Celebrities lend star quality to teen marketing

Musical artist Fergie is pitching Mac cosmetics' Viva Glam line. Actress Amanda Bynes has her own apparel line at Steve & Barry's. And singer Avril Lavigne's namesake clothing will be at Kohl's in July.

Celebrities, retailers say, bring a cachet to products that advertising can't touch. And when you're trying to reach the teen market, stars shine even brighter.

Steve & Barry's uses seven celebrity designers, and half the stores' merchandise has a star attached to it. Chief partnership officer Howie Schacter says the chain uses only celebrities who share the company's philosophy of offering high-quality fashion that's affordable. (All the retailer's merchandise is now $8.98 or less.) Schacter says stars also offer a way to generate buzz, especially with teen shoppers, without the stores having to spend a fortune on advertising.

Read the entire article here.