Once upon a time, celebrity status rank was determined by number of magazine mentions or tabloid write ups. In today's wired world, it looks like the new star gauge is determined by eBay rank.
The Times of India ambitiously reported that the most eBayed celebrity of the year was supermodel-turned-designer, Kate Moss. There were around 30,480 items related to the 33-year-old Brit, most of which were items from her TopShop fashion line.
Second most eBayed celebs were the Spice Girls at 26,458 items, Britney Spears was third with 19,996 items, 16,052 Amy Winehouse-related items were sold (including beehive wigs!)
Aside from single icons, other celebrity-related memorabilia made tremendous waves on the auction site: 202,081 Harry Potter-themed items were sold.
Topping all themed charts, however, were Nintendo Wii-related items, 644,874 of which were sold in 2007.
Celeb Status Determined by eBay?
Kate Moss Tops Most eBayed List of 2007
Trend Themes
1. Ebayed Celebrities - eBay rank becoming a determining factor for measuring celebrity status, presenting opportunities for celebrities to leverage their popularity and create merchandising lines.
2. Celebrity Memorabilia - The sale of celebrity-related memorabilia on auction sites gaining popularity, providing opportunities for brands and retailers to collaborate with celebrities and create exclusive merchandise.
3. Themed Merchandise - Themed merchandise, particularly related to popular entertainment franchises like Harry Potter and Nintendo Wii, experiencing high demand on auction platforms, indicating potential for brands to create unique cross-promotional merchandise.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - Opportunity for fashion brands to collaborate with celebrities to create exclusive merchandise and drive sales through auction platforms like eBay.
2. Entertainment - Entertainment industry can explore partnerships with auction sites to create and sell merchandise related to popular franchises, increasing brand engagement and revenue.
3. Retail - Retailers can tap into the trend of celebrity merchandise and themed products by offering exclusive collaborations, attracting customers and driving sales.