Celebrity endorsements are nothing new. Countless brands have borrowed major actors, athletes and musicians to promote their products and capitalize on their influence on the consumer. 50 Cent for Vitamin Water, Beyonce for L’Oreal, Michael Jordon for Hanes, Britney Spears for Pepsi and the list goes on and on.
But in an era defined by the Internet and reality TV, pseudo celebrities are popping up too and brands are taking notice. American Idol star, David Cook recently signed an endorsement deal with Sketchers. Lauren Conrad of the scripted reality show “The Hills” on MTV pushes Mark Cosmetics and “Jon and Kate Plus 8” mom, Kate Gosselin does her thing with Proctor and Gamble. Carl’s Jr. and Sanyo have also used “YouTube stars" to promote their products.
And some brands stick to investing in the likeable characters played by regular ole actors like the Progressive Insurance girl or Verizon’s “Can You Hear Me Now” guy.
So when Tampa Bay’s GTE Federal Credit Union decided to launch their new U22 Account, they started looking for the right spokesperson (or personality as they call it on the site) but instead decided on a whole team.
The U22 Account is a checking account, “designed for today’s teen” and offers features like earning points on your debit card for “cool things” and once-a-month overdraft forgiveness. And when you visit the www.u224u.com homepage, you can immediately choose the person that appeals to you:
Evan Longoria – Evan is 3rd baseman for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team, 2008 American League Rookie of the Year and an All-Star player.
Suite Caroline – Suite Caroline is a 12 year old, local singing sensation, whose favorite color is pink, has over 3,250 Myspace friends and is chronicling her experience with the U22 Account.
Alex – Alex, college student and aspiring actor, auditioned for the gig. You can view his audition tapes on YouTube and then “follow his story towards financial independence.”
Kathy – Kathy is a married, mother of 2 who loves Frank Sinatra and wants to help moms and dads teach their kids about financial responsibility.
Picking the right spokesperson can be hard. You have to think about who will have the best relationship with your consumers (and fit in your budget). GTE has done a nice job of covering the bases. Pun intended Evan Longoria.
The Financial Brand has a great article on the U22 campaign here.
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