Ever walked through a department store (or a Sephora) and felt bombarded by celebrity-endorsed products?

It’s a popular marketing strategy, and Thursday’s launch of Billie Eilish’s “Your Turn” fragrance is just the latest example.

Of course, this is NOT a new phenomenon.

We’ve seen celebrity endorsements with everyone from pro athletes to movie stars, as long as those have been actual things.

But it’s become much bigger. In the 80s, we had supermodels. Now, glam queens like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell been replaced by diverse personalities from Ariana Grande and Michael Jordan to … Billie Eilish.

They push not just perfumes, but every kind of product imaginable. Many celebs are deeply involved in, if not owners and co-creators of the brands they market.

My question is: what can you, an innovator without a household name, take away from these high-profile launches?

It’s tempting to dismiss celebrity endorsements as simply leveraging fame.

But there’s more to it than that.

These campaigns usually tap into something way deeper: a carefully cultivated persona.

A persona is not who the celebrity is in real life. It’s who we SEE them to be.

Billie Eilish is a great example of a persona that’s more than a singer-songwriter; she represents a specific aesthetic, a sense of individuality, and a uniquely human connection for her fans. And her new fragrance is bigger than a scent; it’s an extension of that persona.

It’s the promise of an experience her audience has yearned to be a part of.

And that is where the real lesson lies for us non-celebrities.

You probably don’t have millions of Instagram followers.

But you do have the opportunity to build a more powerful connection with your target audience.

It starts with leaning into their values, their aspirations, and what resonates with them on an emotional level.

How does your product or service fit into ideal customers’ lives?

What desirable feeling or experience does it regularly evoke?

What long-term desired future state do you enable people to finally achieve?

How can you translate THAT feeling, fit and experience into visuals that show buyers a Coveted Condition worth daydreaming about?

Remember, fantasizing and daydreaming is the absolute easiest job our brains can do.

When you were bored at school, or when you’re fast asleep, it’s what you slide effortlessly into. Those easy, recurring reveries are what makes buying a product a non-negotiable need.

In I Need That, we dive deep into that “flip” from want to need. Celebrity endorsements can create want, but lasting success comes only when you fulfill a deeper need.

Think about it: Eilish’s fans are craving (and in their minds, needing) a piece of her world, a way to express their own identity through a connection they already feel with her. And through Eilish’s perfumes, a further sensory connection can be added to the visuals and sounds they love.

By the way, I think the name “Your Turn” is brilliant. It tells fans they’re next in line to receive (or achieve) something great. It’s intended to feel that personal, powerful and inspiring, just through wearing the new perfume. Maybe it will catalyze something.

Action for today: Now forget the fame game. Focus on the why behind your product. What core need does it address? What feeling does it inspire? How can you build a brand that resonates with your audience on a personal, experiential level?

Want to explore the levers you can pull to create that powerful connection with your audience? Graphos Product has helped innovators like you for over 30 years. Let’s talk.

Laurier

Product Payoff: While the Billie Eilish fragrance launch will undoubtedly benefit from the artist’s huge fame, its long-term success hinges on more than just her name. It depends on whether the product itself delivers on the promise of the brand, makes people feel good about themselves, and feels right to the target audience. Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds launched in 1991, and still sells a bottle every 15 seconds — 14 years after her passing!