A study by research firm NPD Group on the use of celebrities to help sell services and merchandise reveals a host of surprises. NPD asked which of 87 named celebs, all of whom have appeared in
advertising in the last year, left a positive impression. And which, alternatively, left consumers with a negative impression. The best celeb endorser, according to the study, is Ty Pennington, host
of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Also having a positive "purchase impact" in the study was James Denton of "Desperate Housewives." On the other hand, celebs who were a turn-off to
consumers includes a not-surprising laundry list of lesser lights: Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, Kate Moss, and Donald Trump. The most recognized pitchman in the study was Tiger Woods, who also
scored high on the positive-impact rankings.
The New York Post's Holly Sanders, who wrote this story, offers her own take on the NPD Group's study: "With all the celebrity endorsers these days,
it's a bit of a surprise that none of those mentioned are considered A-listers or command top ad rates."
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