Have you heard of pretend celebrity Brett Cohen? Wanting to walk a day in the shoes of the rich and famous, Brett Cohen hired body guards, assistants and photographers to walk around with him in Times Square in July, 2012. The result was a mob of people who were incredibly excited, even if they weren't exactly sure why.
Despite Brett Cohen not being known for anything (sorry Brett), he enticed over 300 people to stop and grab a picture with him. Not only that, folks who were interviewed just made things up about his non-existent celebrity career. You would have thought that Justin Beiber was in town.
Through this interesting and funny social experiment, pretend celebrity Brett Cohen may have found the thing that will catapult him into Internet stardom. After all, he is apparently the talk of the town -- haven't you heard?
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Pretend Celebrity Photo-ops
- Opportunity for individuals to offer fake celebrity experiences to those seeking social media worthy photo ops.
- Influencer Marketing Tactics
- Brands tapping into the fake influencer trend by partnering with pretend celebrities for their campaigns.
- Authenticity and Transparency
- Growing consumer importance on being transparent and genuine may lead to a decline in popularity of fake celebrity experiences.
Where This Applies
- Entertainment
- Entertainment companies can offer pretend celebrity experiences for those seeking unique and fun experiences.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Advertising agencies can leverage pretend celebrities for campaigns to bring attention to their brands.
- Social Media
- Social media companies can create virtual experiences with pretend celebrities to enhance user engagement and drive users to their platforms.
