available globally for those who wish to sample his cuisine. However, if you can’t catch a seat at one of his restaurants, there is always the Do-It- Yourself method, by buying one of his available cookbooks. While you’re preparing food from his recipes, you can even use cookware approved by the man himself, found exclusively at Kmart. Sears Holdings has partnered with Ramsay and Sensio Inc. to bring you low -priced Gordon Ramsay cookware products. The line was released in September 2011 and is called “Gordon Ramsay Everyday.” It is a collection of kitchen products that are to “his exacting standards as a professional chef," which, of course, are “nothing but the best” according to John Goodman, the executive vice president of Apparel and Home for Sears Holdings2.

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While quality seems to be Kmart’s main concern in partnering with Gordon Ramsay, the celebrity personality found behind the kitchenware doesn’t hurt either. Kmart’s previous celebrity partner was Martha Stewart, who brought decorative items and linens to the store, brandishing her name and boosting her celebrity status as a homemaker. Whether or not Ramsay’s line will do the same for him or Kmart, is a toss-up at this point. Celebrity endorsements are generally seen as good things, but the Ace Matrix Report suggests that this may not always be the case: “Our study of more than 2,600 ads found that…celebrity ads do not perform any better than non-celebrity ads, and in some cases they perform worse3.” Gordon Ramsay’s advertisement for Kmart brings forward reactions of chuckles or fright depending on the viewer. It showcases his aggressive personality quite well in the hopes of humoring audiences that find his mean streak endearing and “cheeky.” The advertisement features Gordon

in a frightened man’s house, helping him use the tools from his product line ending with the line ending with the tagline: “Mean Tools, Happy Cooking.” The man in the advertisement looks more frightened than happy, with Ramsay standing over his shoulder holding a knife, but it looks as though the tools are being used efficiently to make good food4. This does not seem to be the case in the reviews on his products thus far, however many home chefs have walked away disappointed with the merchandise they have purchased. Ramsay is not the only one to disappoint novice

1“Gordon Ramsay Home Page - Fine Dining in London”, n.d. http://www.gordonramsay.com/index2.html. 2“Kmart Press Releases”, n.d. http://www.searsholdings.com/pubrel/kpressOne.jsp?id=s16310_item44371. 3 “Celebrities, Marketing and Consumers: The Power of Celebrity Endorsements - CNBC”, n.d. http://www.cnbc.com/id/41081075/Do_Celebrity_Endorsements_Really_Work. 4Gordon Ramsay Everyday

Kmart Commercial 91811, 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=r04nsi7r8bE&feature

=youtube_gdata_player.

5 “Panning for gold: chef-

branded wares | Life and

style | guardian.co.uk”, n.d.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2

011/sep/27/celebrity-chefs-

and-their-

products?INTCMP=SRCH.

cookers; there are several other celebrity chef cookware lines that have received the same reactions from consumers5. The price of buying cookware that is “celebrity endorsed” means consumers not only have to pay for the product itself, but also, a premium for the brand name. Is it possible that Ramsay’s line won’t be able to stand up to the heat or to Kmart’s and Sears Holding’s expectations?

Let us know! Test out Gordon Ramsay’s Everyday kitchen collection and send us your feedback. We will pick that participate to win a 50 dollar gift certificate from Kmart.