Celebrity Bags: Celebrities and Brand Association

I’ve always wondered about this and I might as well raise the issue and ask the question right here, seeing as this blog could very well be the perfect avenue for discussion. Do you think certain celebrities do more damage than good to certain brands once they begin to “publicly patronize” them? 

Let me bring up an example. Or two. Or more :).

Sometime in late 2011, it was reported that Abercrombie & Fitch was willing to pay Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” and his cast mates to cease wearing A&F. Because apparently the company felt that the association with the Jersey Shore cast could do significant damage to their brand! Whether that was a PR move (which would’ve been genius because it did get media interest) or not, the question remains– are there really celebrities out there who do more damage *infamy* (than add popularity) to brands they wear?

Remember how much publicity those received? For a period, the spotlight was on the bag rather than on the ladies who carried them 😀  *Ok not really, but imagine the bag becoming famous/ infamous as a result*

Of course the Hermes birkin’s popularity was never cemented due to these 2 women– the bag was already more than secure in its cult/ iconic status even before it got that kind of publicity. What I still wonder to this day is how Hermes really felt about their bag being paraded for the world to see as the women went to court to answer charges against them at the time. From Hermes’ end, there was of course,  no comment 🙂

And then what of Snooki’s love for Gucci and the photos of her carrying that bag?

Photo credit: Pacific Coast news via StyleBistro.Com

I do wonder what the folks at Gucci were really thinking of when they saw these photos (and the videos of her parading the bag around town…

Or the Mob Wives’ Drita D’Avanzo (who, while somewhat entertaining to watch at times, is just way too snarky and catfight- happy for my taste. I do find her pretty though :D).

Photo Credit: Zimbio

And nowadays of course there are the Kardashian girls who have been out and about with their Celine bags. Kim was seen carrying her Celine Phantom while out on a date with Kanye West after her quicky marriage which ended up in a quicky divorce. (I have to say Kim’s gorgeous though :D)

Some fashion pundits have lamented that it’s time to move onto another bag style after the K sisters began carrying Celine *I know, ouch, right? LOL I still love my Celine!*. Others choose to emulate their style choice and line up for one  (or a few :D).

And I do wonder about conservative brand Chanel’s reaction to this. Will we see Khloe Kardashian “dressed” by Chanel anytime soon?

How’s that for prominence? 🙂

However, it is quite funny that the Kardashians would carry bags (before the Chanel, Celine, and Hermes bags, there were the Balenciagas) other than the ones from their own K line (which are, I’m sorry to say, very cheap- looking *but not exactly cheap in price* copies of brands that they are seen carrying). Come on, ladies, carry your own bags! Or are they too bugly even for yourselves?  After all, the best way to strengthen your own brand’s image is to carry the merchandise from your own brand! Hello, isn’t that Marketing 101? (ok but what do I really know, I never took Marketing classes back in college, hah!)

Author Dana Thomas (of Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster) is quite right that perhaps some brands “are cringing but are silently ringing up sales”. I think brands won’t really complain– especially if their bottom lines continue to expand as a result of the publicity and association with these celebrities. Which is probably why you hear no official comments from the brands. And as is the best way to deal with something “controversial”, refrain from making comments.  I think it’s a really smart move.