"Dude, you're gettin' a Dell!"
It's amazing how much an actor's face or character can stick with us after a successful ad campaign. These ads get played so much that they conquer a shockingly large chunk of people's memories. However, as the character's popularity grows, it becomes easier and easier to forget that behind the character is a real person. This longread looks at the lives of several commercial actors whose careers exploded with the success of certain ad campaigns.
"Branded for Life" by Felix Gillette
Published in Business Week, September 27, 2012
http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/73298-branded-for-life
Eric
Does the person behind the character really matter though?
ReplyDeleteMatter to who?
ReplyDeleteFor the purposes of the marketing campaign, the person behind the character doesn't really matter -- in fact, as the article indicates, it's better for the business if the actor is more or less invisible outside of the commercial persona.
That said, one of my favorite types of longreads are ones that open my eyes to storylines that we don't normally think about. Because these actors typically try (or are forced) to stay out of the spotlight, it's easy to forget that they are real people. I also think it's interesting to think about how hitting it big in commercial acting can have negative implications for that actors career going forward. Ss these actors say, the hit commercials are still a net positive for them, but I enjoyed this article for making me aware of something I hadn't really thought much about before.
Eric
Right but my interest in the article is not impacted by if it opens your eyes. So setting that aside...Seems to me these guys get a pretty good gig while it lasts. To me the fact they are real people is no more relevant than sports or movie stars being real people, they are out there for our entertainment. And before i would feel bad i'd ask, if not for the market and our entertainment where would they be?
ReplyDeleteAlso, you have a big head.
My hope, dear reader, is that articles that are intriguing to me will also be intriguing for you. Sadly, this won't always be the case, but I appreciate your loyal reading despite the fact that I don't have a perfect batting average.
ReplyDeleteI think these commercial actors are different from athletes and movie stars precisely because they are enduring only in the form of the persona. Movie stars go from movie to movie and play different roles. Athletes change teams and do interviews and are often celebrated for their individuality.
Commercial actors are largely valuable only insofar as they do not have individuality outside the character. And I'm not saying that I feel bad for them, but I did find it interesting to read about how profoundly serving in one of these roles can change an actor's career (both positively and negatively).
My head is of average size, but despite our disagreements on this point, I thank you for your comments.
Eric
not saying this wasn't interesting...
ReplyDeletethink about actors that are type cast though such a will ferrel or vince vaughn (typically comedy). though they may change movies they are always the same "persona"
That's an excellent point. I think a lot of actors or actresses can get typecast into a particular persona that can be very one-dimensional and stifling.
ReplyDeleteEric
Also, think how hard it is for artists to move across mediums. A lot of times, when actors try to become musicians (even if they're very talented) they aren't accepted by the public. An actor stays an actor. A musician a musician.
ReplyDeleteIt's as if we want our celebrities to remain inhuman. To only excel at one thing we can compartmentalize and advertise. Is it better for business?
Does this happen in other fields too? It is hard to imagine Jeff Bezos quitting his job and putting out a platinum record. But for some reason, it would be more acceptable in our society for this to happen than for Brad Pitt to open an online mega-store...maybe?
I think it does have more to do with advertising than anything else. If a musician has wide appeal, then he or she can become a tool for advertising in a crossover role (for some reason Ice Cube and Ludacris come to mind, but I'm sure there are other examples). Even though their acting will never win them awards, they are still able to build on their own career essentially piggybacking off of what they did in music.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think your Bezos/Pitt point is probably true for the reason discussed in prior comments -- Bezos doesn't have the kind of "persona" that Pitt does. He's mainly just regarded as a smart and shrewd businessperson. If he can also make music, well, that makes sense, he's a talented guy. Whereas the skills that make someone a great actor or musician aren't necessarily considered to be the type that would help someone succeed in business.
Eric