# Should Actors Use The Products They Endorse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589 "2009-08-07T01:30:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/1 "2009-08-07T01:30:04Z")
You may remember the episode of _the Brady Bunch_ where the Bradys are chosen to do a commerical for _Safe_ laundry detergent. Then Mike gets on his high horse that because the Brady household doesn’t use _Safe_ they shouldn’t do the commercial. Why? They Bradys use _Best_ detergent because, well, as Carol says “_Best_ is best” Of course after they discover _Safe_ is newly reformulated the Bradys try it out and decide _Safe_ is better than _Best_ and try to do the commerical, except it’s ruined by Carol’s friend or niece or something named Myrna, not Myrna, MEER-NER Carter’s over acting coaching. I also remember someone asking Michael J Fox if he really drank Diet Pepsi and he indicated yes he loves the stuff. George Burns also indicated he ate Spam (by Hormel) all the time, (of course George admitted they gave him as much as he wanted for free). So my question is do you think that actors or at least famous actors should actually use the products they endorse? I mean not just because they get the product for free. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/2 "2009-08-07T01:39:21Z")
No. When they shoot a commercial they are doing a job. I do think people in political ads should believe in the candidates/causes they are endorsing. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/3 "2009-08-07T01:41:18Z")
Random actors, no. Celebrities, yes. If the company is trading on the fame of the endorser, then they should legitimately use the product. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/4 "2009-08-07T02:55:23Z")
If the product is going to be seen by the public, then yes, celebrities should use the product. These are products such as cars, clothes, watches, glasses, make-up, etc. If it’s something like laundry detergent, soap, or razors, well, these are things that are inside their home, and the general public does not normally see these things. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/5 "2009-08-07T06:06:59Z")
There was some game show host out here advertising a product to give you a hard on. There was some court proceedings about false advertising and he admitted he hadn’t actually taken it. Must have made him feel like a dick. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/6 "2009-08-07T10:53:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Random actors, no. Celebrities, yes. If the company is trading on the fame of the endorser, then they should legitimately use the product. That’s my viewpoint. It’s also my viewpoint when someone accuses a celebrity of “selling out” when he recommends a product; if he actually likes the product and uses it he’s not selling out \*\*, he’s just accepting money to state his actual preference. Selling out IMHO would be accepting money to promote something you _ **don’t** _ use or approve of; at that point you are compromising yourself for profit. \*\* With the exception of someone who formerly just plain opposed advertising until he personally could profit from it; then it’s selling out whether or not they like the product in question. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/7 "2009-08-07T14:53:28Z")
It looks like the [Federal Trade Commission](http://www.ftc.gov/speeches/rosch/090625roschendorsementspeech.pdf)wants to make sure that endorsements “reflect the honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experience of the endorser." But let’s draw a line between a personal endorsement and an actor simply playing a part in a TV commercial. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/8 "2009-08-07T15:33:35Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > There was some game show host out here advertising a product to give you a hard on. There was some court proceedings about false advertising and he admitted he hadn’t actually taken it. > > Must have made him feel like a dick. He only took the job because he was hard up. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/9 "2009-08-07T16:06:50Z")
In my opinion, it’s ONLY an issue if the person doing the endorsement is posing as some kind of expert, or is suggesting that he owes some of his/her success to use of the product. That is, if LeBron James does a commercial in which he says “Coors is the best tasting beer in the world,” everybody KNOWS that 1. He’s being paid to say that. 2. The “best tasting beer in the world” is a matter of opinion, anyway. So, if it turned out later that LeBron really drinks Miller, NOBODY has a right to feel cheated or deceived. On the other hand, if LeBRon does a commercial for an athletic shoe he doesn’t really wear, or for some other brand of fitness equipment that he doesn’t really use, THAT would strike me as deplorably dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/10 "2009-08-07T18:17:15Z")
There’s also the matter of not endorsing things the celebrity doesn’t believe in, or claims not to believe in. Naomi Campbell took some heat for doing an anti-fur ad, and later wearing fur in a product ad. Same thing with Cybill Shepherd: did a print ad for the Beef Council, or whatever they are, then did a Meat is Murder PSA. This is why celebrities need publicists. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/11 "2009-08-07T18:51:23Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > But let’s draw a line between a personal endorsement and an actor simply playing a part in a TV commercial. Yes. If the actor is simply playing a part, he’s under no obligation to use or prefer that product (though his conscience may rightly bother him if the product is dangerous, defective, or sucky). If a celebrity says, or strongly implies, “I [name of celebrity] use this product and think you should too,” it’s dishonest if he doesn’t actually use or like the product. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/12 "2009-08-07T20:04:28Z")
A few years ago, there was a radio disc jockey who was trumping up a diet drug that supposedly both he and his wife used and would always say how wonderful it was and safe and yada, yada, yada. Even while he was pushing this on-air, there were many rumors and lawsuits flying around about how bad this product was. Then, to nobody’s surprise, there was a huge scandal and not only was it proven to be ineffective, it was also proven to be dangerous. I emailed the disc jockey and said, “don’t you feel slightly guilty selling a product that was dangerous and useless?” He wrote me a scathing email back, telling me to mind my own fuckin’ business and he would continue to endorse any product if they paid him to do so. I figure that is probably the mind-set of most celebrities who push products on commercials. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/13 "2009-08-07T20:19:35Z")
If a famous actor claims to use, FUCK YES! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/14 "2009-08-07T20:21:01Z")
I always wonder if June Allyson uses or needs “Depends” or if Florence Henderson really wears dentures? ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/15 "2009-08-07T20:53:27Z")
Years ago, I drank a Pepsi expecting that I would turn into Cindy Crawford. Nothing happened, so I quit drinking the stuff. I never turned into Rodney Dangerfield. Had he started drinking it, though, the world would have two Cindy Crawfords in it. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/16 "2009-08-08T02:40:18Z")
There is another issue here. Nobody should help sell a bad or inferior product. People who don’t (and shouldn’t be expected to) know it is inferior have a pretty complete excuse. People with very limited options who are doing little to help sell a particular shoddy product, such as low level workers at a store that sells the product as one of their thousands of items, have little to feel guilty for. But appearing in an ad seems like an action that would often obligate one to exercise some discretion in choosing jobs that are more helpful than harmful. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/17 "2009-08-08T06:00:55Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > He only took the job because he was hard up. which is also why he never used the product ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/18 "2009-08-08T06:05:22Z")
I ONLY use the SIG AMT .308-caliber semi-automatic rifle because John David Carson endorses it, and I ONLY use Pirate’s Gold cologne because Elias Koteas endorses it, and ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/19 "2009-08-08T06:41:59Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I always wonder if…Florence Henderson really wears dentures? [Nope.](http://florencehenderson.net/) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589/20 "2009-08-08T07:51:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Random actors, no. Celebrities, yes. If the company is trading on the fame of the endorser, then they should legitimately use the product. This is my position, too. If the person is in the ad precisely because they are famous, and the product is trading on their fame in an effort to achieve higher sales, then they should use the product. For your regular, basically unknown actor who just does commercials, i don’t think it matters because the commercial does not rely on their presence for its sales appeal; they are basically interchangeable with any one of dozens of other actors. I basically don’t have much respect for rich and famous celebrities who shill products. I’m not interested in stopping them doing it, and it’s not something that keeps me up at night, but i think it’s basically pretty lame, and i’m always disappointed when an actor i like appears in an advertisement. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-actors-use-the-products-they-endorse/505589.md?page=2)