• by Tanya Gazdik , August 2, 2011

Several airlines have jumped on the celebrity endorsement bandwagon recently in the hopes of generating buzz against their often indistinguishable competition.

Celebrity stumpers include actor Kevin Costner and NBA star Kobe Bryant for Turkish Airlines, John Travolta for Australia's Qantas Airlines and Richard Simmons for Air New Zealand.

Bryant and Costner have starred in TV ads, and Bryant has appeared at events, while veteran actor John Travolta and workout guru Richard Simmons have both starred in videos that play in-flight to explain safety procedures.

The jury is still out on whether any of the affiliations have impacted sales. One analyst, however, "seriously questions the effectiveness of using a celebrity to endorse an airline given the reality of today's air travel environment."

On the plus side, the airline gets a bit of glamour from being associated with the celebrity. The celebrity's contract may also include a specified number of appearances for the airline's VIP clients, such as its best travel agents or top frequent fliers, says Henry H. Harteveldt, vice president and principal analyst, airline and travel research, San Francisco-based Forrester Research, Inc.

However, there are numerous potential risks that airlines take on with a celebrity endorsement, Harteveldt tells Marketing Daily. "Most consumers know that celebrities are doing this because they're paid, and not out of the goodness of their hearts," he says. "If an airline is having labor problems, paying a celebrity big bucks to endorse the carrier may cause a backlash among its employees, who would no doubt criticize the fees paid to the celebrity as potentially coming out of their pockets."

Business travelers, which are airlines' key audience, know celebrities generally receive "white glove" treatment when they fly -- if they fly commercial at all, Harteveldt says. There's also the issue of relevancy, he says. "In the case of Mr. Bryant, how many times will he actually fly to or through Turkey on Turkish Airlines? Business travelers know they fly the airline far more [often] than the celebrity," he says.

Finally, like any marketer, an airline runs the risk of negative association if the celebrity engages in what's considered to be unacceptable behavior. "What happens if the celebrity spokesperson has a run-in with the law?" Harteveldt asks. "If a celebrity is an athlete, what happens if his or her professional performance declines? Having worked with celebrities in the past, I believe that today there are more effective methods to invest a marketing budget for an airline."

Bryant, who was implored by the Los Angeles Armenian American community (including its most famous members, the Kardashian family) not to take the endorsement last July, has continued to appear in ads and at appearances on behalf of Turkish Airlines. The basketball player most recently appeared on behalf of the airline this past weekend at the soccer game between FC Barcelona and Manchester United. Bryant attended the match in Washington, D.C., as well as 4th Annual Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra Celebrity Soccer Challenge.

"Turkish Airlines is very proud to work with Kobe Bryant, FC Barcelona and Manchester United," said Temel Kotil, CEO of Turkish Airlines, in a release. "Turkish Airlines believes in the importance of sports as a way to foster community worldwide, and we are pleased to sponsor a diverse group of athletes, teams and sporting events around the globe."

Travolta's work for Australia's Qantas Airlines is more on the lighthearted side. The actor, wearing his Qantas pilot's uniform, makes the opening comments in the airline's new safety video, shown to passengers before takeoff on each flight. "This is your captain speaking -- well, maybe not today," Travolta begins. He adds that "the guys on the flight deck and the greater team care just as much about aircraft safety as I do."

Air New Zealand hired Richard Simmons for a similar function. The flight procedures for "Air New Zealand" are revealed onboard in a three-minute short called 'Fit to Fly.' Simmons shares how to be safe and prepping for takeoff and landings. The video is also accompanied by a cameo from New Zealand-born television personality, Phil Keoghan, who is seen weekly on CBS's "Amazing Race."