Kiehl’s and Brad Pitt have come together in the ways of the new celebrity branding tactics to create a charitable organization, JPF Eco Systems that “maximize[s] awareness of environmental sustainability” according to the Kiehl’s website.
Out of this marriage comes a body cleanser that is the first of it’s kind. Its ‘Cradle to Cradle’ certification means:
Kiehl’s has reported the partnerhip with 1 part Brangelina comes out of a shared interest in the environment, not out of mega celebrity-fronted profit seeking. The motivation of the partnership remains somewhat questionable, though, with prominent presence the words Brad Pitt have appeared in promotion of the cleanser.
The packaging and banner ads on the web (both seen below) challenge Kiehl’s environmental positioning stance with the A-lister’s name (and breathtaking photo) prominently displayed.
Kiehl’s was genius in finding a fiber, environmental awareness, to weave between themselves, Brad Pitt, and their consumers adding civic consciousness to a celebrity branded product. Doesn’t this angle detract from the “sell-out” image often associated with celebrity partnership?
It also helps Kiehl’s tremendously that Brad Pitt is a very credible source when it comes to attaching his name to a brand. His undeniable force in the media allows him to pick and choose the endorsements he takes part in. It has been confirmed that Pitt took his involvement in the green cleanser so seriously that the product samples’ labels were no longer legible thanks to heavy usage in the shower. (I definitely just blushed with 'Brad Pitt' and 'shower' in the same sentence.)
Are you going to buy this new product? How much of the motivation comes from Brad Pitt’s name? How much from it’s unprecedented biodegradability?
The cleanser is available wherever Kiehl’s is sold starting this week.
