Selecting the right celebrity to endorse a brand is a tricky proposition. When an endorsement hits the mark, it can make a brand’s credibility and popularity skyrocket. But when an endorsement falls flat it can result in a huge waste of money. Choosing the right celebrity is much more an of art than a science. Wingman’s success in matching celebrities and brands didn’t come after reading a textbook or white paper. It was developed after decades of A/B tests, difficult client status calls, and analytics, until we evolved our well-honed celebrity-choosing instincts. There are three essential elements to making the right choice and supporting it with strategy.

1. Find a celebrity willing to put their name on the line

It’s mandatory that our celebrities put their reputations on the line for our brands. When a celebrity has skin in the game, the ad’s credibility goes through the roof. It communicates to the audience that Joe or Jane Hollywood isn’t in it for the paycheck, but their best interests. We encourage our celebrities to learn about our clients and to be prepared to stick their neck out for them.

In a Wingman-produced spot it’s common to hear the line: “I’ve met these guys and I will tell you I’m putting my name on the line because I believe in them.”We’ve asked award-winning-actor Ed Asner, SNL legend Rob Schneider, L.A. Dodger great Nomar Garciaparra, and Olympic gold-medalist Mia Hamm to give personal, full-throated, “I put my name on it” endorsements and the radio spots spun direct-response gold.

2. Choose someone that matches your strategic interests

Your short list should be candidates with credibility that match the campaign’s psychographics while working within your budget and time considerations. You could drop a contract in front of Miley Cyrus to endorse your next-day carpet installation company, but the ad will be D.O.A. (dead on airing) because she’s wrong for the demo and has little credibility on the topic of carpet installation. Wrecking balls? Yes. Carpet installation? No. Star power has never equaled response and you don’t want to learn that lesson the hard way. It’s expensive.

3. Be Genuine

Focus on celebrities who possess the intangibles that’ll breathe life into a campaign. Would your celebrity actually use this product or service? Ed Asner was the perfect spokesperson for Verengo Solar because he was a life-long environmental advocate. Does their image match the brand’s? Burt Reynolds was a fun choice for Rhino Shield ceramic house coat because both are tough and have staying power. The brand-to-celebrity connection must make logical and emotional sense to the audience.

Celebrity spokespeople must bring their authentic voice to the campaign. This is where agencies working with a tight budget can make a killing. Your celebrity doesn’t have to be an A-lister, but he or she must speak from the heart and never sound like they’re regurgitating copy points. The ad has to sound like they’re speaking about the product naturally with their own words, cadence, and personality. We use a simple trick in our radio recording sessions to make this happen. We ask celebrities to reword the copy we’ve provided and read it as if they’re telling a friend. We’ll also ask them to freestyle the ad so it so it sounds like it’s coming off the top of their head. If the take works, we use it. If not, we hit delete.