I See Dead (Rich) People

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In case you haven’t noticed, something interesting is afoot in the world of celebrity endorsements. More and more of the stars involved aren’t just pushing brands—they’re pushing daisies. Yes, dead celebrities are bigger than ever. Licensing deals with actors, singers and other notables who’ve shuffled off this mortal coil generated $2.17 billion last year—quite a paycheck for doing nothing.

Marketing with departed stars is not, of course, a new idea. Gap’s famous khakis campaign from 1993, for instance, resurrected everyone from Steve McQueen to Andy Warhol.

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