HOLLYWOOD’S biggest stars including Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Lopez have relied on social media to earn big bucks amid production shutdowns in the pandemic.
The Friends actress gets top dollar for sponsored ads after joining Instagram just a year ago with racking in approximately $750,000 plus a chunk of the product sales.
Fans may have noticed an influx in celebrity brand partnerships popping up on their newsfeed in 2020 as Covid-19 shut down films and TV shows.
In order to garner a revenue stream outside from their normal paychecks, big names have changed the way they use social media – with some who did not previously endorse products now posting sponsored content on their pages.
Jen Aniston, 51, made her Instagram debut in late 2019 and after months of sharing personal selfies with her famous pals, she has now made the transition to endorsements.
The Golden Globe winner announced last month that she became a Vital Proteins ambassador and showed off the health products by hugging a large basket full of them.
According to experts in the industry, that one post earned the actress around $750,000 plus a portion of the sales.
While JLo, 51, is no stranger to social media, she recently began endorsing products from businesses other than her own – including beverage Super Coffee.
She posted an ad for the “positive energy drink” as she stunned in a beautiful shot holding a can in her home’s kitchen.
The triple threat – who boasts 134 million followers on the app – cashes in approx. $675,000 with additional royalties.
Selena, 28, is one of the top paid people on the app as the sixth-highest followed person with a staggering 197 million watching her internet feed but rarely ever posts a sponsored ad.
However, she broke tradition this month as she posed with a pair of Puma shoes on the floor near her Christmas tree.
Due to the public interest the former Disney Darling has garnered the past decade of her career, her recent sponsored post for Puma Suedes earned her about $850,000 plus potential bonuses for sales spikes.
Quantico star Priyanka Chopra, 38, scores a big payday as well when she posts ads to her nearly 60 million followers.
Nick Jonas’ wife flaunted an alcoholic seltzer drink, Bon V!V, earlier this month and is said to have cashed in approx. $295,000.
Other stars who have began hawking products this year include Serena Williams – who partnered up with car brand Lincoln.
Drew Barrymore was seen eating Black Forest Gummies on her feed, while Rachel Bilson posed with an Amazon Firestick.
Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown may only be 16, but she earned approx. $155,000 for her recent post promotion Converse shoes.
Actor, comedian, writer, producer and podcast host Kevin Hart has also added influencer to his long resume as Bruush toothbrush’s newest spokesperson.
The funnyman has shared print ads and commercials to sell the electric dental device.
Fans will continue to see more celebrities go down this path, as brand and PR expert, Eric Schiffer, exclusively told Trending In The News it could be “dangerous” to stars’ careers to not partake in “the new norm.”
“I definitely have big celebrity clients that have gone that route this year. And I recommend it.
“Everyone in the industry now has clients who are going down that path for an added revenue method,” he said of Covid-19 related project shut downs and cancelations.
He continued: “Celebrities have bills and in many ways, to tie in revenue to a product you’re already using is no longer off-putting to celebrities, versus doing a car commercial or hawking insurance.
“Why not as a celebrity, when film and production revenue has faced a bleed out, consider other revenue streams? “
The Chairman of LA’s Reputation Management Consultants added: “I think it’s extremely dangerous for a celebrity to not be in social media or you face an imminent risk at irrelevancy.
“You’re buried alive if you’re not on top of it. So I think a lot of the celebrities [who started posting sponsored content] this year will continue doing so because they have now discovered it’s easy money and it’s the way of the future.”
