People remember the spokesperson, enjoy the story and share the video. But when it is time to buy, they cannot remember which brand the advertisement was for.
That is a costly risk: the brand has paid for attention without creating a clear reason for people to remember and choose it.
In analysis published on 26 October 2026, Kantar and Neurons describe how celebrities can draw attention towards themselves rather than the product. Kantar’s data also recorded higher average impact scores for advertisements combining celebrities with brand assets, particularly when continuing an established campaign.
Give the product a role that matters
The strategic decision goes beyond choosing the spokesperson. It also means deciding what role the product plays in the story.
If another brand could replace the product without changing the logic of the content, the script may not make the brand’s distinctiveness clear. Packaging, colours and familiar phrases also need consistent use, so that today’s attention helps people recognise the brand next time.
Before approving a script, ask: what will viewers remember about the product, beyond the fact that a celebrity appeared alongside it?
In your most recent advertising review, did the team spend more time discussing the spokesperson’s appeal or the reasons customers should choose the product?
Source: Kantar × Neurons, The New Rules of Creative Effectiveness, 26 October 2026.
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