Wealthy consumers are not impressed by celebrities. That would appear to be the essential message emanating from a new study by the Miami-based American Affluence Research Center, a marketing and
economic data service. It's an important message for marketers to keep in mind when planning their advertising campaigns, because for so many years a large number of companies have relied on the
power and influence of a familiar face to help them sell their products and services to a celebrity-crazed American public. Almost 500 respondents were asked their buying habits in nine product
categories, including golf equipment, financial services, designer apparel and cosmetics. About 22 percent of women said they had been influenced by a celebrity in their purchasing habits. Among the
men, only 19 percent said they had been influenced in their golf purchases, and 11 percent had taken celebrities into consideration when buying women's designer clothes. No other products were
mentioned by more that 8 percent of the men. "For the most part it's not a particularly productive way to promote a brand," said the research center's president, Ron Kurtz of celebrities. "I have a
feeling it's because affluent people are more sophisticated and skeptical consumers. They know celebrities are getting paid."
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