Organizations use a spokesperson to raise public awareness. This allows companies to present themselves as relatable and trustworthy. Many companies use well-known stars or influencers to advocate and speak for their brand. Why is this strategy being used? Individuals remember and retain information when presented by an opinion leader. When companies seek people to represent their organization/product, they intentionally pick who is likely to appeal to an organization's publics. Professionals can help their clients reach several audiences by choosing to have a celebrity or company spokesperson. While this approach dramatically benefits a campaign, some risks can be detrimental to the client if not handled appropriately. For example, if your client is advocating for banning assault weapons, it would be harmful to have someone from the NRA as your spokesperson. This would be detrimental to the company's overall campaign goals.
Famous and Familiar
Using a celebrity as your organization's spokesperson or endorser helps portray a clear image of an organization to consumers. Brand marketing by a celebrity or a famous personality develops attractive appeal, gains more attention, and high recall. Organizations that wish to use a company leader or a celebrity must consider and discuss the qualities the spokesperson must have to do the job effectively. According to Strategic Planning for Public Relations by Ronald D. Smith, "advertisers look for five characteristics in spokespersons:
Public relations and marketing people selecting celebrity spokespersons also seek connections with their key publics. This is an expensive strategy. However, when using a celebrity to represent your campaign, the ROI can be worth the risks of this approach.
As mentioned earlier, companies have to be intentional with who they select to be the face of their organization. Professionals must select a spokesperson whose actions reflect the company's morals, goals, and opinions.
Keep us Company
While celebrities remain popular as spokespeople, many organizations choose to have someone within their company speak on behalf of the organization. This approach is usually found in crises, org changes, business changes, and important announcements. A company spokesperson is typically a member of a company's marketing department, another company employee (the CEO or a corporate communications director), or a member of a public relations firm hired by the company. This person is tasked with presenting information clearly and concisely. The company spokesperson is well-versed in the company and their goals. In comparison to a celebrity spokesperson, a company spokesperson is more affordable. PR professionals advise avoiding using the CEO as the company spokesperson because the CEO should be associated with positive news or extreme matters.
Companies ensure their spokesperson can communicate relevant information to the public. The approach of a company spokesperson and a celebrity spokesperson is practical. As with every system for communicating with the public, there is a risk. In conclusion, spokespeople are used commonly used and help execute essential goals.
Sources:
Abdullah, M., Ghazanfar, S., Ummar, R., & Shabbir, R. (2022). Role of celebrity endorsement in promoting employees' organization identification: A brand-based perspective. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 910375. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.910375
Entrepreneur Media. (n.d.). Entrepreneur: Company Spokesperson - Entrepreneur Small Business Encyclopedia. Entrepreneur. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/company-spokesperson#:~:text=Company%20Spokesperson%20Definition%3A
Smith, R. D. (2020). Strategic Planning for Public Relations (6th ed.). Taylor & Francis.
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