By pairing a brand with a celebrity, a brand is able to leverage unique and positive secondary brand associations from a celebrity and gain consumer awareness, transfer positive associations tied to the celebrity onto the brand, build brand image and ultimately enhance the endorsed brand’s equity (Keller, 2008).

Celebrities not only sell products and brands, they in fact exert powerful influence across all facets of popular culture and public life, influencing consumer attitudes and perceptions (Time Inc., 2006). As such, celebrities increasingly are sought as endorsers for several brands within different product categories.

It has become a common practice to include a celebrity to increase brand recognition. According to some estimates, "14% to 19% of advertisements that aired in the United States in recent years featured celebrities that endorsed products and brands, and the number was over twice as high in certain foreign markets" (Elberse and Verleun, 2012).