Fashion brands might want to think twice before hiring Kim Kardashian as their spokesperson.
According to a report on celebrity endorsements from research firm Spotted, the reality star is the riskiest choice of ambassador for retail companies.
“Even though Kim Kardashian supports over 22 charities and causes, she lacks consumer trust and is perceived risky among consumers,” the marketing firm said.
Spotted calculates a celebrity’s “risk score” by factoring in their past offensive behavior, political views and public scandals, along with how long it took for the star to bounce back from poor PR and the probability that similar polarizing incidents will occur again.
In Kim’s case, the firm pointed out the beauty entrepreneur’s multiple social media controversies, including her defense of makeup vlogger Jeffree Star’s racist comments in 2017 and the sexy Instagram photo Kim recently shared that was snapped by her five-year-old daughter, North West. Both, according to Spotted, constitute “inappropriate public behavior.”
The report also revealed that stars within the Kardashian family and its inner circle typically garner the lowest consumer approval: both Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin were among the bottom-five celebrities who could harm a partner brand’s image.
