Big Celebrities and Adverts - Greedy?

[greeenscreeen]

Hello! Wasn't sure where to put this (first thread I've started). Have wondered about this for a while, but just saw a Sky advert that featured Idris Elba so thought it's finally time to ask.

Why do such big name celebrities do adverts? David Beckham has seemingly done LOADS recently. Currently the "brand ambassador" for Hugo Boss - if you haven't seen the current half-naked, sweaty pull-ups, sofa-lounging advert then consider yourself lucky! Also ads for Stella and Nespresso (previously George Clooney was their "ambassador"). I'm sure there are many more examples of big name celebrities doing this.

Now if they were noble causes I would absolutely understand their reasoning and purpose. But they're not! They just fecking brand adverts. There's no supporting good causes, recognising ethical companies, helping non-profits, displaying good morals...

So WHY?! These people have more money than any of us could ever imagine. They're household names. Instantly recognisable. Why on Earth do they feel like they need to do these jobs?!

So my AIBU.
I think they are greedy, attention seeking, narcissistic, (perhaps) immoral pigs desperately trying to stay relevant, even though they are already pretty "relevant" (aka, famous). AIBU?

YABU - They are doing perfectly reasonable jobs for a reason other than greed/attention.You can never have enough money.

YANBU - They're vile idiots.

(Ooops, that got long, sorry! 😬)

I think that the celebs are BROKE

Beyonce doing ads is so weird to me. And the Beckhams - its like, aren't you already super wealthy?

I think that their endeavours aren't doing so well (bar Kim k with skims). I feel like there's much less money in tv, movies and music these days x

Clooney needs the money to pay for acting lessons. Have you seen that awful coffee advert?

They do it because it’s minimal work for lots of money.

I think there are potentially a few different reasons here some like the Beckhams don't need the money but probably want to stay relevant and in the public eye. It's all they have and whilst it's easy to think they could just retire, they could buy it is young to retire and fade off into the sunset. Then there are the actors like Idris who are rich but not mega rich and to keep that rich lifestyle is expensive so adverts offer a lot of money with minimal filming time, they also mean he's in the public eye so more relevant and likely to be offered roles.

Because humans are inherently greedy it’s how we survived so part of the human condition?
Celebrities chase money the rest of us shovel in food despite not needing so much.
Start looking around you and you will find everyone takes more than they need for an adequate life.

I judge the ones that will let their name or involve themselves in programmes sponsored by online gambling and assume they have no moral compass.

George Clooney and Idris Elba are actors, so these are probably just ludicrously well paid acting jobs that don’t take up much time. I don’t see the issue!

Celebrities doing adverts generally doesn’t bother me except for specific types of adverts, where vulnerable people can lose a lot of money, eg gambling and payday loans (when they were a thing). Anf ESPECIALLY especially when they are using their reputation as, for example someone someone sensible who has numerical nous to do that (yes I’m looking at you Carol Vordermsn)

The only one I find surprising is Judi Dench and the money ad.

I think celebrities should be careful regarding the products they promote - they are using their own public image and reputation to sell, so if I was in that position, I'd not promote anything that I didn't feel was a 'good' product.
I wouldn't sell loans or funeral plans or anything where the company has caused environmental damage or used exploitative labour practices.

I think an actor advertising a tv company is different (and not unreasonable) to a celeb selling financial products for ex (unless said celeb has researched and is confident the products are genuinely helpful).

I guess even rich celebs feel their work is precarious and it can't hurt to have more money and exposure.

I think their lifestyles are a lot more expensive so they need to have money coming in all the time to maintain it.

A good friend is married to a very big British soap star and he makes a lot less money than I thought and does a few extra bits like panto just to keep things ticking over.

I guess to flip it on its head: for example when idris elba makes the ad: all the people involved backstage are getting paid too - it’s keeping a lot of people in work. Big money paid to him = him paying more taxes which benefits all of us. It’s not something I could get upset about personally.

Well I for one consider DBs fancy pants advert a public service tbh.

But also ..: if you were offered daft money for easy work, are you telling me you would really, honestly turn it down? After all, there will be hundreds of people less better off than you who would call doing that "greedy ".

A lot of sports stars & actors have money rolling in in their youth & get used to a very expensive lifestyle. The work can dry up considerably as they age but they still have those costs and these ads can be easy money.

I don’t necessarily blame the celebrities here…companies court them because of who they are and the impact they think it will have on their brand and sales, and offer them a lot of money to do it, for minimal efforts. That feels like a no brainer for me. For the celebrity, money aside, it offers more exposure and other possible future work opportunities. When you strip it down, it’s just a job to them. It doesn’t bother me really.

According to the NME, Clooney used his Nespresso money to watch over a Sudanese dictator!

https://www.nme.com/news/film/george-clooney-nespresso-advert-money-interview-sudan-dictator-satellite-twitter-viral-2581918

It's their job. They get offered jobs and decide which they want to take. If you were an interior designer and were offered a huge fee for a design job that took a couple of days, it wouldn't be greedy to take it. It'd be a no brainer. And come to that, ads are often a good payday for designers, directors, and all the crew too, which enables them to take other jobs for less money that are more meaningfull.

Indeed, someone like Clooney who also does passion projects in indie film where he'll defer and/or lower his fee to help the project get made, will do ads so that's possible. They often say they'll 'do one for you and one for me' ie a commercial gig that then makes it possible to do a personal gig.

Both things keep the industry going and mean all the crafts get work. In these tough times for film and tv (half out of work at least), big names are more vital than ever to get projects greenlit, so it's good that they're busy and things are getting made one way or another.

So yabu to take a moral high ground on it, not understanding how the system works. But even on a human level, it's not greedy to work for a fee someone is willing to pay - someone who has done the sums and calculated that it's worth their while. Acting, music, sport etc are notoriously fickle and even for the big names it could all be over tomorrow and they'd have to fund their teams and families etc. Don't forget Beckham bankrolls Posh's fashion career which never turns a profit.

What they do with their money and how they earn it has naff all to do with me (as long as it’s legal).

(my favourite is Samuel L Jackson advertising Warburtons)

@Hhoudini I like those Warburton adverts! I also chuckle every time I see the Yorkshire Tea advert with Sarah Lancashire.

I don’t need to work, I could rely on my husband and current pension pot and have a decent quality of life. But I like nice holidays and a big house. I imagine it’s similar for celebrities on a far more glamorous level! Many of us could probably stop and maintain an okay quality of life but it’s human nature to want to improve it. They might also enjoy it.

In a similar vein - though not greedy - Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is also a commercial pilot. He leant to fly as a hobby, and loved it so much when not working with the band he worked for an airline taking passengers on holiday. So he spent 3/4 of his time flying which earned him 1/4 of his income and a 1/4 of his time as a rock star earning 3/4 of his income.

I think this is wonderful!

This is a really interesting way of looking at it, and definitely makes it sound like a more positive move in general.

I also understand the comments about lifestyles and celebrities not necessarily being as rich as we may think.

Nothing can convince me that David Beckham is anything other than a self-absorbed greedy pig, though, and must say I'm very surprised by the poll results!

They do it because they can and being well.paid to do it.

A famous face helps sell a product, you'd do the same if you could.

David Beckham would advertise ANYTHING.

The Beckham's are so greedy and no money can ever be enough for them.

They are so vulgar.

When Carol Vorderman advertises debt consolidation with FirstPlus and equity release with Sun Life, that to me, speaks volumes about her character.

Not concerned with Beckham's underwear tbh.