A famous face has long been seductive to advertisers, hefty costs be damned. And as the powers of fandom and social media virality have grown in value for brands, the business potential of a celebrity campaign has never been higher, sometimes pulling in results that far outweigh the price tag. It's what one might now call the Nicole Kidman effect, after her AMC ad has remained a subject of cultural reverence over a year later (and a sequel is reportedly in the works for ’23).
This year saw brand campaigns with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—the ones that rose to the top being the most collaborative and representative of each iconic personality. Despite fierce competition—this reporter may start his own ‘Justice for Chloe Bailey and Ed Helms’ campaigns—Ad Age revisits the 10 best celebrity ads of the year: