Survey: People Distrust Celeb Endorsements

Even though people say they are skeptical of celebrity endorsements, a majority would still assign at least some blame to the spokesperson for a product that fails to meet their expectations — something that could damage the reputations of celebrities who associate their names commercial goods.

In a recent Morning Consult poll, a plurality of people — 36 percent — chose the “not much” option when asked to what degree they trust celebrity endorsements of products, while 20 percent said they have no trust in such pronouncements. Young adults, however, are more amenable than Generation X and baby boomers to seeing a superstar hock a product. Thirty percent of millennials said they give some credence to celebrity advertisements, and 18 percent said they trust those spots a lot.

Politicians are trusted even less than celebrities: 32 percent of poll respondents said they have no trust in an ad with a politician endorsing a product, compared with 37 percent who said don’t have much trust in those ads. While the poll doesn’t indicate how people feel about a celebrity-turned-politician endorsement, previous polling showed that people who voted for President Donald Trump tended to follow his preferences on what brands to like.

While a plurality of people — 39 percent — assume a person endorsing a product knows nothing about it and is only appearing in the spot for personal gain, poll respondents also say they hold that person responsible for their pitch.

The poll was conducted from May 2 through May 3 among 2,225 adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent. See full results here.