Nicki Minaj stood on a Michigan stage and promised to back Donald Trump "forever and ever", and the question of what a celebrity endorsement really costs has never been sharper. In this episode of Where Pop Culture Meets PR, Jacki looks at the reputation risks of backing a political candidate as the US midterms close in. When your favourite star tells you who to vote for, do you like them more or less? And is there a smarter way to use a huge platform?
Jacki sets Nicki Minaj, Candace Owens, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, the Chicks and Michael Jordan side by side. Each shows a different outcome: speaking out, switching sides, staying quiet and misreading the audience. YouGov polling suggests endorsements persuade far fewer people than stars may hope. Then comes the lower-risk alternative, a nonpartisan push to register and vote, with Taylor Swift's no-candidate, no-party post as the proof. Jacki closes with a ten-question checklist for anyone weighing an endorsement, from motivation and contracts to candidate vetting and the exit line. "His U-turn becomes your crisis."
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