Kim's Trumping Paris in the Celebutante Wars

By Jo Piazza Posted Jul 18th 2010 09:00AM

We saw a picture of Paris Hilton accompanying an article about her faux drug bust in South Africa and almost thought, Paris who? Not really. Paris Hilton is certainly unforgettable in almost every way, but it did make us think about how Hilton has dropped off of our celebrity radar lately and how she has most certainly been usurped in the celebutante market by her former friend and assistant, and celebutante second-mover Kim Kardashian.

Paris Hilton has been a part of our world since 2003. Since then she has evolved from a club-hopping, panty-eschewing, party princess into a global brand.

And like most successful businesses, Hilton spawned imitators, other wealthy socialites who, because of their family money and their good looks also thought they deserved to be famous. In 2007 Kim Kardashian, Hilton's former friend entered the celebutante market, determined to reach Hilton levels of success. Kardashian used the Paris Hilton business model of utilizing personal exploitation to sell both her image and consumer goods, and as the second mover in the market was able to learn from Hilton's mistakes and did indeed become quite successful.

But now Kim has become so much more. Kim has used Keeping Up With the Kardashians as the mothership for various product extensions and have managed to cannibalize a lot of the consumer mindshare that used to belong to Paris Hilton.

We can wax on about the qualitative aspects of the celebutante wars for hours, but we like it when we can introduce some numbers into the equation. That's why we enlisted Davie Brown Entertainment, of the branding and licensing firm The Marketing Arm, those geniuses behind the Davie Brown Index, a quantitative way that brands can score the appeal of different celebrities to pit Hilton against Kardashian to see who is on top these days.

Hilton's brand awareness today is at 98% saturation according to the Davie Brown Index. That puts her in league with stars like Julia Roberts, Elvis Presley, Michael Jordan, George Clooney and Jack Nicholson. Kardashian's is 20 points lower at 78% saturation. That puts her in league with names like Jude Law, Stephen King, Derek Jeter, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jesse James. Not bad, but a much different group than Hilton's. Still, Kim is known by about 80 percent of all U.S. consumers which is nothing to sneeze at.

But Kim is both more marketable and more likable, meaning that marketers want to attach her to their brands and that consumers want to buy those brands.

Kardashian has a stronger appeal than Hilton (59 vs 44). Kardashian also tops Hilton is every other attribute, including trendsetter (64-57), endorsement potential (57-47), and aspiration (51-39). Over three years (between 2006-2009 when Kardashian began entering the scene), Hilton's scores have remained steady, though her awareness jumped 12 points during that span. Her aspiration the amount that people say they want to be like her), however, has dipped 13 points (from 52 to 39).

So it looks like Kim is winning this war, for now. But Paris is a smart lady and there is no doubt that she is laying in wait, rubbing her hands together and launching an evil scheme to catapult herself back on top.

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Tags: branding, kim kardashian, media, paris hilton

Comments

(31)

Sunday 18 July

By r

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bottom line is there making money, supporting themselves, cant critsise nobody whos doing that

By MandiP

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Yes you can criticise. There isn't any shame anymore; it's all about money. Take away the money and these women are shameful.

Monday 19 July

By Jessica

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Well I guess the fact that both women decided to gain noteriety through sex tapes means nothing. The thing that for some reason makes Kim more disgusting to me is the fact that she brought her family into the limelight and they're capitalizing by using her fame from the sex tape as well. I think that's sick.

By ashlee

kim k is an attention ho. she'll tell u anything to pad her wallet. People who believe kim are naive and stupid

By John F.C. Taylor

Stop paying attention to them. Concern yourself with some legitimate cause. They don't deserve any of the air time or printer's ink that they get. Same thing goes for almost all reality show "stars" and the programs they're part of.

I agree with you 100% !!!

Kim K is making HUGE bucks off lieing to people. Quick Trim does NOT work. I was stupid enough to try it, and all it does is give you a rapid heart beat to say the least. They only attach their names to products to make money!!! They are greedy fame ho's.

By linda

haleluia

By icdou007

Both a waste to me, anyone that falls for these two are not using their brain. Many work hard to get to this point, not by name, looks and naked videos. I have no respect for people who didn't earn it the right way.

By dnclilsistrdnc

No diet product works, it is 2010 have people not learned.

dors not work and im sure its the same wit the skin products all bs

They deserve the money it is like stealing candy from a baby, if people are dumb enough to pay for it, sorry Ashlee, now you know. These girls would hock their Mom if it would buy them a Rolls.

By cher

Kim is one smart cookie. She doesn't drink or do drugs and she is a shrewd business woman. She definitely knows what sells and what doesn't and she is a workaholic which Paris is not. Kim has a great family behind her also. We never hear about Paris's family at all.

By kathy

I always thought a debutante was a young woman aged 21 or under. Ummmmm-Paris is 30-ish and not a deb....and it is time for that spoiled little brat to grow up and act like an adult.

By mdf0220

Who gives a crap? They are both useless, vapid, and boring.

By george clooney

oh dear, insipidly would be more like it!

By DeniseK

Neither Kim nor Paris deserve the attention they get. We need to start paying attention to people who are really making a difference in this world. People need to remember that they get paid big bucks to talk and praise and sell the products we see them selling. They are not doing it because they really believe in or even use the products and they don't care one bit if we have perfect skin, smell pretty, or lose weight. They only care about padding their own wallets.

By Al Schrader

Sorry I didn't hear what you said. I was too busy looking at them....Al

By Melody

WHOOOOOO CAAAAAARESSSSSS???? They're talentless, air-headed bimbettes! Move on please!

By bren

Hay im not a Paris fan,but id watch her over all those Kardashion sisters anyday!

By RUKidding

So take that as a lesson girls. If you want fame and fortune with no real talent.....unless we are going to count sex on tape released to the public......just follow the model set forth by Paris and Kim. Yes girls: you too can FU(K your way to the top!

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