"Celebritism", if that's even a word...
February is an important month in many households, not just mine. I love this time of year because the weather is cool, the craziness of the holidays is over, and I can focus on what comes next—the colliding of two worlds, at least in my household. Fashion Week and the Super Bowl take place in the same month, meaning there will be plenty of conversations at our dinner table.
Personally, what I like about these celebrations is not the buzz they create but how they bring people together. Either by interest, passion, or both, all of us who are interested in one or both events converge in a shared experience of a moment that will not only give us something to agree on (hopefully) but will provide us with topics to talk about, for quite some time.
This year, Super Bowl Sunday was as big as usual. The excitement and expectation around this sports event were palpable everywhere, with people planning watch parties as soon as the winter holidays wrapped up. For Americans, the Super Bowl is more a show than a game, with everyone looking forward to its various festivities: from the game to the get-together with friends, the halftime performance, and the commercial ads. Oh, the ads… To me, it is the most fun part of that particular Sunday. I am not a football fan, so I am the type of person who enjoys the Super Bowl because of the get-together and the commercial breaks. I don’t watch the game; I watch the ads.
Creativity and Fashion
Being a creative person, anything related to creativity connects with me and sparks my attention. Creativity is not only beautiful but also magical. It is something every human being is capable of, and when it takes place, the whole human race benefits from it. Creativity allows us to express ourselves, connect with each other, and push all of us forward. It is the force that makes us break from conventional ideas, paving the way for transformation and innovation. It serves as a catalyst for progress and shapes our journey. If you think about it, our future and our evolution lie in the hands of creativity.
Creativity must be nurtured and cared for. Creativity tends to breed more creativity, generating this positive cycle that entertains and benefits our lives while designing our future. It challenges and inspires us in a way that nothing else can. When I watch the Super Bowl ads, I expect to be blown away by the most impactful and out-of-the-box-thinking ideas that ride the Super Bowl frenzy. My expectation from these ads is for them to set a new standard in branding and communication.
I have mentioned time and again how fashion is a mirror of our collective life. At the same time, it expresses the zeitgeist and serves as a beacon, clearly communicating our values, concerns, and hopes. In fact, fashion is so deeply connected to us and our surroundings that many issues begin taking place in the fashion world before they move on to other industries. Historically and in recent years, I can cite several examples, from diversity and inclusion to cultural appropriation; the list is long and varied. I adore that characteristic of fashion; it is so profound, meaningful, and useful. It serves so well.
Creativity vs Celebritism
While watching this year’s Super Bowl ads, I was immediately transported to the same feeling I get while navigating the non-stopping coverage of the celebrities attending the Fashion Week runway shows. It was gut-wrenching to see this same situation that has been taking place for years now in the fashion industry affecting the sports industry as well.
But, as I mentioned before, fashion is truly a compass. And that compass is pointing towards this increasing and concerning trend, which is the elevation of celebrity status to a degree that overshadows everything around it. This issue, which many of us call “celebritism,” is a present and growing concern. With the runway shows, it overshadows the fashion ideas. With the Super Bowl, it overshadows the commercial ads. In both cases, celebritism is often placed above the creativity that makes the essence of these events, an essence that can potentially take those industries and our society further.
It is concerning, to say the least, to watch this happen. It is disappointing to see our society follow suit to this nonsense. For some time now, the presence of celebrities in Super Bowl ads has become almost obligatory. Many brands seem to rely on the allure of fame to capture more attention, just like many fashion brands are relying on famous faces sitting on the front rows to create more buzz. My question to this is, does this truly create more connection? Are we focusing on what is truly important? Are we really powering genuine creativity?
Creativity over Celebritism
This does not mean, in any way or form, that brands should not invite famous people to their shows or include celebrities in their advertisements. Indeed, celebrities can exponentially expand the reach of a story or an ad campaign by increasing the strength of the message’s voice. Combining the power of creativity and the force of a celebrity’s popularity can make a revenue-killing formula. Consider, for instance, Amazon’s Alexa ad from some years ago, where Alexa lost its voice, and Jeff Bezos recruited several celebrities to fill in—five world-renowned names, to be exact. The concept was simple yet unique and hilarious, capturing the audience’s attention and leaving a lasting impression.
People couldn’t get enough of it, and what was more important, everyone recalled the ad and the brand. And guess what? While everyone recalled the message and the story, no one could name every celebrity that participated. You were able to name a couple, but not all of them. This was because it was not about the big names but the idea and its message. This proves that it is imperative to recognize that brands cannot and should never rely on celebrity endorsements for their messaging. Effective communication and genuine connection are built upon storytelling, and storytelling thrives on creativity.
Celebritism, Celebritism, Celebritism
Many argue that a commercial ad that features a celebrity will have more impact and thus be remembered more than one that doesn’t. That may be true, but I wonder, does this help or detract from the true goal of the brand? When an ad relies its messaging and creativity on the famous face it is featuring, will people remember the brand or the celebrity? And moving further, doesn’t this create this never-ending cycle of brands feeling pressured to invest more in securing celebrity endorsements rather than developing truly innovative and memorable concepts? This seems like a very dangerous Pandora’s box to open…
A very similar situation has been taking place in the fashion world during Fashion Week. When the coverage of the show prioritizes celebrities in the front rows, and the event organizers choose to seat famous people over buyers or critics, we recklessly allow celebritism to overshadow the artistry and craftsmanship showcased on the runway.
This intentional placement bolsters the idea that celebrity presence is more important than the creative essence of the event. This phenomenon not only detracts from the designer’s work but also perpetuates the notion that fashion is about endorsements rather than artistic expression or groundbreaking ideas. In addition to this, and this is how these cycles only get more twisted, the focus on celebrities can further create a deeper problem. In the same way we see similar actors or players in Super Bowl ads, certain celebrities may dominate the front rows of fashion shows, resulting in a need for more diversity in representation and perspective. And while we do all this, we pout when society takes fashion for granted because it calls it fake and shallow!
The True Essence
It is no wonder that while all this is taking place, we are seeing some underdog events grow exponentially in their attention and respect. While the mainstream Fashion Week cities are still dominant, other smaller ones are taking flight and gaining traction. Take Copenhagen Fashion Week, for example. Every year, its importance and influence leave a more profound mark on the industry and, more importantly, the customer base. This is because they focus on the true nature of what brings their followers together: the showcasing of new and groundbreaking fashion ideas. While they may have influential people attending their runway shows, the soul and attention of the event rely on the fashion being showcased. It is all about it, on and off the runway.
Fashion spoken by established voices and fashion spoken by emerging talent. Everything revolves around those fashion ideas that are meant to change the course of the industry. These underdog events focus their attention on what matters most, the actual fashion conversation, while at the same time providing a platform for old and new voices to speak their truths. I have seen this in Copenhagen Fashion Week, Madrid Fashion Week, and Mexico Fashion Week, to name a few. Attending and watching these events is absolutely eye-opening. Championing where the focus lies, which is innovative ideas and emerging talent, seems to be a nice starting point.
Conscious Individuals
Of course, like with many other issues in life, this is not just about what the event does but also about what the public reacts to. Fashion followers and consumers should become more discerning and conscious. Rather than blindly following the celebrity-driven narrative, we should support the brands and designers that prioritize creativity and storytelling.
With our purchasing decisions, we have the ability and the power to let the fashion industry know that what needs to be celebrated and rewarded is true creativity. Last but not least, let’s talk about the media’s role in this. The responsibility of publications and outlets is not only to inform but also to provide a space for new and different points of view that open our minds while challenging the status quo.
The media should be one of the most fervent supporters of up-and-coming talent, constantly searching for new voices that enrich existing conversations. They should continually look to discover those who come up with the most unconventional ideas that change the course of the industry because their job is to shine a spotlight on new perspectives. The truth of the matter is that by diversifying the narrative, we can create a more inclusive, rich, and interesting cultural landscape.
Celebrate True Creativity
I have heard many voices within the fashion industry speculate that Mercedes Benz’s decision to withdraw sponsorship from big fashion weeks like New York had more to do with values and less to do with finances. According to some, the famous car brand, which pioneers and fosters creativity in design and innovation, is choosing to focus its attention and budget on more fertile grounds like Madrid or Mexico Fashion Week. While these grounds may seem smaller today, the impact of this shift could potentially be greater and, thus, more meaningful. Although there is no evidence to support this speculation, it surely makes you wonder.
How celebritism overshadows the creativity showcased in Fashion Weeks and the Super Bowl ads highlight the very concerning and detrimental trend of prioritizing fame and fortune over innovation. But if we are able to come together and address this issue, there is still the chance of reclaiming the true essence of creativity, ensuring that it continues to thrive in both industries. Our present and future generations deserve that we change the course of this practice. Instead of bowing to shiny facades, let’s worship the real magic: the boundless potential of human creativity.
