The Jessica Simpson Phenomenon
I never subscribed to People, The National Enquirer, or any other celebrity magazine. I don’t watch E!, Oprah, music videos or attend concerts (except for Buffet). I don’t buy CD’s and although I do downloads from i-Tunes, it certainly isn’t for pop music.
Celebrities have a way of getting their name out even if you live in a cave. I can see it now: one caveman walks in to a cave with a club in one hand and its prey in the other and tells the other caveman, "Did you hear about the latest Jessica Simpson song?"
Forget about Simpson the music star. Sure she debuts at the Grand Ole Opry later this week and launches her latest album with a country flair. Big deal. I’m talking about Simpson the business woman.
We have sold her hair extensions going on 3 years and although sales have slowed, we have sold more than $1 Million of the stuff. Simpson’s first fragrance launched recently and she already has her own handbag, shoe, and accessory line. Bras are next. Then dresses. And perhaps the world.
The question I have is "what makes a celebrity a celebrity and why do we bow to them?" We are gossip-driven and love the lust, the slime, the gritty. is it about fantasy? One thing is for certain, celebrity-driven business is great for many industries.
Which brings me to the obvious question: What can a celebrity do for our business? Tammy Taylor in the day was the celebrity for nails but she had her own company and pitched her own products. Simpson doesn’t sell a single product on her website except for some ring tones and wallpaper (can you believe?).
In hair care, we mostly have seen hairdressers who do celebrities come out with their own product line which is hot for a brief moment and then dies off. Fekkai was the most "celebrated" of them all but then sold to Proctor & Gamble (you can now buy his hair color for home for $30). Jonathon on Bravo was fun until he got into products and I think both his locations closed.
Which celebrity would you love to see for the nails? For hair? For spa? How cool would that be?
Happy Wednesday and Come on Over!
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:41 am
For hair, it’s got to be Cousin It from the Addams Family.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Jessica Alba for Nails, Scarlett Johanason SPA
Kiera Knightly, Eva Longoria HAIR
Heather Locklear and Janice Dickenson for Botox
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:00 pm
All the girls from “The Hills”. Plus Brody Jenner and his buddy Frankie! You know for men! Hot!
They know how to work the program. There not even famous but everyone knows who they are. What they wear, and where they are hanging out!
They have made a brand by doing nothing but looking there best!
PS!
No Spencer! LOL
If you watch the show you will know what I mean!
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I agree with Nic! The Hills cast would be great! Jump on the celeb gossip train Larry! It brings a little faux excitement to our normal boring lives, LOL.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:52 am
jessica alba~ skin products
Vin Diesel~ hair. LOL
I love j. simpsons’ shoes and purses!
September 8th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
We have a mascot for our company. But we should also have a spokesmodel. For the whole entire company… I love that we got involved with the gossip girl of Detroit. But we need someone like that here! PR/VJ of Nailco! Instead of brining the client’s and stylist to the industry, We bring the industry to them!