Celebrities Use of Social Media to Promote Causes

 As I have expressed my love of the use of social media for both personal and business use, I have to disagree with this author's posting. He brings up Ashton Kutcher & Demi Moore's new campaign against the child sex trade industry. They are using famous celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Cooper Bradley, Jamie Foxx, & Eva Longoria to create short creative videos which bring a very socially disturbing issue to light in a manner that can reach a mass audience without the controversy. The author raises the question "Is bad PR better than no PR?" He says he understands the execution of the ads, but feels it is a bad one. The point of this discussion is not to specifically address this question, but I have to raise this question. Remember Sarah McLaughlin's animal rescue advocacy PSA? I immediately change the channel... As pretty much everyone else. I can't bear to see the animals eyes it stirs up so much emotion. Ashton Kutcher is known for his quirky humor, I think it gives his advocacy something different that people will remember, and actually be able to watch.

I think using celebrities to bring diverse and multicultural issues to light is a great PR strategy. They are able to add credibility average people can't. By utilizing Twitter and Facebook accounts, celebrities reach a mass audience within seconds. Think of the top campaigns and the celebrities attached to them like Lance Armstrong's foundation, Michael J. Fox's foundation for the cure for Parkinson's Disease, and the many celebrities associated with Susan G. Koman. Whether good or bad PR, I don't think it matters when you have a celebrity utilizing social media outlets as well as ads like the ones Ashton & Demi have made to get the word out there.

http://thesocietypages.org/thickculture/2011/04/19/cause-de-celebres-demi-ashtons-sex-trafficking-crusade/