I have read several articles about celebs receiving huge payments for appearances at charitable events. There are several articles on the internet about said payouts and celebrities demanding huge amounts of money to show their faces at charity events (even the ones that may be "close" to their heart)...snort. Hopefully, this is not the case with most celebrities, but I guess we really will never know what really goes on. As for the swag celebrities receive, I have never really complained, I understand how important marketing is and giving away a $1000 worth of baby swag is a whole lot cheaper than buying an ad in a national publication.

It is a marketing tool so why not use it. I'm sure it helps up the sales of items that we see celebrities using. It would be nice for more to go towards charities, etc but I totally understand the mechanics of it.

I personally would not be more inclined to buy something just because a celebrity uses it.
Buying something just because your favorite celebrity has it is simply pathetic. Make up your own mind.

And I would probably be less likely to buy something from a company that participates in giving it away free to celebrities just for the publicity. I would buy a lot from a company that gives it away to people who truly need it.

I have always understood why they do it. It's great publicity for a company but that doen't mean I have to agree with it.

What is the "cause" you mention in your article? Is it marketing? I wouldn't exactly call that a cause! I doubt any of these companies give to celebrities for any reason other than increasing their revenues. If a product is truly genuine, useful, and yes, it can be fashionable too, then it should sell on its own.

So basically celebrities have to be bribed into attending charity events by the promise of free goods? Nice.

I understand the marketing aspect of it but to pretend it is for "good" is silly.

I have personally gifted celebs through my company www.bellaziza.com and see it as a very useful tool if and when photos do get published of someone wearing our exquisite baby barrettes. It's not so much that consumers will fall into line to buy a product JUST because they see it being worn by their favorite celeb, it's more that people will be like 'oh that's SO cute and where can I get one?'.

"It's not so much that consumers will fall into line to buy a product JUST because they see it being worn by their favorite celeb, it's more that people will be like 'oh that's SO cute and where can I get one?"

Then test that theory and have some giveaways. Let some everyday people in different places pass on the word about all these fine swag products. There are still people who will ask a stranger where they got a nice bag, outfit, etc.

I dunno, at this Boom Boom Room event, it's kinda hard to take it seriously when there are nonstop shots of the same people, such as Kim Porter, scooping up as much as their arms can carry with big, "I don't want to be here but I get free stuff so here I am" grins

I totally agree with J. The celebs just want free stuff. Period. And the companies giving it to them want free publicity. Period. It is product placement pure & simple. I get why they do it, but it seems so tacky of the giver & the taker. It has nothing to do with "bringing awareness" to a charity. Who knows how much of the stuff we see celebs using is what they actually purchased versus what they got for free. And it is ridiculous they are given so much when they have the money to buy it all.

I own a kid's shop and to be honest any time I've carried something that was "seen on" a celebrity baby, it's never helped because if they don't like the celeb, they then don't like the product. Sometimes I'd cringe when the company would trumpet an unliked celeb owning it-I'd NOT tell customers because it actually hurt the product. Items customers see on another everyday person or hear great things about from everyday people is what sells.