Brands Shift from Celebrities to Ordinary People in Ads

A growing number of brands are moving away from celebrity endorsements in favor of featuring everyday people, a trend highlighted in a recent analysis. The shift is driven by the fragmentation of fame in the digital age, where shared cultural touchpoints are rare. Campaigns like Spotify's 'Fan Life,' which showcases superfans such as Kye O'Hagan, a Glaswegian fan of the band Geese, and Pepsi's 'WE OUTSIDE' Knicks campaign, which centers on fans rather than players, exemplify this approach. Additionally, companies like Yorkshire Building Society are featuring their own employees in ads, as seen in their 'Here for Every Stage' campaign filmed at Yeadon Town Hall. The trend echoes Dove's 'Real Beauty' campaign from two decades ago, which cast real women instead of models. Factors contributing to this shift include the lack of bona fide household names in 2026, the decline of shared media consumption, and the practical advantages of working with non-celebrities, such as lower costs and greater authenticity. The article suggests that celebrity endorsements may no longer be necessary as audiences connect more with genuine, relatable figures.