What Makes a Successful Celebrity Brand?

Stars are using their influencer status to launch their own products and capture more profits for themselves.

by

and

Matt Higgins

by

and

Matt Higgins

From the Magazine (May–June 2024) · Long read

David Milan

Why the Influencer Industry Needs Guardrails

What Makes a Successful Celebrity Brand?

Should Your Brand Hire a Virtual Influencer?

How Marketers Choose College Athlete Influencers

Summary.

Celebrities have shifted from endorsing established brands to being influencers for established brands to drawing on their influence to create brands themselves. The authors examine what it takes to make celebrity brands work.

In recent years Ryan Reynolds and George Clooney earned more money from selling their liquor brands, Aviation American Gin and Casamigos tequila, than from their movie deals. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, retired from sports, now generate significant earnings through the sale of their apparel and skin care lines, S by Serena and Supergoop. Rihanna and Dr. Dre make millions selling their own brands of cosmetics and lingerie and headphones, respectively.

A version of this article appeared in the May–June 2024 issue of Harvard Business Review.

Should Your Brand Hire a Virtual Influencer?

Relying on AI-generated personalities can be a low-risk, high-engagement strategy.

Ayelet Israeli is the Marvin Bower Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.
Jill Avery is a senior lecturer of business administration and the C. Roland Christensen Distinguished Management Educator in the marketing unit at Harvard Business School.
Leonard A. Schlesinger is the Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School, where he serves as chair of its practice-based faculty.
Matt Higgins is an executive fellow at Harvard Business School and a cofounder of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm. He is the author of Burn The Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential.

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Why the Influencer Industry Needs Guardrails

What Makes a Successful Celebrity Brand?

Should Your Brand Hire a Virtual Influencer?

How Marketers Choose College Athlete Influencers

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