Celebrity use and representation in TV commercials on Lebanese channels

Abstract

With the constant increase in the influence celebrities and stars seem to exert on their audiences, their use in TV commercials has become a worldwide advertising practice. To many, celebrities are idols that viewers look up to and emulate, possibly thinking that by doing so their goals of achieving a semblance of popularity and fame will be achieved. Through celebrity endorsed TV commercials sets of meanings and values are being infused in the minds of the audience (McCracken, 1989). Thus, celebrity commercials can affect societies and cultures due to the meanings that are being transmitted. Marshall (2006) believed celebrity culture became a crucial element of contemporary culture and an instrument that facilitates grasping the culture (as cited in Sun, 2010). Celebrities are tools, used to help transmit messages of brand recognition or purchase motivation. As discussed in the Meaning Transfer Model, the set of meanings they carry is used to support the purpose of the commercial (McCracken, 1989). For that reason the method of content analysis is used in this thesis to examine the ways celebrities are used in to promote a product or an idea or a message in the TV commercials broadcasted on Lebanese TV channels. There is an examination, description and analysis of the representation of celebrities in TV commercials. The objective of the study is to analyze the way celebrities are used in the commercials broadcasted on Lebanese TV channels. On the hand, results show that celebrities are used in a variety of ways to help carry the message of the commercial. Women are used in several ways. Whether they are represented in control or in a stereotypical role, they are still portraying passivity and limited empowerment. In the commercials aired on Lebanese stations, advertisers use Western celebrities to transmit Western values such as individualism, while Lebanese or Arab celebrities are used for collective messages. Global, highly-known brands, such as Lancôme and Giorgio Armani, use Western celebrities that are known worldwide to feature in their ads. They employ them to transmit connotations of individualism and independence knowing that they will easily penetrate the local market. A comparison between the Arab celebrity endorsed commercial and Western celebrity endorsed commercials is done to show the stereotypical way Lebanese and Middle Eastern celebrities are employed. On the other hand, gender portrayal is present in all ads whether Western or Lebanese, and articulated by celebrities. Thus, the thesis presents a detailed description of the portrayal of celebrities in commercials and the ways they are used to support the advertisers purpose and plan.