Everything about Testimonials totally explained
» For the use of the term testimonial
in sport (especially football) see testimonial match.
In
promotion and of
advertising, a
testimonial or
endorsement consists of a written or spoken statement, sometimes from a public figure, sometimes from a private citizen, extolling the virtue of some
product. The term "" most commonly applies to the
sales-pitches attributed to ordinary citizens, whereas "" usually applies to pitches by
celebrities. See also
Testify,
Testimony, for historical context and etymology.
Written testimonials in the history of advertising
Testimonials are in the form of letters and ad copy featured very commonly in the advertising of
patent medicines in the 19th and 20th centuries. The pages of
almanacs and other promotional literature filled up with multiple testimonials,some with accompanying photographs, that tell of the healing
powers of the products in question. Dr. R. V. Pierce, marketer of
Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery, published
The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in
1875; its publication continued for forty years. In addition to a fair explanation of medical knowledge at the time it appeared, this book contained literally hundreds of testimonials extolling Pierce's nostrums, or talking up the virtues of Pierce's
Buffalo, New York clinic. Stern
photographs of women who owe the cure of their "female weakness" to Pierce's medicines accompany many of the letters. A
Denver, Colorado man's testimonial affirms that they put an end to his self-abuse:
» Case 461,306. Onanism. Melancholia; contemplated suicide.
Gentlemen — Having waited several weeks after finishing the last medicine, to see if there would be any relapse, I now send you a report of treatment. I believe I'm thoroughly cured, not only of poor health, but of all desire to abuse myself. I've regained health, spirits, and confidence. Am married, something I've long desired, but never before dared to attempt. Please accept my sincere thanks, gentlemen. Your medicine has saved me from a suicide's grave.
» ::: --- H., Denver, Col.
Not only anonymous persons, but occasionally politicians, entertainers, and other celebrities offered their endorsements to the vendors of patent medicine. The makers of
Vin Mariani, a
cocaine-laced patent medicine, secured one of the most valuable testimonials ever by receiving the recommendation of
Pope Leo XIII.
Queen Victoria also endorsed a number of patent medicines and other products, and the frequently-seen notices touting a manufacturer or a product "by appointment to" a monarch or his family continue the practice of royal endorsement in a somewhat more low-key manner.
Such coups came towards the end of the era of written testimonials. Later advertisers found that no one bothered to read the testimonials anymore; the sheer bulk of their numbers made them no more convincing or appealing. A warier public wondered whether these
anecdotes really proved anything, and often doubted their genuineness.
Health products remain one of the more prominent marketing segments in which testimonials retain some effectiveness. Due to the
placebo effect and to people's reluctance to expose their frailties to apparently remote and opaque medical doctors, cures for frailties both physical and mental, both real and imagined, continue to sell. A popular generic name for such quack nostrums has come about: "
snake oil".
Measuring the use of celebrities in marketing programs
Advertisers have attempted to quantify and qualify the use of
celebrities in their
marketing campaigns by evaluating their awareness, appeal, and relevance to a brand's image and the celebrity's influence on
consumer buying behavior.
For example,
Omnicom agency Davie Brown Entertainment has created an independent index for brand marketers and
advertising agencies that determines a celebrity’s ability to influence brand affinity and consumer purchase intent. According to the
Wall Street Journal, the so-called "
Davie-Brown Index" will "enable advertisers and ad-agency personnel to determine if a particular public figure will motivate consumers who see them in an ad to purchase the product advertised."
Celebrity endorsements have proven very successful in
China where, due to increasing consumerism, it's considered a status symbol to purchase an endorsed product. On
August 1,
2007 laws were passed banning healthcare professionals and public figures such as movie stars or pop singers from appearing in advertisements for
drugs or
nutritional supplements. A spokesperson stated: "
A celebrity appearing in drug advertising is more likely to mislead consumers, therefore, the state must consider controlling medical advertisements and strengthen the management of national celebrities appearing in medical advertisements." China had already banned its own athletes from taking part in any advertising and public relations work in
2006.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Testimonials'.
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