Today in entertainment is a far cry from yesterday in entertainment. Where once Hollywood was dominated by blond starlets and blue-eyed actors, now people are looking for stars with more diversity. Of course, this doesn’t just pertain to those hiring actors and singers — followers of celebrity news and gossip are also more interested in reading about celebrities of all races and backgrounds. This is a great thing, and hopefully a sign that society is progressing to the point that people of all ethnicities can become successful in the entertainment industry. And certainly, black celebrities in particular are dominating now, as you’ll see below. Furthermore, many franchises are being revitalized by black stars. The “Rocky” movie franchise, once led by white star Sylvester Stallone, has been revamped in “Creed”, starring Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson. Thompson has also gone on to be cast in the third “Thor” film, starring as Valkyrie, a traditionally white character. Speaking of superheroes, Marvel has also introduced its first black starring superhero in Black Panther, who will get his own solo film within the next couple of years. Even “Star Wars” now has a black star in John Boyega as Finn. Let’s look into how black celebrities have evolved to take the top spots in celebrity news and gossip sites, and how this effects things like endorsements.
The State Of Black Celebrities Today
Where a few decades ago, black celebrities were few and far between as top earners, now they appear regularly in the pages of celebrity news magazines and in the headlines of current news sites. Oprah Winfrey was a trailblazer in this regard, and remains ones of the world’s richest people. Her show aired for 25 seasons from 1986 to 2011, and with its placement on 120 channels and an audience of 10 million people, the show grossed $125 million by the end of its first year. Winfrey herself received a cut of $30 million from that number. Before Winfrey, Sidney Poitier made waves in 1963 as the first black actor to win an Academy Award; however, this feat would not be repeated for many years, until Denzel Washington won the first of his two Academy Awards. Today, you can’t go online without seeing something about the reigning queen of pop music, Beyonce. Beyonce’s estimated net worth totals at $450 million. However, she’s not alone. Her husband Jay-Z has a net worth of $650 million, bringing their combined net worth to $1 billion — as she’s famously referenced in one of her songs. Singers like Rihanna are regularly counted as not only musical talents but fashion icons, and rapper Nicki Minaj has made headlines for her outspoken opinions on issues like feminism, just as often as people talk about her chart-topping hits. The fact is that the more headline-making these stars are, the greater their influence. So how much of an impact do these celebrities make in terms of endorsements?
High Profile Celebrities And Their Endorsements
It’s no wonder that so many companies seek out celebrity endorsements — they can truly make or break a company’s ability to be successful and make a profit. Indeed, a 2011 study by Harvard Business School revealed that the signing of a big name endorser can increase a company’s sales by $10 million annually, and triggers a .25% increase in stock returns. Of course, this doesn’t solely extend to things like for-profit businesses. Non-profit organizations can also gain great boosts from celebrity endorsements. It’s believed that celebrity support for causes can induce support from the public, especially among younger people. Support for causes induced by celebrities is highest in the 18 to 36-year-old demographic, at 27%. Celebrity support has less of an effect on older people, with only 10% of people in the 68+ crowd supporting causes because of celebrities. But with the younger crowd being the target demographic for many companies and causes, it’s no surprise that a celebrity endorsement can make a huge difference. There’s more to celebrity news than just gossip!