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Former Olympic Rower Turned to Minimalism to Pay Down $82,000 in DebtThis 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.
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
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 @ 4:13PM
PAT said...
WITH THE COURTS CATCHING TRAFFICE PROBLEMS, AND LETTING THIS GROUND FEEDER GO FREE, HIS SMIRK KILLS ME. HE MUST HAVE A HECK OF A TIME FALLING TO SLEEP EACH NIGHT. KNOWING HE KILLED THAT LOVELY WOMAN....HIS KIDS WILL HAVE THE LAST SAY I BET
7-22-2008 @ 1:32PM
Head said...
That will teach that dumb white 'ho for running off with that dumb bus boy! She was the bros. property plain and simple. Their dumb azzes didn't get the message so the bro had to teach then a lesson ! GO OJ!
7-22-2008 @ 11:45PM
jay jay said...
Stormeygwen - you are either black or stupid or both! I'm inclined to say both. Get this. Many people make this mistake. He was NOT FOUND INNOCENT in a court of law. By definition in the legal system a jury rendered a legal verdict of not guilty. That does not mean that he was innocent. If you arre confused on this ask a Prosecutor in your jurisdiction.
He was found responsible for the deaths of Nicole and Ron Goldman in a Civil court of law. We all know (that is we that have a smattering of gray matter) that he butchered those two in cold blood.
Another thing I would not exactly classify that jury as remotley interested in justice. It was without a doubt "Jury Nullification". If you don't know what that means - look it up! There is no way on God's green earth that a jury can go thru nine months of evidence as required during jury instructions from the judge.
I was on a homicide case in LA that lasted 2 weeks. We were sequested - we did our job and went thru all the evidence. We did our job. A verdict was reached and all was comfortable with that verdict because it was the right one. The Simpson jury I am sure can sleep very well at night because as far as they (nine Blacks) were concerned their intent from the gitgo was to free Simpson. The judge (that idiot) should have thrown out that verdict. Three days deliberations on a nine month trial is unheard of.
I think that's what galls a lot of people. There was mega physical evidence presented to that jury but they completely ignored it.
What a lot of you don't know is that sequested juries are guarded by LA county Sheriff's deputies as was in my case. We have the top floor of a hotel; phones arre locked; no TV; newspapers, our transportation was four armed deputies in a LA County prison bus (grilled windows) etc. Also there are Sheriffs deputies in the LA County jail where SImpson was. If some of you noticed Simpson did not show any great surprise when the verdict was read - because he already knew because one of the deputies at the hotel guarding the Jury called one of the jailers and told him to give Simpson the "thumbs up". So he already knew before he came into court the day the verdict was read.
The one that looked the most surprised was Khardasian because he knew Simpson was guilty. So did Johnnie Cochran. Haven't you heard? On Johnnie Cochrans headstone there is one inscription which reads and I quote, "He DId It"!!!!!