Rocky still champ, but Stallone doesn't rank as celebrity endorser

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 21, 2006) — Based on early reviews, Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky Balboa” may have some punch left, but Sly no longer ranks as a celebrity endorser.

So says the Davie Brown Index (DBI), an independent index for brand marketers and agencies that determines a celebrity’s ability to influence brand affinity and consumer purchase intent.

According to the DBI, because he’s so well known among U.S. consumers, Stallone ranks in the top 50 of 1500 celebrity endorsers in the index. But while his awareness is strong, he doesn’t score well nearly as well in attributes like “trust,” “notice,” and “influence.”

“Thanks to a long career and the popular “Rocky” and “Rambo” franchises, Stallone is among the best-known celebrities in the world,” said Jeff Chown, president of Davie Brown Talent, which created the DBI. “But in terms of his ability as an endorser, when compared to other major celebrities like Morgan Freeman or Robert DeNiro, he doesn’t have the same impact.”

Stallone, who is known by a whopping 97 percent of U.S. consumers, scores more than 15 points lower in “appeal” (i.e., likeability) than Robin Williams and Freeman. As for “notice,” Sly’s scores are lower than actors Christopher Walken, Joe Pesci, and Val Kilmer.

Despite the data, Chown claims Stallone could still be a good fit for the right brand.

“Sly has built up a lot of equity over 30 years,” said Chown. “His Rocky character is known and loved around the world. Brands looking to tap into that affinity could benefit from aligning their brands with him.”

Created by Los Angeles marketing agency Davie Brown Entertainment, the DBI consists of more than 1,500 celebrities and is powered by a 1.5 million-member domestic research panel administered by GMI, a leading provider of global market intelligence solutions. Respondents evaluate celebrities along eight key attributes: Appeal, aspiration, awareness, endorsement, influence, notice, trendsetter, and trust.