From products that were clearly ill-conceived to celebrity endorsements that make no sense, many stars fail to pick the right marketing opportunity. Learn more about the products that turned out to be embarrassing or simply caused trouble for the celebrities who were supporting them.
Here are the worst celebrity products and endorsements, from child-labor scandals to complete rip-offs and other bad decisions.
The Kardashian Kard
While the Kardashians usually have a golden touch when it comes to marketing their own name, one of their biggest duds was a debit card. Created by Revenue Resource Group LLC, a Fresno-based company, the Kardashian Kard turned out to have “predatory” fees. It took Kim, Khloe and Kourtney less than a month to discover they’re involved in one of the worst celebrity endorsements. They backed out, and the card company tried to sue them for $75 million in damages, but the case was thrown out.
Jessica Simpson’s Edible Beauty Products
The singer managed to build a billion dollar fashion empire, for which she gets royalties of around $30 million every year, according to Forbes magazine. However, not every choice Jessica Simpson made regarding her brand was smart. “Dessert”, her line of edible beauty products, including body frosting, sugar shimmer, whipped body cream and body mist, included some of the worst celebrity products and was discontinued.
Lindsay Lohan’s Sevin Nyne Self-Tanner
Launched in 2020, the Sevin Nyne self-tanner actually seems to be a good product, that people continue to buy. The spray-on fake tan has been present in Lohan’s look for the last few years. It’s been trashed by fashion critics for making Lindsay look much older, but the self-tanner seems to be the only successful project the actress had had in years.
Paris Hilton’s Creativity Collection
Even though there’s passion behind the project, the Paris Hilton scrapbooking supplies set is one of the worst celebrity products. Hilton claims she’s a passionate scrapbooker, and the kit represents her image faithfully, with plenty of pinks and shinny supplies. Aimed at teens, the Creativity Collection is still being sold on Amazon.
Victoria Beckham’s Range Rover
Introduced at the 2020 Beijing Motor Show, the limited edition Range Rover Evoque was customized by the fashion icon herself for a luxurious feel. Only 200 cars were produced (and sold for $129,000), all in the same matte gray finish that Victoria liked.
Brad Pitt’s Chanel No. 5 Ad
Considered one of the worst celebrity product endorsements and also the worst commercial of 2020, Brad Pitt’s ad campaign for the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume fell flat. Without a clear association between the two brands, the experiment failed creatively, but worked commercially. Brad Pitt, described by Chanel CEO Maureen Chiquet as “the most iconic actor of our time”, helped sell more perfume, and got paid $7 million for his work.
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The Olsen Twins’ Aquafresh BubbleCool Toothpaste
Out of the many products that Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen endorsed in their childhood, one of the most ridiculous was the Aquafresh BubbleCool Toothpaste. Presumably, the twins ended the collaboration in their teens, and went on to create a true fashion empire.
Kathie Lee Gifford’s Walmart Clothing Line
One of the worst celebrity products when it comes to the end result on their reputation, Kathie Lee Gifford’s line of clothing, sold exclusively at Walmart, involved her in a huge child labor scandal. Gifford was appalled to find out that the clothes had been produced in sweatshops and became a big activist against the abusive labor practices.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Shaq-Fu
Considered one of the worst video games of all time, Shaquille O’Neal’s endorsement of a 1994 Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo game received mix to bad reviews when it came out. However, a sequel called “Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn” is in development in 2020.
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Celebrity Endorsed Raccoon Dog Fur Lined Clothes
Diddy and Jay-Z joined Marc Jacobs in the dog house when it was revealed that clothes from their brands used real raccoon dog fur, instead of the fake fur indicated on the label. Definitely among the worst celebrity products ever, the clothes with fur detailing were quickly removed from shelves.
