From concert T-shirts to make-up, jewelry to perfume, celebrity merchandise has become a staple in fan culture. Over the years, sporting merch seems to have grown in popularity, allowing more individuals to participate.
As communication methods evolve, the way fans connect with celebrities and their products has changed as well, a shift that SCHS interim statistics teacher Jackie Chirico has noticed over time.
“I think it’s (celebrity merchandise) always existed, and the method of delivery is going to change, and it always will change,” Chirico said. “At one point, it was celebrity magazines and talk shows, and then it became things like music videos and other forms of communication, and now it’s a lot of short-form content.”
Junior Esther Baker purchased merchandise, such as clothes and accessories, from a few of her favorite artists, including Sabrina Carpenter and Conan Gray. Like her and many others, she found out about merchandise by following the fanbase on social media and other online platforms. Baker reflected on the quality of the products and how it varies.
“It depends on the artist, really, of how good quality it is and how much they’re willing to put into their merch,” Baker said. “A lot of artists I find do like to put quality merchandise out, just because if they don’t, it’s bad for PR. But I’d say if you really like the artist, it is worth it.”
Agreeing with Baker, senior Andi Porter found that owning celebrity merchandise can display one’s music and artist interests.
“I think it’s (buying celebrity merchandise) a good way to know if somebody is really passionate about their favorite artists or loves listening to them,” Porter said.
Specifically, Porter enjoys listening to musical artist Travis Scott, initially hearing about him from a friend.
“You can promote it (buying celebrity merchandise) because you love them, stuff like that. I think it’s really a sweet thing to do in support of your favorite artist,” Porter said.
According to “The Marketing Psychology Behind Celebrity Endorsements,” a study shows that many people are drawn to merchandise when a celebrity advertises or endorses it. Baker validated the study’s findings.
“I think a lot of stuff people buy they wouldn’t necessarily purchase unless it was branded by the celebrity. A lot of artists have necklaces and things that people I feel wouldn’t conventionally buy,” Baker said.
Chirico added that students and younger generations are more susceptible to celebrity-endorsed products regardless of fan following or not due to influence.
“There’s a parasocial element to it, and there is also an element of not just parasocialism but becoming like them – idolization,” Chirico said. “If you’re using it (celebrity merch) because you think it will magically make you popular on YouTube or on Tiktok, that’s where some of the concern is and where my concern with those products is. Adults tend to have a little bit of a better control over that versus people whose brains aren’t fully developed.”
Though Chirico has their apprehensions, she does not necessarily believe that the power of celebrity influence in general is always negative.
“I don’t think it’s inherently bad to be influenced if you are aware of what the person on the other end is trying to get at,” Chirico said. “I think that high school students have the ability to have that conversation but frequently don’t want to have that conversation.”
Due to its popularity with many age groups, Baker believes supporting celebrities through purchasing their merchandise will endure.
“I definitely think that it’s (support for celebrity merchandise) gonna get bigger,” Baker said. “Especially as more artists are coming up because of things like Instagram and TikTok, more and more people are getting into tours and starting to add more and more merch.”
Porter agreed with this, stating that it is not just about the technique of advertising merchandise itself but also how the fans’ positive responses affect the marketing of certain products and even artists themselves.
“It’s safe to say that a lot of fans are very passionate about it (buying celebrity merchandise) or can be very passionate about who they listen to,” Porter said. “Obviously, one artist will not be famous forever, but in the meantime, the topic of buying merchandise and supporting artists will always be a thing.”