Listening to Bono

I recently wrote about Bono and I just came across his guest Op-Ed in The New York Times. After reading that Bono has backed both conservatives and liberals, I was skeptical about his motives to support so many politicians. However, his opinion piece is very thoughtful and articulate. I recommend that you read it.

Bono is skillful in his delivery. First, he is able to convince any American who has doubted Obama's Nobel Prize that the president is not only deserving, but that his award is indeed the beginning of our ability to promote international growth, stability and peace. By the end of the article, he makes you believe that it's not just Obama that we're talking about, but America's reputation and everything it stands for. It's America and its tried and true legacy as a successful democracy that will allow us to strive towards the eradication of "extreme poverty, extreme ideology and extreme climate change." His article becomes rather uplifting and patriotic, making it hard to disagree with him. He mentions America's good standing in the world and even adds in a little self-deprecation about celebrities:

"That’s why America shouldn’t turn up its national nose at popularity contests. In the same week that Mr. Obama won the Nobel, the United States was ranked as the most admired country in the world, leapfrogging from seventh to the top of the Nation Brands Index survey — the biggest jump any country has ever made. Like the Nobel, this can be written off as meaningless ... a measure of Mr. Obama’s celebrity (and we know what people think of celebrities)."

What does this all mean? I think Bono is not only able to continue to uplift his image with his inspiring words, but he seems to become the master of celebrity endorsers. He is able to shift from one political group to another, from politician to politician, and still remain an effective spokesperson. I think this is quite fascinating compared to the very entrenched politics of the United States and the inability for many high-profile government leaders to move from one side to the other with the ease that Bono does. Bono possesses the ability to move seamlessly throughout the political world because he does not attack sides. He possesses the mass appeal that is needed for successful celebrity endorsements. Even though he was endorsing Obama, his integration of the American legacy into his article enabled his message to hold meaning for many people.

In his support of various kinds of politicians, Bono is also constructive in his commentary and for that reason, people listen. It isn't about Bono, it's about what he has to say. I'm stressing this because this is another important aspect of celebrity endorsements. For example, in the past, Pepsi dropped both Beyonce and Britney because the celebrities received more attention than the product. Their celebrity detracted from the product so completely that they lost their delivery and in turn, lost their deals with Pepsi. Bono, on the other hand, is able to use his celebrity power, to truly deliver his message. When reading the Op-Ed, I forgot that the words were coming from a world-renown musician. This is what makes a successful endorser.

Celebrity for a Cause

This week, Bono spoke at the Tory or Conservative Party conference in the U.K. The opinion article, entitled, "Why do politicians--including sadly, the Tories this week--fawn over Bono, a smug hypocritical, whining, tax dodging mounteback?" is rather humorous as Quentin Letts questions Bono's record number of public appearances and his peculiar involvement in political life. Over the years, it seems as though Bono has mastered the ability to skillfully maneuver the complications of partisan politics and put himself into good graces of George W. Bush, Obama, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair...

Aside from absolutely taunting Bono and his political activism, the article brings up an interesting point. Celebrity endorsements are usually constructed with the desire to sell something. However, do these powerful political figures really need Bono as a selling point? Does Bono put himself in the spotlight to promote himself and his own music? Two years ago, Bono was one of the stars who worked to promote the RED campaign.

This brings about another dimension of celebrity endorsements. Yes, celebrities offer a face to a cause, whether it be political or philanthropic, but does it bring a great deal of rewards to the celebrity as well? Many celebrities are well known for the causes they promote. According to a BRANDWEEK survey, individuals were able to most easily recall Lance Armstrong's battle with cancer and his LiveStrong campaign, while others were familiar with the works of Brangelina. Brad Pitt helped rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, while Angelina Jolie is well known for her work with UNICEF. Other top celebrity causes include: Tiger Woods (The Tiger Woods Learning Center/Foundation), Bill Gates (for various causes), Al Gore (global warming), George Clooney (Darfur), Michael J. Fox (Parkinson's disease) and Peyton Manning (PeyBack Foundation).

I think that celebrity associations with causes are almost as common as celebrity presence in ads. In fact, the other day, I just saw Gwyneth Paltrow in a public service announcement, in which she calls upon viewers to volunteer in their community. In the ad, Paltrow says, "The biggest blessing in life is to realise your personal power. Community work brings families closer together. Doing good for others, doing positive action always comes back around and enriches your life. It's the biggest gift you could give yourself. Please join us in volunteering."

What does this all mean? I think that if the celebrity is promoting a good cause, then they automatically reap the benefits of possessing an image as a philanthropist (ie. Brangelina), but this might backfire as this is a rather transparent approach (which may have evoked such criticism of Bono in the opinion piece). It seems as though most people agree with this: 68.8% would only commit to the cause if the celebrity had been personally affected by the cause they were promoting. This must mean that celebrities endorsements for causes certainly help their image, but only to a certain point. That's right celebrities, we know what you're up to!