Why Consumers Trust Celebrity Brands, And Why They Walk Away

Celebrity brands are everywhere, from cosmetics and fashion to wellness and alcohol. But do consumers actually trust brands created by celebrities, or are they mostly seen as cash grabs?

We went straight to the source: real consumers across demographics, talking openly about how they discover, trust, buy, and sometimes walk away from celebrity brands. 

Before a consumer sees a single product, their gut says cash grab. The brands that win aren't the ones that avoid that suspicion, they're the ones built to earn their way through it.

Celebrity Likability helps a lot, actually. 

"It has to be a celebrity that I like. If you like a celebrity, they could be selling pencils. It doesn't matter. You're going to support them." Female, 48 | RemCal Insights

A 23-year-old we spoke to had been watching Selena Gomez since childhood. That connection made her pay attention to Rare Beauty from day one. However, she still waited for the liquid blush to go viral before she bought anything. Likability gets consumer’s attention, but doesn't close the sale. 

“I've been watching Selena Gomez in Wizards of Waverly Place since I was like eight years old. I feel like a connection to her as a figure... For me, Rare Beauty and Selena Gomez are synonymous. Her products, her face, her story, they're inseparable." Female, 23 | RemCal Insights Interview

So, what actually does? 

Real people. A 35-year-old male found IM8 through ChatGPT research. Beckham showed up in his journey, but what made him buy it was third-party testing and nutritionist endorsements, not the name on the label. Similar comments were seen for the other categories, including celebrity alcohol brands.

"I'm more inclined to buy something if it's an everyday person or a micro-influencer. Less conflict of interest. It feels more genuine, these are real people like me." Female, 23 | RemCal Insights

Consumers Can Always Tell the Difference Between a Founder and a Figurehead. Even When They Can’t Explain It.

"One is like their baby, and one is like a job. Like a little side hustle they care about, but it's not their own." Female, 48 | RemCal Insights Interview

"With Millie Bobby Brown, it just seemed like a whole team was doing it, and her name was just slapped on it. Whereas Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, they're the heart and soul of the company." Female, 48 | RemCal Insights Interview

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What Separates Celebrity Brands From Celebrity Businesses?

Beyoncé's Ivy Park is the clearest example in our data. Premium pricing, a brand named after her daughter, and she was rarely seen wearing it. The reputational association made the disconnect worse, not better. Rihanna is the opposite. She once released a highlighter that didn't perform, addressed it publicly, reformulated it, and came back with something better.

"She addressed it [formula problem], reformulated it. Sometimes it's not what you do, it's how you do it." Female, 48 | RemCal Insights Interview

That accountability did more for loyalty than the original product ever could. Scandals follow the same logic, therefore, when a person talks about it, it is somehow survivable, but when they are silent, it kills the brand. And anything that touches a consumer's actual values is a quiet, permanent exit.

"I really try not to spend my money with people who don't align with my ideologies. If she aligned herself with extremist speech or behavior, that would be it." Female, 23 | RemCal Insights

And when it all works? The celebrity disappears from the pitch entirely.

"I don't think I'd lead with David Beckham. I'd lead with the quality of the product and my own testimonial. The Beckham conversation would just be layered in, like, hey, fun fact." Male, 35 | RemCal Insights

That's what a healthy celebrity brand looks like from the inside. The name got them in, but the product kept them. Now they're recommending it to friends without mentioning the celebrity at all. So, fame creates access, character creates loyalty, and only the product creates value. The brands worth backing are the ones building for all three.

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RemCal Insights helps investors and brand founders understand what consumers actually think, before it shows up in the numbers.

Investing in a brand? Let's find out what your consumers really think, first.