Celebrities Corrupt Others
Celebrities and the media are everywhere, and people look up to them due to the power of their popularity. People can even develop a social connection with celebrities based on their performances on TV or in movies (Poppel). Fame can also certainly corrupt celebrities, who end up corrupting others, such as fans, through false acquisitions and fake advertisements. Although not all celebrities are used to advertise ideas or products negatively, some celebrities do advertise false information, which can lead to negative corruption of people and fans. Celebrities are constantly attempting to sell the audience something, whether it is a product or idea.
In some cases, this does not have a negative or changing effect on the audience but rather a promoting effect for something positive. For example, Disney Channel made a commercial featuring a number of Disney Channel stars that promoted planting trees and environmental activities to help save the environment (Disney Channel). The impact that the commercial made was positive because it made kids aware of the environmental problems in the world, but also offered them a way that they can positively contribute to the environmental movement. I believe this is a responsible way for the celebrities to use their power of popularity because it does not offer any false information to fans, and it promotes something positive that kids can do for free to help out the environment. Disney offered rewards as well to kids who pledged to go green with an opportunity to fly to Hollywood and meet the Disney Channel stars featured in the commercial.
On the other hand, celebrities can convince people of something that is false or advertise a product just for the sake of getting paid for it. For example, celebrities can sway voters to vote a certain way, even if who they are voting for is not right for the government or the celebrity has not done any research on the topic. Indian Bollywood stars are using the power of their popularity to encourage others to vote the same way they are voting (“Meet our Political”). Bollywood stars are used in campaigns for government officials by publically announcing who they will be voting for. The candidates for certain positions will go as far as paying celebrities to encourage people to vote for them because the candidates are aware of the power of popularity that these celebrities possess.
Celebrities behaving like this can cause high controversies between people, or some fans could stop liking a celebrity who will vote differently. A celebrity who says something that they are paid to say and do not actually believe what they are saying is irresponsibly using their popularity, which can come back and haunt celebrities. For example, if a reporter asks the celebrity why they are voting for a certain candidate and they do not have an answer, then fans know that the star is fake and could permanently damage their career. Celebrities can also advertise a product and act like they trust it, but in reality are just being paid to advertise the product. The celebrity could easily have no idea how the product works or if it is a trustworthy product.
In a Nivea magazine advertisement, singer Rihanna is quoted saying, “I have known about Nivea since childhood and having come full circle, I want to share Nivea with my fans around the world,” which expresses that Rihanna approves and loves the product and is encouraging fans to buy it (“Nivea and Rihanna”). Rihanna advertises Nivea lip balm claiming that she has used it forever, but there is absolutely no evidence of this. Rihanna could have gotten paid to advertise this product, much like other celebrities have done in the past and still do. False advertisement by celebrities is another way that celebrities often use the power of their popularity carelessly and just for the money. Doing this is not fair at all to the fans that have so much respect for these celebrities. I do not think that celebrities realize how much of an impact they make on ordinary people and die-hard fans who are greatly taken back when they find out about their favorite celebrities doing these things.
Through the use of photo shop software, celebrities can also take part in misleading advertisements, which are essentially false advertisements. For example, actress Julia Roberts, one of my all time favorite actresses, starred in a magazine advertisement for Lancome Skin Perfecting makeup (“Do You Think”). Her skin in the advertisement looked completely flawless, but one look at her in person and there are all kinds of wrinkles all around her face. Even though she was wearing makeup in the advertisement, there is no way that all of those wrinkles could have been covered up simply by wearing Lancome makeup. I had more respect for Julia Roberts before I saw this advertisement because she allowed her picture to be photo shopped and not showing how her skin truly looked with only the makeup on. Eventually, Lancome cancelled the advertisement after too many complaints about the advertisement being misleading.
Corruption itself of any form can take place anywhere around the world, for the corruption network is organized across the world (Shleifer). Celebrities use their power of popularity to falsely advertise products or ideas more often than they advertise positive or true messages. The result of this causes corruption of people or fans due to celebrities using the power of popularity they possess in an irresponsible manner. If all celebrities could use their popularity in only a positive way, then celebrities would be more respected in the advertisement world. Works Cited Disney Channel. “Disney Channel Stars-Friends for Change-Disney Channel Official.
” Online video clip. Youtube. YouTube, 29 May 2009. Web. 9 Feb.
2013. “Do You Think These Celebrity Advertisements Should Be Banned?” Celebrity News. Celebrity News, 27 July 2011. Web. 8 Feb. 2013.
“Meet our Political Pied Pipers; Bollywood is Increasingly Taking an Active Interest in Matters that Concern the Common Man – Right from Standing Up to Corruption to Urging People to Cast Their Votes.” DNA [Daily News & Analysis] 6 Feb. 2012. Educators Reference Complete. Web. 9 Feb.
2013. “Nivea and Rihanna.” Nivea. Nivea, 16 June 2011. Print. Poppel, Johanna.
“The Corruption of Fame: Adrian Grenier Discusses America’s Obsession with Celebrities and Media.” University News. University News, 3 April 2012. Web. 8 Feb. 2013.
Shleifer, Andrei, and Robert W. Vishny. “Corruption.” The Quarterly Journal of Economics. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1993. Web.
9 Feb. 2013.
