Celebrities and the Modern Lifestyle

From the beginning of time, people have been making others famous, awarding them celebrity status and admiring them for whatever talents they possess that have earned them their iconic position. But things have changed very much since the triumphant parades of Caesar in Ancient Rome; today’s celebrities make more of an impact on our lives than many of us probably realise.

No longer confined to the radio, TV or catwalk, celebrities such as Kate Moss, P. Diddy and George Clooney have realised the potential of their celebrity status and use it to create something bigger than just fame; they create a brand. Celebs that are smart use their iconic status to maximize their business potential in a variety of ways – often enriching our lives and creating trends without the general populous noticing the extent of their reach.

So, how exactly do celebrities affect the way we live in modern society? And is their extended influence having a good or bad impact on our lifestyle? Here are just a few examples of how celebs impact our lives…

Fashion & Fragrance: This has always been a celebrity-driven part of life, and every fashion trend from mullets to platform shoes can be accounted to some celeb or another. But things have moved to a new level, with celebs from all walks of life getting in on the action by representing clothing brands, creating the next trend for whichever generation makes up their audience. As well as catwalk stars like Kate Moss, celebrities such as Beyonce have ventured onto the world of fragrance, bringing a different approach to the world of perfumery – and don’t forget the ‘helpful’ apps and games, like the Britney Spears cosmetics game that helps young girls to improve their make-up skills!

Entertainment: We’re not just talking about the sports, films, TV shows or songs that create our celebrities in the first place, but the way in which celebrities endorse or appear in other forms of entertainment – some of  which may be surprising. For instance, many celebrities are even popping up in online casino games, adding their face and name to one of the world’s biggest forms of online entertainment via games like Top Trumps slots.

Health: From exercise videos to fad diets, nutritional supplements to boot camps, the way that celebrities look – and flaunt the way they look – is central to the latest health trends across the globe. Although the questionable size zero gets a lot of bad press, this celeb obsession with health can also be a good thing. Beyonce headed a successful ‘Let’s Move!’ health campaign that helped to fight childhood obesity – and when P Diddy expressed his interest in buying an NFL team, or hit the boxing ring, it promoted a different way of life to the gangster-filled rap that established his name.

Lifestyle: Our obsession with celebrity definitely extends to our day-to-day lifestyle whether we realise it or not – otherwise, why would coffee giants Nespresso hire George Clooney to seductively sip a cup of their wares for the advert? But it’s not just consumer products that we are affected by when it comes to famous faces; when someone like Johnny Depp openly supports a charity such as Great Ormand Street Hospital, or Britney Spears joins in with a presidential anti-bullying campaign, there are many adoring fans only too willing to follow suit. Madonna is another perfect example, representing multiple charities including Amnesty International and the Afghanistan Relief Organization.

Whatever way you look at it, it seems that celeb culture is here to stay, and so famous faces will continue to infiltrate many areas of our lives whether we like it or not. But outside of the obvious product endorsement,  elebrity presence seems to be providing a positive experience, creating new opportunities and ways of thinking for their fans, as well as helping to raise awareness of global issues and charitable causes.