This post is part of a series on celebrity spokespeople who ended up doing serious harm to the brands they were hired to promote, or vice versa. See how we rank the 20 top spokesperson fiascos.
When I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, I remember watching O.J. Simpson in Hertz (NYSE:HTZ) ads dash through the airport on my television screen as a spunky old woman yelled "go, O.J., go." It seems like these spots were always featured during breaks of favorite ABC TV shows "Charlie's Angels", "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island." I even imitated O.J. when I went to the airport, much to the horror of my parents. I thought that, next to TV private eye Jim Rockford, Simpson was the coolest guy in the world.
Of course, no one realized at the time that Simpson's nice-guy image was an act. When he led police on his infamous low-speed chase through the freeways of Southern California, people saw O.J. running again -- this time from the law, under suspicion for the murder of his wife and waiter Ron Goldman. Again, people thought about Hertz. When he was acquitted, people thought about Hertz. For people my age (40), O.J. and Hertz will be forever linked. That's the power of branding.
About the only thing O.J, is endorsing these days is plastic football helmets and old pictures of himself, which is the root of his current legal troubles in Las Vegas. People are less interested in him in that world. At least one sports memorabilia dealer has his O.J. Simpson-autographed merchandise on sale.
To be fair, Hertz severed its ties to Simpson when allegations of domestic abuse first surfaced in 1992. Since then, advertisers do a much more thorough background check on their celebrities before hiring them to tell us how we should spend our discretionary income. We are a nation of sheep. The problem is that we as Americans continue to look to our celebrities before making important decisions, which is a pity.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-17-2008 @ 3:34PM
Ginger said...
Once a 'murderer...ALWAYS a 'murderer..
He can 'fool some of the people all the time and he can 'fool all the people some of the time..BUT....OJ cannot fool 'all the people 'all the time..
7-17-2008 @ 4:26PM
Ralph Tate said...
On O.J. Simpson- the wheels of justice grind very very slow sometimes, but we will see justice this time around. I am pulling for you OJ and I hope and pray that the lady of Justice mets out a severe sentence for you. And I further hope that you have a rear view window overlooking a golf course.
7-17-2008 @ 4:50PM
ZVEZDAS said...
LAKE THE LADY SAYS, BUT THIS MURDERER IS WALKING FREE, AND STALKING HIS NEXT PREY. OUR LAWS ARE A JOKE . HE MADE MESS IN LAS VEGAS, AND HE IS AGAIN WALKING FREE ,I SAID PUT HIS @SS IN JAIL RITE NOW.BUT HOW MANNY
LIKE HIM ARE STIL FREE.
7-17-2008 @ 5:13PM
campgal said...
oj is a puke ,he needs to be put down.
7-17-2008 @ 5:55PM
Greg said...
O.J. your still my hero i don't care how many people you slaughter.
7-17-2008 @ 6:34PM
Lara said...
The fact that this sad excuse for a man is still walking around as a free man is a disgusting statement on our legal system. He is arrogant and I'm sure laughing his ass off at the rest of us for our naivete in letting him run free.
7-17-2008 @ 8:00PM
StormyGwen said...
I have always believed OJ is totally innocent. ...As proven in a Court of Law. Get over it !!
7-17-2008 @ 11:42PM
NHENRY8323 said...
OJ WAS AND STILL IS A BIG JOKE. NEVER HAD BRAINS, WAS JUST LUCKY. HE DIDNT EVEN KNOW HE WAS BLACK AMERICAN UNTIL IT WAS BOUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION WHEN HE KILLED HIS WIFE. POOR OJ THOUGHT EVERYONE ADMIRED HIM AND LOVE HIM. RUDE AWAKENING. OJ IS SO FULL OF SHIT AND EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE HIM BEHIND BARS. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIS ASS IN A JAIL CELL. ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE. WHAT KIND OF POWER DID YOU THINK YOU STILL HAD? ARE YOU REALLY THE JACKASS I THINK YOU ARE? AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. YOU DESERVE WHATEVER HAPPENS TO YOU. I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY IN JAIL AND PERHAPS MEET A WHITE GUY WHO WILL SATISFY YOUR NEEDS. BE COOL OJ AND CAREFUL.
7-18-2008 @ 9:04AM
Forrest Draper said...
One of my close friends in Calif is Dennis Broom and DB was a brother in law to OJ married to OJ's first wife's sister. DB was in OJ's house during the chase. Enquirer paid DB 50 grand for his story which in in the center on two pages. Dennis and I was on Ken's boat two weeks after the crime and DB agreed with me OJ did it. OJ has one problem. He likes only white blondes. He is headed for jail this time again. He is a asshole.
7-18-2008 @ 9:14AM
Renate said...
After the trial 10+ years ago, I wrote him a letter
telling him how happy I am regarding the outcome of the trial!
A couple of weeks later I received from O.J. 2 pic's
one by himself with a beautifull message......
The other on with him and Johnny Cochran, signed by both!
I rest my case! Rena
7-18-2008 @ 10:59AM
latinagirl0828 said...
Renate, you must be thrilled to have a signed picture of a murderer. Glad you have a picture of Cochran as well. And isn't it wonderful how he suffered before his death. We can only hope Orenthal suffers the same fate, that way he and the late Johnnie can frolic in hell together.
7-18-2008 @ 11:49AM
J.L. Harris said...
To latingirl0828:
What a Hefer!
7-18-2008 @ 12:05PM
wes said...
the police planted the blood evidence, that's why he was found not guilty. that's a known fact. altho i'm no fan of o.j. simpson and i think he was guilty on all counts, the stupid cops tried to frame a GUILTY person. when the police officer took his blood sample to the crime scene other than the lab, it was 'case closed'. the whole thing turned into a circus. the judge was an idiot and the ds's were sleeping with each other. conclusion-- they had him but could not stick to the rules. no one should go to prison because of planted evidence, not even a monster like simpson. his day is coming and i think he know's it. i hope he hears the 'tick-tick-ticking' every second he's alive---
7-18-2008 @ 12:11PM
Jane Rawoof said...
Someday he will stand before the Good Lord and will have to answer for what he may [or may not have] done!
7-19-2008 @ 6:58AM
MIKE said...
i followed ojs career from the start and saw what
a phoney piece of crud he was ,and he finally proved it to the whole world, he had talent but his
ego got hin to thinking that he could do anything
and get away with it, in other words he can't think
because his head is full of pride and ego.
i will send you some daylight in a letter,they will
put you down where you belong.
7-19-2008 @ 10:14AM
america gonzalez said...
THIS MAD MAN IS NOT WORTH THE ATTENTION OF WRITING ABOUT HIM OR OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM-MAYBE SOMEDAY HE'LL END UP IN JAIL
7-19-2008 @ 11:43AM
IS said...
He should be in jail for murder, forget the commercials. I feel sorry that his children will eventually know he murdered their mother.
7-19-2008 @ 1:02PM
Kimberli said...
O.J. Simpson is an abuser, and a double murderer. Just because he was found not guilty does not mean he was. For those of you who still think he's innocent, read Marcia Clarks book "Without a doubt" she points out how O.J.'s dream team were able to get Ito to throw out blood evidence, over a technicality. And if you watched the Dr. Phil episode where O.J.'s ghost writer for his conroversial book "If I did it" was interviewed, he states there was info O.J. knew that only the killer would know. That book is a confession of a killer!!! And the Las Vegas episode, I hope he hangs. Yes, the weels of justice are slow, but they never forget....
7-19-2008 @ 1:48PM
Jo Anne Curtis said...
If you read the Bible, it tells you that one little lie will send you to hell as quick as any other sin. People think only murderers - rapists, thieves and child molesters will be in hell. Well, all you people better read the books of Old Testament of what they "killed" their own families for. It included lies, adultery, people sleeping with same sex, cheating, not caring for the poor and widows, and etc. Which one of you wants to cast the first stone?
7-19-2008 @ 2:41PM
Rollando said...
Life can be confusing to say the least. O.J. was found "not guilty" at his murder trial. I would assume that would end right there. Still, at the following "civil trial" he was found guilty. One would think because he was found "not guilty" at his murder trial, it would negate the "civil trial." At the same time, I am surprised that the Florida State Child Welfare Agency allowed the kids stay with O.J. in spite of his questionable negative domestic character.