Celebrity Endorsement Fouls
Previous-
Getty Images
You can land an endorsement deal worth millions just for being famous. Just be seen wearing a particular designer or drinking a certain beverage. How easy is that? Apparently for some celebs, not very.
Charlize Theron/Raymond Weil
The Oscar-winning actress is being sued by the Swiss watchmaker for breach of contract. The $20 million lawsuit claims Theron didn't live up to her end of the deal where she would only wear Weil's high-end watches.
Next Up: Rachael Ray -
Amy Sussman, Getty Images
Rachael Ray
Dunkin' Donuts
Back in January, Rachael Ray reportedly had a hissy fit when an assistant handed her a Dunkin Donuts coffee to drink between takes of a Dunkin Donuts commercial. According to a food blog, the domestic diva reportedly demanded that someone "bring me MY coffee" (a Starbucks café) before continuing. Also in May, an online advertisement was pulled after conservatives complained that the scarf she was wearing was too similar to a kaffiyeah, once popularized by late PLO leader Yasser Arafat.
Next: Cybil Shepherd and James Garner -
Getty Images
James Garner and Cybil Shepherd
Beef Industry Council
Back in 1986, the Beef Industry Council of the Meat Board and the Cattleman's Beef Board signed Cybil Shepherd and James Garner as celebrity spokespeople for their $30 million PR campaign to promote meat. In theory it was a great plan. But they ran into a PR nightmare when Garner underwent heart surgery (guess he like that red meat a bit too much) and Shepherd admitted that she didn't eat meat.
Next: Paris Hilton -
Reed Saxon, AP
Paris Hilton
Her own shoe line
You would be hard pressed to find a young star who is photographed more frequently than Paris Hilton. Besides both being a blonde tabloid fixture, she has her own line of shoes, Paris Hilton Footwear. Not that she is photographed wearing them often, which apparently no one told her is part of the idea of being a celebrity with your own shoe line. If Paris (whose shoes, like her own foot come in size 11) never bothers to wear their own brands, why should anyone else?
Next: Sean Combs -
Gary Gershoff, WireImage
Sean Combs
Ciroc Vodka
Last year, P. Diddy signed a deal with London-based Diageo, a beverage brand that includes Ciroc Vodka that could reportedly earn him $100 million. But while in Londontown, according to a British tabloid, the hip-hop impresario blew some $164,000 on 17 magnums of Moet Rose, six magnums of Dom Perignon champagne and plenty of Sputnik vodka. According to a Diageo spokesperson his deal includes "the commitment to promoting responsible decision-making when it comes to drinking."
Next: Jennifer Aniston -
Gregg DeGuire, WireImage
Jennifer Aniston
Glaceau VitaminWater
Jennifer Aniston doesn't endorse many products so when she signed a lucrative deal to promote Glaceau Vitaminwater it became major news. But when a 7-storey billboard ad appeared on Sunset Boulevard, featuring the former Friends actress and stated that, "I love the reflection of water (but what I drink is a reflection of me") there was plenty of chattering in the blogosphere. A tabloid reported that Aniston was back to smoking Marlboro Lights – which reportedly drove Brad Pitt crazy – not quite the lifestyle choice that Glaceau promotes.
Next: Lindsay Lohan -
James Devaney, WireImage
Lindsay Lohan
Ariva nicotine gum
When Lindsay Lohan was photographed in late 2007 carrying a pack of Ariva nicotine gum, it was reported that she has signed a five-figure endorsement deal. It seemed like perfect timing for the wild child actress, who reportedly was suffering with a cash shortage. But when she was photographed smoking while vacationing on the Italian island of Capri; Ariva denied any business dealings with Lohan.
Next: Angelina Jolie -
Mark J. Terrill, AP
Angelina Jolie
St. John's
It came as some surprise when the actress-turned-activist signed an endorsement deal with conservative designer St John in 2006. "I am a working mother who has set goals to accomplish a lot in this world. I want my wardrobe to be beautiful, sexy and comfortable — all at the same time. St. John is all of those things," Jolie said. At January's Screen Actors Guild Awards she wore a Hermes gown and then at the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscar-winner dazzled photographers in a green Max Azaria dress.
Next: Britney Spears -
John D McHugh, AP
Britney Spears
Pepsi
When Britney Spears' 2-year, $7 million dollar endorsement deal with Pepsi ended in 2003, the pop tart had yet to experience her protracted and well-documented fall from grace. In that respect, the company who claims to be the choice of a new generation was well ahead of the curve. But perhaps PepsiCo knew something that the rest of us didn't; according to one tabloid report, while attending a rehab center, Spears could only drink soda or water, she revealed her penchant for Coca-Cola – reportedly downing two dozen cans a day.
Next: Martina Hingis -
Franka Bruns, AP
Martina Hingis
Sergio Tacchini
Once upon a time Martina Hingis was an endorser for Italian sneaker maker Sergio Tacchini but after a few injury-plagued seasons in 2001 she filed a $40 million lawsuit against the company, blaming them for her damaged feet. Although the suit was dismissed by a Manhattan Supreme Court judge a year later, the damage was done: in May 2008 the company, which has outfitted kicks for tennis champs like John McEnroe and Pete Sampras, filed for bankruptcy.
Next: Teri Hatcher -
Dan Steinberg, AP
Teri Hatcher
Hydroderm
Teri Hatcher was sued for $2 million by Hydroderm last year when the cosmetics company accused the Desperate Housewife star of failing to live up to her contract. Hydroderm claimed in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that Hatcher talked up CityLips lip gloss (made by Hydroderm's competitors CityLips) when she should've been spouting about them. But Hatcher left them pouting when she counter-sued and the case was settled out of court.
Next: Charlize Theron -
Peter Kramer, AP
Charlize Theron
Raymond Weil
Oscar-winner Charlize Theron was also accused of breach of contract by Swiss timekeepers Raymond Weil, who said the South African-born actress was seen wearing – gasp! – a Dior watch! According to the lawsuit, filed in February in New York, Theron was supposed to wear only Raymond Weil watches 24/7 365. The company wanted their "substantial funds" returned.
Next: More from WalletPop -
More from WalletPop:
The Best Brand Pitchers
Celebrity spokespeople have long been a favorite marketing tool of companies with products or services to sell. Some stars fit the bill so perfectly, that they became nearly synonymous with the brands they were paid to pitch.
From Brooke Shields and her Calvin's to Mark Wahlberg and his, click through our gallery as we count down our top 25 favorite celebrity pitchmen of all time.
Top 25 Celebrity Spokespeople EverRelated Links:
PERSONAL FINANCE
- Bargains
- Banking
- Budget
- Calculators
- College Finance
- Community
- Credit
- Deals
- Debt
- Economizer
- Food
- Home
- Fraud
- Insurance
- Interest Rates
- Loans
- Mortgages
- Real Estate
- Recalls
- Recession
- Retirement
- Saving
- Simplification
- Specials
- Taxes
FROM THE BLOG
- Ask WalletPop
- Consumer Complaints
- Daily Deal
- Fantastic Freebies
- Kids and Money
- Mortgage Confidential
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Relationships
- Ripoffs and Scams
- Sex Sells
- The Dolans
INVESTING
- Stock Quotes
- Stock Charts
- Stock Ticker
- Portfolio
- Stock Screener
- Broker Center
- Mutual Fund Center
- ETF Center
- Money
- 24/7 Wall St.
SMALL BUSINESS
GoodNites Underpants sample
Click here to fill out a form to receive a free sample of GoodNites Underpants. According to the company:Bedwetting is more common than you think. Kids need to know they're not alone - 5 to 7 million...
Snuff out the standby mode, save money and planet, say inventors
You'll see it all over your house: that little red light on your television, your DVD player, your kitchen stereo, your coffee maker. Every electronic gadget and doodad that has a remote control has...
Where the jobs will be: Obama's green energy economy and you
One of the most poignant lines in Max Ehrmann's Desiderata is the advice that one should "Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time."...
New York busts shady tax preparers
When consumers think about tax fraud, they typically think about the individuals who fail to report all their income or who take bad deductions. Many times the professional tax preparers themselves...
Why I'm holding on to my CostCo card
My name's Jennie Phipps and I'm a shopper addicted to Costco. Costco isn't much to look at -- just cement everywhere. But the quality of the merchandise vs. the prices please me and I'm apparently not...
