• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, March 8, 2011

According to a new analysis from Starch Advertising Research, the use of celebrity endorsers provide significant lift to print advertising readership, despite the risks from those like Brett Favre, Charlie Sheen or Tiger Woods.

On average, the ads that contained a celebrity endorser produced 9.4% higher consumer readership than ads without a celebrity endorser, in an analysis of more than 81,000 print ads that appeared in consumer magazines between December 2009 and September 2010. 

Print ads containing an entertainment celebrity garnered 15.1% more readership, on average, than ads without a celebrity, while the use of sports celebrities raised consumer readership by 7.5%.

Celebrity Ads vs. Non-Celebrity Ads
Ads	# of Ads	Average Noted Score	%  Lift
With Celebrities	5,077	58%	+9.4%
Without Celebrities	76,524	53%
Source: GfK MRI Starch, 2010

 

Entertainment Celebrity Ads vs. Non-Celebrity Ads
Ads	# of Ads	Average Noted Score	%  Lift
With Entertainment Celebs	3,076	61%	+15.1%
Without Entertainment Celebs	76,524	53%
Source: GfK MRI Starch, 2010

 

Sports Celebrity Ads vs. Non-Celebrity Ads
Ads	# of Ads	Average Noted Score	%  Lift
With Sports Celebs	988	57%	+7.5%
Without Sports Celebs	76,524	53%
Source: GfK MRI Starch, 2010

Anne Marie Kelly, SVP Marketing & Strategic Planning at GfK MRI, says that "... in general, very few consumers will admit that a celebrity endorsement influences their decision to buy a product... however, in terms of... getting consumers to read the ad... a celebrity endorsement moves the readership needle in magazines."

Despite some controversial endorsers, notes the report, Ellen DeGeneres, who was considered controversial for being openly gay when she first appeared on television, is now an accepted household name and face.  Her CoverGirl & Olay print ad in the March 2010 issue of House Beautiful generated a phenomenal 91% readership score, the highest scoring entertainment celebrity ad in the Starch analysis.

For more about the study please visit GfK MRI here.