The science and art of celebrity branding

WHEN Carlos Alcaraz won Wimbledon, Rolex bought full page advertisements in major newspapers around the world to congratulate him. In Singapore, we see Loh Kean Yew endorsing Grab in bus stop ads and Kim Kardashian lounging in a larger-than-life poster on a Dolce & Gabbana storefront.

Advertising a brand through such associations is both an art and a science. Companies need to consider a wide range of factors to determine whether or not a person is the right fit. A faux pas can result in widespread criticism or ridicule on social media, and may cause greater harm than benefit to the brand.

When homegrown bank DBS splashed its logo prominently on the chest of top Indian badminton players such as Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty at the BWF World Championships in August, this ignited discussions on social media over whether an iconic Singaporean brand should back foreign sports players over the national team.