Weight loss programs are well-known for using celebrity spokespeople to get others on board. Weight Watchers has brought on stars like Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Hudson and Oprah. For Jenny Craig, it’s been Jason Alexander, Queen Latifah and of course, Kirstie Alley. The list could go on and on. The point is, celebrity spokespeople are integral parts of many weight-loss programs.
In this $40 billion industry, with millions being spent specifically on celebrity spokespeople, the stakes are high for which stars to choose. With Kirstie Alley and Oprah parading through commercials now, who could be next?
As an important note, I am in no way suggesting that the following celebrities should or need to lose weight. I am only showing the correlations between those actively trying to lose weight, and the celebrities they admire the most. And with that said…
Hello, It’s Adele
Given that almost everybody is a fan of Adele, this may come as no surprise. How could you not be a fan? However, it turns out that those trying to lose weight favor her more than those who are not trying to lose weight – by a significant margin.
A whopping 49% of people actively trying to lose weight are fans of Adele.
In contrast, our preliminary research suggests that only 21% of those trying to lose weight are fans of Oprah – Weight Watcher’s current and long-standing spokesperson.
Even still, Oprah has already brought Weight Watchers millions of dollars. With over twice the popularity, imagine what Adele could do.
The Infamous Seth Rogen
Though male spokespeople for weight-loss programs aren’t all too common, they may be more important than advertisers think.
Of U.S. Adults actively trying to lose weight, 46% are men. Of these men, who might they prefer as a spokesperson?
As you can see, 61% of those who have a favorable view of Seth Rogen are men living with someone struggling to lose weight. The number rises to 69% among women. Though this question entails more general household weight-loss data, the numbers are relevant regardless, especially when looking at the general population.
Only 44% of the 57,000 people we asked have a favorable view of Seth Rogen, meaning that those who live with someone struggling to lose weight favor him by 17-25% more.
In other words, Seth Rogen is a big hit among those who are struggling to lose weight or live with someone struggling to lose weight. Therefore, he may be the perfect spokesperson, especially given his popularity among men and women.
The Biggest Winner
Favor among the general population and among those trying to lose weight differs, as we’ve seen. Taking those differences into account may help weight-loss programs choose more applicable spokespeople. At the end of the day, the program with the spokesperson who resonates most with those trying to lose weight may find the greatest success.
Perhaps weight-loss programs, such as Weight Watchers. have already approached these stars. If not, now may be a good time.
