The lives of thousands in the company's supply chain need to take precedence over the spending on a single spokesperson. Second, the value of a reputation for being transparent and trustworthy is far more valuable than any celebrity can provide. A case in point is Gatorade.

Having spent millions on a Tiger Woods endorsement, the company had to retract not only the endorsement but also the product based on his persona. If these funds had been used for funding programs for children in the poverty pockets of the U.S. And globally to get internet access and received better sports equipment, CSR objectives would be attained at long-term change to lives who need the greatest amount of help would be achieved.

Third, Nike and other manufacturers are not being socially responsible when they pay celebrities exorbitant fees for endorsements because they are indirectly condoning their lifestyle. As Charles Barkley famously yelled at the media, "I am not a role model!" (Choi, Berger, 2010) a celebrity since picked up on prostitution charges, Mr. Barkley clearly indicates why endorsements carry exceptional risk with them. The lack of consideration of how their behavior affects the broader CSR goals and objectives of a company needs to be taken into account. The bottom line is that many celebrities could care less about CSR initiatives and programs and have no ideas of the needs of companies long-term to manage their...

For all of these reasons, it is critically important for companies to not support exorbitant endorsements and instead concentrate on spending their funds on creating a sustainable CSR platform over time. CSR programs are an area of investment that can lead to greater levels of trust and transparency for any company, which are far more valuable than the relatively short gains of celebrity endorsements. If endorsements are used, they must align with and be compatible with a compelling CSR vision (Babiak, Wolfe, 2009).