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In this age of celebrity endorsements and entertainer-based empires, we delve into the disappointment and bad business that is Britney Spears.
Last night's MTV Video Music Awards opened on a wave of goodwill and second chance: Miss Spears was to stage her comeback, proving critics wrong and fulfilling her own self-determined, self-directed Act II. That didn't happen, as we all know.
Spears' performance, if it could be called that, was shameful. Not because of her ill-fitting, tired outfit. Not because of her inability to lip-sync. Not because of the high-school-routine "dancing." It was shameful because of the insult Spears made to the entire industry that raised her up: her peers weren't worthy of professionalism. Every other moment on stage was well-rehearsed, polished, tight, showy. Every other performer took the stage in serious mind to deliver. Not Spears.
What price for such blatant, petulant, immaturity? Compare to Spears her (smartly) ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, who took home the "quadruple threat" award for his successes in singing, dancing, acting and business. Or the calm security on 50 Cent's face, with more than $400 million in the bank, after a very serious deal with Vitamin Water showed just how savvy his team is. Or Beyonce, full of grace and endorsement deals. Or Rihanna, well-spoken, genuinely thankful and clearly crowned the new "it" girl.
All of these artists embrace the heat of the careers they dreamed of; all of them conduct themselves as professional business people. They know they have become "products," and they have learned how to take the good and bad of fame, balancing life and career, and managing public and private moments appropriately. They get so much for themselves, because they give up so much of themselves.
Mostly, though, each of these real professionals is consistent in image, message, performance, attitude. That's what endorsers and business partners embrace: a consistent, value-adding spokesperson that says to the world, "if you like me...you'll love this." Spears is inconsistent, out-of-control, unprofessional, unlikable. What company on the globe would ever want association with such a train wreck? The last one that went for it - TrimSpa, Baby! - got a bit more attention than hoped for.
Miss Spears once magically balanced the fine line between girl and woman, virgin and sex kitten, innocence and power. Now, she is simply a mess. Consumers don't buy messes. We want them cleaned up for us by Swiffers, and we want to escape from them by imagining a more glamorous, controlled life.
Britney Spears is, officially, the black widow of brands. She will kill anything she touches. She brought the VMAs down a level -- and by all other evidence, they were finally reinvented and back in fine form. She made the questionable Criss Angel seem somehow yet less professional still. She made her new management, Jeff Kwatinetz and The Firm, look foolish. She ruins cover shoots and designer clothes. She is self-destructive, personally (the hair ordeal, the partying) and professionally. How much damage is one person worth? Not a strong negotiating position for Spears.
Perhaps Miss Spears has enough money to last the rest of her life? One doubts it, given the lack of professionalism in all other areas. Perhaps she doesn't want to be an entertainer any longer? If so, she should not take to the stage for a comeback. Perhaps she likes the business she's in, but hates the glare of fame? Then stay at home with the kids and put on some pants; plenty of others have found the balance. Miss Spears should be reminded by someone (Mr. Kwatinetz, if he is still on the dime) that her job is to perform. She need not have that job if she does not want it. Others may decide this for her.
Maybe Britney Spears just wants to chomp gum, bite her fingernails, flop around in short-shorts and no shoes? That's fine. But it isn't a brand image that's all that hot these days -- not for MTV, not for labels, not for retailers, not for fashion, not for cosmetics. Why? Because it isn't professional by any standard.
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