# Promoting From the Grave Marketers Are Turning to Dead Icons As Modern Spokespeople By Vincent Salera | Published 2009-03-13 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dead-icons-make-better-spokespeople-marketers-areturning-to-safer-celebrity References: [adage](http://adage.com/madisonandvine/article?article_id=135183) With all the unfortunate happenings lately with celebrities like Michael Phelps and Chris Brown, marketers are considering recruiting deceased [iconic brand ambassadors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oscar-mayer-brings-back) instead of mega stars who may turn on them without notice. *“You're not going to catch Elvis in a sex scandal, or Albert Einstein's not going to hit his girlfriend.”* Then again, do we really know for sure that Elvis is dead? **Implications** - It was discovered that only seven percent of the ads that aired during the 2009 celeb-filled Grammy Awards featured any celebrities. Using a [celebrity](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asahi-super-dry-unveiled) is risky for an [advertising agency](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/legitimate-you), but celebs also bring in a lot of profit. They just have to decide if it is worth the risk. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.2/10 - Popularity: 8% | Activity: 20% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Leaders](https://www.trendhunter.com/leaders) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Recruiting Deceased Brand Ambassadors:** Marketers are considering using deceased icons as brand ambassadors to avoid the risk of working with living celebrities. - **Decrease in Celebrity Endorsements:** Only seven percent of ads during the 2009 Grammy Awards featured celebrities, suggesting a decline in celebrity endorsements. - **Balancing Risk and Profit:** Advertising agencies must weigh the potential profit brought in by celebrities against the risk involved in working with them. ### Who This Affects Most - **Advertising:** The advertising industry can explore opportunities in utilizing deceased icons as brand ambassadors to mitigate the risk associated with working with living celebrities. - **Entertainment:** The entertainment industry may experience a decrease in celebrity endorsements, leading to a shift in marketing strategies and the exploration of alternative spokespersons. - **Consumer Goods:** Consumer goods companies need to evaluate the balance between the potential profit generated by celebrity endorsements and the potential risks involved. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Generational Musician Gin Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-toast-between-legends.md) - [Employee Fragrance Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lidl-fragrance-campaign.md) - [Influencer-Inspired Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tomcat.md) - [Unique AI-Generated Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skinny-mobile.md) - [Humorous Star-Studded Chip Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/call-of-the-mustaches.md) - [Celebratory Beverage Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/legendary-stories.md) - [Iconic Singer-Starring Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/saint-laurent-and-diana-ross.md) - [Classic Ad Campaign Revivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/seagrams-7-crown.md) - [Extraterrestrial Influencer Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alien-acquisition.md)