Dive Brief: 

• WhoSay —a social media service that allows celebrities to manage their personal social media accounts—is driving growth in celebrity brand partnerships. 
• The social service currently has 4.8 million users and spent three years recruiting celebrities before launching its advertising model in 2014. 
• Celebrities are now going through WhoSay to form brand endorsements that have a more native feel. For example, Rosario Dawson is teaming up with Lexus on Oscar night for a series of short videos to be posted across her social media accounts that feature her driving her Lexus as she prepares for the opening of her pop-up clothing store. KFC, JCPenney, Dunkin Donuts, and Crest have also signed on for campaigns. 

Dive Insight: 

As display ads continue to lose their effectiveness and value, native social campaigns like what WhoSay are facilitating could be the way celebrity advertising is done in the future. Celebrities have been offering endorsements for television spots as long as its been in existence—and while that is unlikely to go away for massive retail brands—web video and social is just the next step for celebrity sponsored advertising. While all major publishers have seemingly already dipped their toes into native advertising, WhoSay is making its name by focusing on celebrities—a smart way to distinguish itself in an already oversaturated market.