Now the conversation has delved into marketing, I have something to contribute
I don't know if Under Armour's products are any better than Nike's or Adidas... but they bulled their way into a crowded marketplace with multiple established players. That's the only point I was trying to make with that example.
Celebrity endorsements = credibility. There are millions of examples... from actresses promoting skin products to Jon Gruden selling Coronas. But one that comes to mind relevant to this discussion is one for Direct TV, where in one particular commercial Peyton Manning looks right into the camera and says indignantly, "You're not still watching the games in
standard def, are you"?
Now imagine a spot where Daniel Negreanu walks into someone's home game, only to see the players riffling ABC composites. The sound irritates him, and as he walks out in disgust he says "
You're not still running your game with dice chips, are you?"
Want to add an element of emasculation to it? Substitute Jennifer Tilly for Negreanu.
It's all about positioning.
Never underestimate the power of fanboyism and status. In the world of elecxtric guitars a Gibson Les Paul isn't a proportionally better product than an Epiphone to justify the premium price, but they cost 5-6x as much as their cheaper counterparts. Why? a phenomenon known as 'headstock snobbery'.
Some random rich dude with no ties to the game of poker wouldn't be a good choice as a celebrity endorser, but what about an actor or retired athlete that regularly competes at the WSOP? Or Sully Erna, lead singer for Godsmack?