The Weirdest Celebrity Endorsements That Made Us Go “Huh?”

Endorsement: Hot Pockets
Est. Cost of Product: $3*

Rapper Snoop Dogg might have a reputation as a famous international artist, but let’s not forget that he is also a businessman. After all, Snoop has a net worth of $150 million, and not all of that comes from music.

Snoop Dogg - Hot Pockets @Snoop Dogg/Facebook | ©Business Wire

He’s partnered with a lot of brands over the years to endorse their products. One of the strangest endorsements was Hot Pockets, which Snoop endorsed in 2012. To promote these savory pastries, which you can find at Walmart and pretty much every store that sells food, he even recorded a parody of “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” his hit song, which he retitled to “Pocket Like It’s Hot.” 

Endorsement: Charmin
Est. Cost of Product: $7-$16*

Social media influencer Kim Kardashian has endorsed a lot of products over the years, from salads to waist trainers to public toilets. That’s right, Kardashian once had a gig as a brand ambassador for Charmin.

Kim Kardashian - Charmin Toilet Paper @Kim Kardashian/Facebook | ©Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images

Charmin, a $1.09 billion brand, asked Kardashian to advertise their toilet paper at the opening of brand-new public toilets in New York City’s Times Square. The reality star agreed, and her 2010 deal with Charmin was, according to reports, quite lucrative. She wasn’t alone in promoting the toilet paper; she also had two Charmin bears with her at the product’s launch.

Endorsement: Crocs
Est. Cost of Product: $30-$50*

John Cena might seem like an unbeatable wrestler, but his childhood story is a bit different from what we expected. The star was, apparently, bullied quite badly as a child, and he opened up about that experience in an advertisement for Crocs.

John Cena - Crocs ©Kathy Hutchins/shutterstock.com | @no_wuckers /Twitter

The “Come As You Are” campaign celebrated individuality, and the ad took us on a trip to Muscle Beach in SoCal, where Cena spoke touchingly about his struggle to fit in as a kid. Not to sound cynical, but this ad was a clever move for Crocs, as the brand’s sales had steadily been declining before it aired.  

Endorsement: The Sims 3
Est. Cost of Product: $30*

In 2012, singer and future American Idol judge Katy Perry lent her image and likeness to The Sims 3. She even allowed the video game to use some of her songs for its Sweet Treats expansion pack.

Katy Perry - The Sims 3’ @Katy Perry/Facebook

This pack cost $30 at GameStop and similar stores, making it $10 more expensive than other Sims packs. Perry went all-out for this endorsement deal, even re-recording her hit single, “Last Friday Night,” in Simlish, a gibberish language from The Sims. 

Endorsement: Nicole by OPI Nails
Est. Cost of Product: $6-$10*

In 2009, Justin Bieber took over the world. Well, not literally, but the singer-songwriter was still incredibly popular, developing a cult following seemingly overnight. He immediately cashed in on that fame, signing lucrative deals left and right.

Justin Bieber - Nicole by OPI Nails @batpwkidrauhls /Twitter | ©merri/flickr

He even endorsed OPI Nail Polish, which came as a surprise, as the singer didn’t wear nail polish. His “One Less Lonely Girl” nail polish line was released in Walmart, selling one million bottles in 2010.

Endorsement: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
Est. Cost of Product: $3.98*

Ozzy Osbourne is a strange guy, but what else would you expect from one of the greatest, most controversial rockers of all time? You might remember that Osbourne was once in a reality show after his Black Sabbath days.

Ozzy Osbourne - I Can't Believe It's Not Butter ©Tinseltown/shutterstock.com | @John Smith/Youtube

The Osbournes gave us an inside look into Ozzy and fam, and the PARA series was incredibly popular amongst fans. During its heyday, Ozzy even nabbed some product endorsements, which included making a few avant-garde ads for the brand I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.  

Endorsement: Aquafresh
Est. Cost of Product: $1.83*

In the early 2000s, the Olsen twins were still acting, and they were still some of the most visible celebrities in the world. Though they’d later leave Hollywood to become designers, they were still cashing checks from their famous faces in 2003.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen - Aquafresh toothpaste ©Everett Collection/shutterstock.com | @TheGurglingCod /Twitter

Mary-Kate and Ashely signed a deal with Aquafresh in 2003 to promote a new line of toothpaste called Bubble Cool Toothpaste. Aquafresh was hoping to capitalize on the teen superstars’ fame to draw in a younger crowd, and, while unexpected, this ad campaign did work for the brand. 

Endorsement: Carl’s Jr.
Est. Cost of Product: $4-$6 per burger* 

Carl’s Jr. is a fast food chain with more than 2,000 locations worldwide, with over 1,000 of those located in the U.S. The West Coast fast food chain is super-popular, and it has, historically, been known for its rather shocking ads.

Paris Hilton - Carl’s Jr. @Paris Hilton/Facebook | @thecut/Pinterest

Hey, it has to set itself apart from McDonald’s somehow. In 2005, Carl’s Jr. hired Paris Hilton for this now-infamous ad, which featured Hilton in a skimpy swimsuit washing a car and, for some reason, advertising the chain’s burgers at the same time.

Endorsement: Lunchables Uploaded
Est. Cost of Product: $4.50*

English actor Malcolm McDowell is famous for his ffilm work which includes credits like A Clockwork Orange, Caligula, Halloween, Father Stu, O Lucky Man, and more. While a Shakespearean-trained actor might not seem like he’d endorse many products, that isn’t the case with McDowell.

Malcolm McDowell - Lunchables Uploaded ©Featureflash Photo Agency/shutterstock.com | @Google/Pinterest

The movie star endorsed Lunchables Uploaded in 2015, becoming a clueless, teenager-impersonating celebrity spokesman for the brand. The Kraft Heinz ad spot was surprising, as McDowell was the last person we’d picture advertising such a kiddie product.

Endorsement: d-Con Roach Traps
Est. Cost of Product: $13.99*

Could you imagine if cockroaches stung like bees and floated like butterflies? We’d all be running around in terror. The progenitor of that quote, Muhammad Ali, had a lucrative boxing career, as well as a nice side hustle as a product endorser.

Muhammad Ali - Roach Traps ©The Stanley Weston Archive/Getty Images | @r/OldSchoolRidiculous/Reddit

During the eighties, boxing great starred in several advertisements for d-Con Roach Traps (which are still available on Amazon to this day). He even lent d-Con his image to put on these traps, which promised to “Kill Roaches Without Poison.”

Endorsement: Walkers Crisps
Est. Cost of Product: $1.75*

Uber diva Mariah Carey doesn’t seem like someone who would eat chips, mainly because she is famous for having a very healthy diet that consists of, by her own admission, Norwegian salmon and not much else.

Mariah Carey - Walker’s crisps @Mariah Carey/Facebook | @britfood /Twitter

However, in 2019, she signed a Christmas advertising deal with the chip brand Walkers Crisps. The ad marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of her hit single, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” It was also incredibly expensive, as Carey made $10 million from the deal.

Endorsement: GO 10 Omega-3 Fish Fingers
Est. Cost of Product: $5*

David Beckham has a net worth in the nine figures, and he is one of the most famous English sports stars of all time. Even though he’s no longer on the field, he still remains in great shape, and this ad spot is a clue as to how.

David Beckham - Fish fingers @David Beckham /Facebook | ©Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The footballer eats quite healthily (though not as healthily as his wife, Victoria, who he has lamented only eats fish and steamed vegetables). A few years ago, Beckham advertised for GO, a brand of 10 Omega-3 Fish Fingers that were a healthy alternative to the usual fish sticks we see on in-store freezer sections. 

Endorsement: Poise Bladder Leak Pads
Est. Cost of Product: $15-$25*

Kris Jenner has had six kids (Khloe, Kim, Kourtney, Rob, Kylie, and Kendall, for those who aren’t fans of Keeping Up With The Kardashians), so it’s no surprise that she has a bit of trouble with her bladder.

Kris Jenner - Poise Bladder Leak Pads @prnewswire/@TheSunOnline/Pinterest

Kris found out she had stress incontinence, which was common for women after they had kids. Rather than mope about it, the momager signed a brand deal with Poise Bladder Pads to portray Rosie the Riveter in their ads for light leakage pads. Only Kris Jenner would turn a health problem like incontinence into a money-making opportunity.  

Endorsement: Activia Yogurt
Est. Cost of Product: $1-$5*

Jamie Lee Curtis is famous for two things (mostly). First, she’s famous as the Scream Queen who battled Michael Myers in the Halloween series. Secondly, Curtis is famous for getting on TV and advertising Activia, which is yogurt for gut health.

Jamie Lee Curtis - Activia yoghurt ©Ovidiu Hrubaru/shutterstock.com | @dorindasballoon /Twitter

This anti-constipation yogurt garnered Curtis a lot of teasing (and an S.N.L. spoof), but she holds her head high. She said she sold it for “seven years,” and not because she was “broke,” but because she wanted to make money while staying “home” with her kids.