Celebrity Entrepreneurs Aim for Light Touch—if at all—in Mixing Politics and Marketing

Celebrities’ political and personal beliefs unavoidably impact the brands they’re affiliated with—whether it’s a business they own or a brand partner paying them for sponsorship. Elon Musk's fame comes from his businesses. But his larger-than-life, attention-grabbing online persona and antics put him more squarely in the celebrity arena than other titans of industry. As such, his name is all-but synonymous with the electric car company he leads, Tesla. So, it was news when he took to Twitter earlier this year and forsook the Democratic party. In the midst of this, more Republicans expressed interest in buying Teslas than other electric vehicles, according to Morning Consult survey data. While there's just a two percent point gap between Democrats and Republicans eyeing Teslas, there's a significantly larger gap between the 44% of Democrats and 23% of Republicans interested in electric cars generally. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1526997132858822658?s=20&t=NSmakXq79rjzlvbd0GObGg Purpose-driven marketing, or the concept of crafting a marketing strategy around social justice, is becoming table stakes. And a rising generation of consumers prefer it that way. Agency Adolescent Content found that 75% of Gen Z want to leave the world a better place than they found it, Adweek reported. But pursuing a purpose-driven marketing strategy requires commitment beyond the marketing organization. Things can get messy fast. That's especially true if a brand alleges to support a cause—but doesn’t actually do much to back it up. It’s all the more complex for famous people who own or partner with brands. As with Musk, what they say matters to the bottom line and the levels of brand engagement, awareness and affinity marketers strenuously seek to build and maintain. Regardless of whether or not Tesla wants to be associated with the Republican party—some people see it that way, thanks to Musk's outbursts. "I personally feel very frustrated with how brands still think they're hiring talent instead of another brand," the writer, model and actor Emily Ratajkowski told Adweek. "Even if you're hiring a model … they have a platform, they have a public image—anybody on the street does. So, you are collaborating." Take a stand, lose some customers When Chanel cut off sales in Russia in protest of the war in Ukraine, viral videos showed Russian socialites destroying their Chanel merchandise. Similarly, Nike had to stand up to the racist backlash to its Colin Kaepernick campaign. Mixing celebrity and branding is ultimately a zero-sum game. For all the appreciation, there is also significant consumer alienation to factor in. A brand will certainly lose some consumers when it verbalizes an opinion. That's true whether or not a consumer is inclined to condemn Musk’s incendiary political statements. It's just as true when it comes to the public's support for brands like Chanel, Nike or countless others that signal allegiance with progressive political causes, such as sustainability issues or celebrating the LGBTQ+ community every June, or not. Celebrity cosmetics entrepreneur Bobbi Brown experienced the current polarization this summer. She published a pro-choice statement on Instagram. The backlash was swift and sharp. Some Jones Road customers unfollowed the brand on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jones Road Beauty (@jonesroadbeauty) Brown was chastened. It meant a lot to Brown to speak up about what she believed in, she told Adweek. In the end, she conceded that politics must stay out of branding. “I’ve never ever put a product on the market that didn’t have colors for every skin,” Brown said. “When it comes to activism, just being authentically you and trying to empower people is so important, [but] politics does not belong in a brand.” Separating inclusivity from politics Concepts like body and racial inclusivity or feminism were not as common just ten years ago. Now, they are not only less taboo, but essential elements of marketing strategies. This is true for Brown and for model and actor Brooke Shields, who last year founded the lifestyle brand Beginning is Now. The brand’s target audience is women. But it carves out a special space for those over 40, who Shields said flocked to the brand community following its launch. Shields does not shy away from associating her brand with political views. But she prefers to work with others who champion causes, instead of speaking out herself about things she doesn’t have an expertise in. “I'm better at doing—rather than getting on a soapbox and speaking—and presenting people who are experts in these fields,” she told Adweek. “I’ve maintained a reticence to a certain extent politically, because I don't feel like that is my strength—and that isn't what I would use my celebrity for,” Shields added. Like Brown, Shields finds inclusivity to be a separate matter. She speaks up about issues like ageism and lack of body inclusivity because, as a famous woman in her fifties, she’s familiar with both. Brown and Shields’ more cautious approaches highlight that marketers must decide if they are truly ready to support issues or just eager to say something. It’s now commonplace for brands to hop on the sustainability bandwagon that used to be reserved for brands like Patagonia, Seventh Generation and Allbirds. This overzealousness can contribute to issues like greenwashing, especially if a brand hasn’t done much for the cause. Avoiding making activism transactional Ratajkowski, who is becoming as recognized for her award-winning book and feminist stances as much as for acting and modeling, also owns swimwear line Inamorata. The celebrity entrepreneur finds it “problematic” when brands get involved with activism. But she has a less obvious reason than a fear of isolating consumers. Getting political on Inamorata’s Instagram page would pose an ethical dilemma for Ratajkowski, because the relationship between brand and consumer is inherently transactional, she says. “If I'm selling a product and I'm also talking about a political idea, then it's not actually activism, because it's pushing product. So, I actually stay away from it,” said Ratajkowski. Sports, Politics and Brands: A Volatile Mix at the Olympic Games