah--I'm just in time for the murder mystery! |
| 236 | ** Near the end of "geddup noise", Strong Bad's retrospective on the career of the Geddup Noise (an anthropomorphized sound effect of a chair moving across the floor) says that "ol' Geddy" spends all his time snowboarding in the Coches mountains, only popping up in "the odd, or sometimes very odd" commercial. |
| 237 | ** There's also Strong Bad's generic pitch in "Coach Z's 110%": "This product is a product ''I'' endorse... on my hat." |
| 238 | [[/folder]] |
| 239 | |
| 240 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 241 | * ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': Commander Shepard may choose to convince stores to give him/her a discount by endorsing the store. You can do this with ''every'' store on the station, so you are followed by an everlasting chime of [[MemeticMutation "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel."]] |
| 242 | * ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'': "THE COLE TRAIN RUNS ON WHOLE GRAIN, BABY! WOOOOO!" |
| 243 | * ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'': Dunkmaster Darius is a skin depicting the champion Darius as a professional basketball player (it ties into community in-jokes). Sometimes, when buying items in the store, he has these taglines for them. |
| 244 | -->''"Reliable tools are the only way Darius gets the job done. Frozen Mallet - put your problems on ice!"''\ |
| 245 | ''"For a dunk legend like me, only Infinity Edge will do. Infinity Edge - the closest shave."''\ |
| 246 | ''"When I'm hungry, I turn to Ravenous Hydra. Pure energy - no carbs."'' |
| 247 | [[/folder]] |
| 248 | |
| 249 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 250 | * One strip of ''Funny Farm'' had Gulius open the door to find himself facing a dinosaur singing "[[Series/BarneyAndFriends I love you, you love I. Do you have insurance for when you die?]]" |
| 251 | * ''Webcomic/ZiggyPigAndSillySeal2022'': |
| 252 | ** Ziggy Pig's StartOfDarkness began when he saw a commercial for [[Characters/MarvelComicsFrightfulFour Paste Pot Pete's]] Pulsating Palace of Pork, endorsed by ComicBook/SpiderHam. |
| 253 | ** Pizza Dog Pizza is endorsed by ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, with the slogan "Eh, It's Food!" |
| 254 | [[/folder]] |
| 255 | |
| 256 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 257 | * AbridgedSeries ''WebOriginal/SonicTheOtherMovie'' opens with Steve Blum telling us he "does not support or endorse this project in any way. You should probably watch something else." |
| 258 | * ''Blog/TheIslandOfMisfitChristmasSpecials'' had a running gag in which Peter Paltridge sometimes ended reviews by asking, "Does Mary Lou Retton like it?", then presenting a picture of the gymnast expressing either displeasure or enjoyment of the special. (The pictures consist of screenshots of advertisements she did in TheEighties, Photoshopped to include characters from the specials.) Peter's review of ''WesternAnimation/RapsittieStreetKidsBelieveInSanta'' ended by revealing that Mary Lou Retton somehow died while watching the cartoon, so following reviews replaced her with more obscure "celebrities". |
| 259 | [[/folder]] |
| 260 | |
| 261 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 262 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie'': |
| 263 | ** Spoofed: "This is Creator/TomHanks. The government has lost all its credibility, so it's borrowing some of mine." |
| 264 | ** Played straight with Butterfinger candy, but then (naturally, since it's ''The Simpsons'') then spoofed, lampshaded and self-parodied in-universe. |
| 265 | [[/folder]] |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Main / CelebrityEndorsement
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
