page_title: Testimonial
section_title: Celebrity endorsements
hierarchical_section_title: Testimonial / Celebrity endorsements
caption_attribution_description: English: Advertisement of Vin Mariani with Pope Leo XIII The text of the poster reads: MARIANI WINE MARIANI WINE: quickly Restores HEALTH, STRENGTH, ENERGY &amp; VITALITY. MARIANI WINE: FORTIFIES, STRENGTHENS, STIMULATES &amp; REFRESHES THE BODY &amp; BRAIN. Hastens Convalescence, especially after Influenza. His Holiness THE POPE writes that he has fully appreciated the beneficient effects of this Tonic Wine and has forwarded to Mr. Mariani as a token of his gratitude a gold medal bearing his august effigy. MARIANI WINE: To be delivered free to all parts of the United Kingdom by WILLCOX &amp; CO. [address], and be sold by Chemists and Stores.
context_page_description: In promotion and advertising, a testimonial or show consists of a person's written or spoken statement extolling the virtue of a product. The term "testimonial" most commonly applies to the sales-pitches attributed to ordinary citizens, whereas the word "endorsement" usually applies to pitches by celebrities. Testimonials can be part of communal marketing. Sometimes, the cartoon character can be a testimonial in a commercial.
context_section_description: Advertisers have attempted to quantify and qualify the use of celebrities in their marketing campaigns by evaluating the awareness generated, appeal, and relevance to a brand's image and the celebrity's influence on consumer buying behavior.
  Social media such as Twitter have become increasingly popular mediums for celebrities to endorse brands and to attempt to influence purchasing behavior. According to a study by Zenith, social media ad spending was $29 billion in 2016 and is expected to rise to $50 billion in 2019. Advertising and marketing companies sponsor celebrities to tweet and influence thousands (sometimes millions) of their followers to buy brand products. For example, Ryan Seacrest (an American broadcaster) gets paid to promote Ford products. Companies that pay celebs to tweet for them subscribe to the Malcolm Gladwell theory of influence.
  Celebrity endorsements have proven very successful in China, where increasing consumerism makes the purchase of an endorsed product into a status symbol. 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."
caption: Pope Leo XIII endorses "Vin Mariani", a patent medicine containing cocaine
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