Troy Carter: Transactional celebrity brand partnerships usually fail
Troy Carter · Advice Line with Troy Carter of Atom Factory · Jul 24, 2025 · at 6:29
Troy Carter, founder of Atom Factory and former manager to Lady Gaga, advises founders on whether to give equity or pay celebrities to promote products.
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“You know, making sure that is not transactional. You know, if it was me sitting in that seat, I would want somebody who's in love with my product and mission aligned with the vision of the company. And if you didn't have to pay them that they still would promote your product, you know, and that's the type of relationship you need to have. If it's transactional, it usually doesn't work.”
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