Opinion: Do celebrity vaccine endorsements like Travis Kelce’s actually change behavior?

Once the domain of aging TV stars, hawking health products from vitamins to diabetes supplies to a geriatric demographic, A-list celebrity endorsements of health care products are positively trendy. Migraine sufferer Lady Gaga has a deal with Nurtec ODT, a prescription drug that treats migraines from pharma company Pfizer. “This Is Us” actor Mandy Moore is contracted by Incyte to promote Opzelura, an eczema treatment. Now Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is making headlines as Taylor Swift’s current paramour, is the latest — and buzziest — pharma spokesperson. In a campaign promoted by Pfizer, he encourages people to get a “twofer”—a Covid shot and flu shot at the same time.

But there’s a problem here for Kelce and Pfizer (and it’s not Jets QB and anti-vaxxer Aaron Rodgers’ trash talking): Celebrity endorsements to promote health behavior change don’t work, at least not in the way you might think.

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