Is celebrity content in our campaigns of real value?

News of the latest Marks & Spencer campaign featuring Joanna Lumley (mwlinks.co.uk/GreenBehaviour) raised a debate in the Summersault office over the value of celebrity content in campaigns and publications.

As consumers, we are bombarded daily with celebrity endorsements for everything from coffee to holidays. What does this say about marketers’ views of what motivates and interest us?

In theory, a well-rounded publication or campaign should contain a wide mixture of content that appeals to its readers, but sadly, we had to conclude that celebrity endorsement is a necessary evil.

Regardless of the merit of the piece itself, it’s a well-known and respected face that attracts reader attention in the first place.

Anna-Louise Dearden, editorial director, Summersault Communications