The power of celebrity is something that most global brands have come to recognise in their marketing activities. But vehicle firms have perhaps steered clear of celebrity endorsements for the most part. It’s hard to say precisely why this might be – perhaps they are concerned that if they pay a celebrity to endorse their product and that celebrity misbehaves in some way, their brand will be tarnished. But celebrities can add a touch of glamour to an industry that might more commonly be associated with squeaky brakes, oil changes, MOTs and finding a good deal on breakdown cover.
The Land Rover brand does not appear to have any qualms about harnessing the power of celebrity, at least not with Victoria Beckham, who has been only too happy to connect herself with Land Rover’s new Evoque SUV. While neither she, nor her design company, have been involved in the design of the Evoque, it appears that having her seal of approval is valuable to the success of the vehicle.
Indeed, recent sales figures show that the Evoque is doing rather well, and helping to prove that the purchase of the UK company by Indian firm Tata was a wise one indeed.
While details are scant, there is to be a special edition of the Evoque that will be designed – one might imagine in a superficial way – by Mrs Beckham herself. Until then, we will have to be happy with images of her draped across the Evoque – a model that earned the title ‘SUV of the Year 2012’ by US publication Motor Trend.
Time will tell if celebrity endorsement becomes a more common occurrence in the motor industry – and the perceived success of Victoria Beckham’s involvement with the Evoque will surely be closely scrutinised by automotive marketing managers around the globe.
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