Celebrity Endorsements 2012

Did you see who stumped for Obama today? Did you? The answer is Bill Clinton, Jay-Z, and Bruce Springsteen. Yeah, the Boss, HOVA, and the other Boss. It got me to thinking about all the celebrity endorsements this election.

The first time I thought about the celebrity endorsement game was when I saw that I could donate $5 to Obama’s campaign and possibly have dinner with George Clooney, airfare included. Uh, yes, please. But then the celebrities just kept coming. Dinner with Beyonce and Jay-Z. Michael Kors. Ellen. Neil Patrick Harris. Alec Baldwin (little ironic, no?). Morgan Freeman (who also voiced an ad).

Was that one-sided? Clint Eastwood. Kristi Yamaguchi. There.

The endorsements, isolated and taken at value, probably don’t matter all that much. I like Alec Baldwin, but I wouldn’t base my vote on whom he endorses. What matters is the way celebrities perform the act of endorsing. Is it timed well? Does the candidate approve of it? Does the celebrity appear with the candidate or just throw around some hollow words on Twitter? Or does he or she take a photo in a Baywatch-red swimsuit with the American flag and plaster it everywhere? That last one is my favorite.

Tips for Endorsing a Candidate:

Be relevant.
Know your facts. Be ready to show your knowledge of the candidates’ views, but don’t spew the facts just for the sake of doing so – let someone ask.
Major plus if the candidate acknowledges your endorsement, but never bank on it.
Host a dinner, volunteer at a rally, or support a charitable cause of the candidate.
Clothing/accessories with messages are optional, but should be original and thoughtful. Bonus points for affordability.

What ended up being the best endorsement? Or is the game more about volume?