Surprisingly, many consumers are. If you've been following the presidential election, Hillary Clinton has gotten the backing of high wattage celebrities including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, and Lebron James. And you've likely lost count of the many advertisements you've come across -- whether on TV or in magazines -- where a celebrity promotes a brand of lipstick, shampoo, or jeans as if it were the best thing since sliced bread. But are such endorsements effective? That, of course, depends on the person. If you're a hardcore Paty Perry fan, for example, you'd probably be more likely to buy a product she endorses or vote for Hillary Clinton. Since I'm not a big fan of any of the high-profile celebrities endorsing Clinton, it didn't make me any more inclined to vote for her. Celebrities don't hold much sway over my purchasing decisions unless they're people I genuinely admire and respect. For inst...

Can you believe it's Election Day? It still feels like it was yesterday that Donald Trump announced his candidacy, sending near-shockwaves through the intersecting worlds of politics and entertainment. Polls have tightened in recent weeks, and although Hillary Clinton has maintained a slim lead, who will come out on top is anyone's guess. Let's face it: No one thought Donald Trump would make it this far. But his fiery brand of anti-establishment populism has resonated with a great swath of the American public. In what started as a crowded field of 17 Republican candidates --- distinguished politicians and accomplished businesspeople among them --- real estate tycoon Donald Trump is the last person standing. As for Hillary Clinton, everyone and their brother knew she had the nomination in the bag, even though the upstart Bernie Sanders gave her a run for her money in the primaries. This election has largely been a contrast between keeping the status quo (Clinton)...