Anyone who stumbles upon Ivanka Trump's new blog, launched earlier this month, is greeted with the glamorous business woman's thoughts on how budgeting during a slowdown need not mean boring midday meals.
She writes, "With gas and food prices on the rise, more and more people are skipping the deli line and bringing lunch to work to save money. This is great, but all I hear is how boring a brown bag lunch can get and how people want something different, especially when they are stuck at their desks—something I completely relate to."
Really, Ivanka? You relate to our bagged lunch struggles?
If you can suspend your disbelief for long enough to read on, you learn that Trump is actually being paid by ConAgra Foods's Healthy Choice brand to shill for its new lunch flavors.
All of which leads me to wonder: Do brands always benefit from hiring a celebrity, or do they need to be careful about picking one who matches their image? ConAgra has certainly gotten the attention of the blogosphere for hiring Ivanka, but will the connection inspire consumers to buy more lunches from the company? Or will they think to themselves, "What does Ivanka know about bringing lunch to work? She probably eats at the Four Seasons every day."
If I were ConAgra's marketing director, I probably would have chosen a celebrity with a bit more down-home flair—someone like country star Kellie Pickler or model Carmen Electra.
What do you think—does Ivanka Trump make you want to reach for a prepackaged lunch? Or roll your eyes and think of Marie Antoinette?
Reader Comments Read all comments (7)
cc of IL 9:51AM October 31, 2008
Veronica of NY 2:51PM October 30, 2008
Mad as Heck of CA 1:32PM October 30, 2008