Do Companies Really Need Celebrities to Speak for Them?

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In Korea, it is hard to miss celebrities in advertising. Actors, actresses, and singers appear everywhere—on billboards, TV commercials, subway screens, and online banners. For cosmetics, food, or consumer goods, this makes sense. These are emotional, lifestyle-driven products, and celebrities help create aspiration and familiarity.

But I often find myself confused when the same faces appear in advertisements for apartments, retirement pension plans, semiconductor companies, or even B2B logistics and shipping firms.

What exactly are they selling here?

These industries are built on trust, expertise, reliability, and long-term performance. Yet instead of engineers, researchers, or industry professionals, companies choose famous actors to represent them. The message becomes vague: Is this company innovative? Safe? Profitable? Or simply popular? The presence of a celebrity does not answer these questions.

At times, it feels less like branding and more like borrowing fame. The company’s identity fades into the background, replaced by a well-known face that has no real connection to the product or industry. For technical or B2B companies, this can even feel counterproductive—almost silly—because it raises doubt rather than confidence.

Perhaps companies believe that familiarity equals trust, and that trust can be transferred from a celebrity to a brand. But trust built this way feels shallow. In industries where credibility truly matters, reputation should come from proven technology, transparent performance, and knowledgeable people—not from star power.

I cannot help but wonder: do these companies genuinely believe celebrities represent who they are, or are they simply afraid to speak in their own voice?

Sometimes, the strongest image a company can project is not fame—but clarity, competence, and confidence in what it actually does.